Heads Held High also intends to tackle the issue of a Scranton priest accused of indecent assault.
Heads Held High Chairman Bruce Bayer said Pazuhanich would be one target at a civil rights rally to start at noon Saturday in front of the Monroe County Courthouse in Stroudsburg.

For the last two months, Heads Held High has been circulating a petition to Gov. Ed Rendell, asking for indecent assault on a child to be upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony. The petition will be available for signatures at the rally.

The statewide petition drive was inspired by Pazuhanich, as was the creation of Heads Held High. The group has previously staged rallies at the Stroudsburg courthouse.
Pazuhanich faces trial in Luzerne County June 14 on charges of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and corrupting a minor, all misdemeanors. He allegedly fondled a 10-year-old girl during a Hilary Duff concert at the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts in Wilkes-Barre on Nov. 29, 2003.

Although the group is based in Monroe County, it does not confine its activities there.
Bayer said the group plans to come to Lackawanna County to speak out against the University of Scranton priest who is accused of inappropriate contact with a 17-year-old boy, and to attend the hearings.

The Rev. Albert Liberatore was arraigned Monday on misdemeanor charges of indecent assault and corrupting a minor. Bayer said Heads Held High was "appalled" to hear about the situation.

According to Bayer, residents of Luzerne and Lackawanna counties have been supportive of the group's petition effort.
"Scranton alone gave us 1,000 signatures. Wilkes-Barre gave us around 670," Bayer said.

Eugene Harris of Wilkes-Barre asked for several copies of the petition, got them filled to capacity with signatures, and sent them back to Bayer, he said.
"(Harris) was just a grand old guy. I never would have expected him to do what he did," Bayer said. "That just gives us a shot in our arm - when someone's not part of the group, doesn't have to get involved, but does anyway."

Heads Held High paid a visit to Scranton last week, and found residents there very upset about Pazuhanich's alleged crime.
"They are extremely angry. There were comments you couldn't print," Bayer said. "(Pazuhanich) is innocent until proven guilty, but I think if you put him out on the street, you would see vigilante-style justice done."

Bayer said Saturday's rally is being held to protest issues ranging from racist remarks against Hispanics allegedly made by newly elected Monroe County Republican Chairwoman Helen Diecidue to the fact that recently, the charges have been reduced in three county child molestation cases.

"We have a little bit of a civil rights problem going on," Bayer explained. "The Latino and black communities are coming out for an apology."