Slash victim's supporters fill courtroom

Feb. 28, 2004. 01:00 AM

Barbara Brown
The Hamilton Spectator

A teenager accused in the vicious slashing of a gay man appeared briefly before a justice of the peace yesterday and was stared down by more than 50 supporters of the maimed victim.

Michael Cordeiro, 19, faces a charge of aggravated assault following an attack one week ago at a downtown bar on Hamilton restaurateur Ronn Mattai, who required more than 200 stitches to close wounds to his face and chin.

Mattai, 38, is owner of the popular Junction Cafe and jazz club across from the Dofasco Centre for the Arts on King William Street. He was attacked with a broken beer glass in the basement of the Absinthe bar on King Street East by a man he did not know.

Cordeiro has hired lawyer Dean Paquette to defend him. The accused, who requested a Portuguese interpreter, was remanded in custody until Monday to set a bail hearing date.

Members of Mattai's family and Hamilton's gay and lesbian community filled the courtroom.

The dark-haired and slightly built accused stood in the prisoner's box with hands folded before him and head bowed. Cordeiro looked up only once to nod at his family members. Although the public gallery was quiet and well-behaved, Justice of the peace Barbara Waugh expressed concern the crowd might become unruly.

"I don't know why you are all here," she said. "I would just caution you that this is a court of law and there's a certain decorum that has to be maintained at all times. If that decorum is not maintained, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Police said Mattai was making the rounds with friends when they ended up at the Absinthe Club at about 2.30 a.m. on Feb. 21. As he was walking out of a washroom in the basement, somebody approached him and lured him into a closet by saying he needed help to lift something. The assailant broke a glass on Mattai's head and slashed his face with the shards in a five-second frenzy. The attacker then fled in a sports utility vehicle that was waiting near the club.

Kevin Brittain said his friend Mattai's physical injuries are beginning to heal, but declined to comment on his emotional health. He said Mattai would have been "absolutely gratified" to see the show of support in court for him yesterday.

bbrown@thespec.com
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