Honor student, 16, beaten to death by teens in Chicago

[Syt]

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/28/Police-study-video-of-beating-death/UPI-81901254142254/

http://chicago, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Four teenagers were charged Monday with the beating death of a 16-year-old honor student, Chicago authorities said.

Hours after three suspects were charged in the case, prosecutors said a fourth suspect, Eugene Bailey, 18, was charged with first-degree murder, the Chicago Tribune reported. Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, and Eric Carson, 16, were charged as adults with first-degree murder and ordered held without bond, the Cook County state's attorney's office said.

Bailey is scheduled to have a bond hearing Tuesday, the Tribune said.

Derrion Albert was beaten by both sides in a fight related to a shooting outside Fenger High School Thursday, the newspaper said. An amateur video of the incident turned over to authorities showed a group of youths kicking, punching and beating Albert with weapons including a railroad tie.

At a hearing Monday, prosecutors said Riley hit Albert with a railroad tie and Shannon stomped on his head several times as Albert tried to get out of the melee. Police said they were able to identify the suspects by examining the amateur video, the Tribune reported.

Albert died from cerebral injuries and blunt head trauma, the Cook County medical examiner concluded.

Chicago police set up extra security at the school Monday, saying they feared there might be repercussions when students returned to classes Monday. Albert's family organized a march and vigil at the school Monday afternoon.

Family members told police they do not think he was involved with gangs.

It appears the incident was filmed with a cell phone; the video probably floats around the interwebs.

[Malthus]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

[Syt]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

"Good" student killed by "bad" students? I dunno.

[garbon]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

So that people might care more.

[C.C.R.]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

TV ratings...

[Caliga]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

Would not have been mentioned if he had been white... as it addresses the subtle association between African-Americans and stupidity/laziness.

[grumbler]

Good grief, honour killings are spreading beyond ethnic communities.

[Razgovory]

Good grief, honour killings are spreading beyond ethnic communities.

[Martinus]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

His life was more valuable. If he grew up, he could have become a great scientist or movie director, and then we would debate if he should answer like normal people for raping a 13 y.o., perhaps.

[Jaron]

This is horrible.

[DGuller]

What's the relevance of him being an honor student?

Would not have been mentioned if he had been white... as it addresses the subtle association between African-Americans and stupidity/laziness.

I never noticed this before, but now that you mention it, it rings true.  The unintentional racism is amusing.  It's almost like "Yes, the victim was black, but he was the good kind of black, the kind that would be missed."

[Caliga]

I never noticed this before, but now that you mention it, it rings true.  The unintentional racism is amusing.  It's almost like "Yes, the victim was black, but he was the good kind of black, the kind that would be missed."

You'll never see an article about a white kid being murdered make a big deal that he was an "honor student".

[garbon]

Yay a few white people begin to notice things that everyone else already knew.

[derspiess]

Watched the video yesterday.  I've seen similar, but not where someone ends up dead.  Pretty sobering.

What really gets me more than the savagery of the beatings themselves is how by-standers act-- some are indifferent and, even worse, others are amused when the victim is lying on the ground, unconscious & bleeding.

[Caliga]

Yay a few white people begin to notice things that everyone else already knew.

I haven't "begun" to notice this.