FELON CHARGED IN PARK WORKER'S ASSAULT

Police Arrest A Suspect In The Beating Of Billy Gardner, Who Had A Reputation Of Making Life Difficult For Drug Dealers And Drug Users

TAMPA - After weeks of silence, someone finally talked.

A 32-year-old felon was charged Friday in the beating of Billy Gardner, who was attacked as he worked at a city park where he oversaw programs and chased away drug dealers.

Jessie Lee Viverette, of 3007 N 46th.  St., was arrested Friday morning and faces battery charges, according to Tampa police.  He was later released on $500 bail.

Police are looking for two more men they think took part in the beating of Gardner on May 5 near a city basketball court at E 21st Avenue in east Tampa.

About 20 men were hanging out and playing basketball when the attackers walked up to Gardner and started punching and kicking him.  Gardner said they wanted to punish him for standing up to drug dealing in the park and calling police on drug users.

Before they walked off, one of the men said, "You will know the next time you call police on someone smoking reefer."

No one went to Gardner's aid.  And no one stepped forward to identify his attackers for days after the assault.

On Friday, Gardner, 54, said he was happy about the arrest and hoped the police would catch anyone else involved.

"I just want closure on this," said Gardner, who has been transferred to another facility for his safety.  "It's unfortunate that it happened.  I don't deserve that.  No one deserves that just for doing their job."

Supporters said Gardner did far more for the community than just his regular duties.

He helped younger kids in the park, and organized a sports award banquet during Black History Month.  He worked Saturdays without pay to help with a football league.  He spent his own money to buy things for children.  Gardner identified the men who attacked him, but police said they needed other witnesses because Gardner was so badly beaten he became disoriented.

Tampa police Detective J.D.  O'Nolan canvassed the neighborhood three times before finding witnesses who would talk, said Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin.

Betty Bell, head of the Highland Pines neighborhood watch, applauded the people who helped police with the case.

"There are some people who are afraid, there are others who are outspoken like my big mouth," she said.

Bell said the suspect, Viverette, is a cousin of Jeffrey Viverette, who was sentenced to life in prison last year after a jury convicted him of two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder in a shooting Feb.  10, 2002, at the Apollo South Lounge.

Authorities said Jeffrey Viverette fired a gun at a man who once dated his live-in girlfriend, wounding him and hitting three uninvolved bystanders.  Two of them died.

Jessie Viverette, the beating suspect, has a police record of his own.

He was sentenced to five years in prison in 1993 on a robbery and aggravated battery conviction, and pleaded no contest to domestic battery and resisting an officer without violence in 2000.

- - Times staff researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this report.