NY bar owner charged in beating of newspaper food critic; 1 other charged in attack
By APFriday, June 25, 2010
NY bar owner charged in food critic’s beating
ALBANY, New York — A bar owner is charged with having a newspaper food critic beaten up.
Timothy Rankins was arraigned Friday in county court on a misdemeanor assault charge. Rankins, 41, is accused of having associates beat up Steve Barnes as the Albany Times Union’s food writer left a restaurant with a friend in October 2008.
Bail for Rankins was set at $5,000. His lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Jason Spiegel, the brother of a professional fighter from Troy, was charged Thursday with taking part in the attack. The fighter was previously charged, but a judge threw the case out.
The paper has reported on Rankins’ connections to city officials, charges he failed to pay $191,000 in taxes and that he was one of the city’s worst parking scofflaws.
