http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/28/Police-study-video-of-beating-death/UPI-81901254142254/
Quotehttp://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.
What's the relevance of him being an honor student?
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
What's the relevance of him being an honor student?
"Good" student killed by "bad" students? I dunno.
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
What's the relevance of him being an honor student?
So that people might care more.
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
What's the relevance of him being an honor student?
TV ratings...
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
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. :)
Quote from: Armyknife on September 29, 2009, 12:55:25 PM
Good grief, honour killings are spreading beyond ethnic communities.
:pinch:
Quote from: Armyknife on September 29, 2009, 12:55:25 PM
Good grief, honour killings are spreading beyond ethnic communities.
:lol:
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
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.
This is horrible. :(
Quote from: Caliga on September 29, 2009, 12:56:45 PM
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
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."
Quote from: DGuller on September 29, 2009, 03:12:12 PM
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."
:yes:
You'll never see an article about a white kid being murdered make a big deal that he was an "honor student".
Yay a few white people begin to notice things that everyone else already knew. :mellow:
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.
Quote from: garbon on September 29, 2009, 03:24:39 PM
Yay a few white people begin to notice things that everyone else already knew. :mellow:
I haven't "begun" to notice this. ^_^
Quote from: Caliga on September 29, 2009, 12:56:45 PM
Would not have been mentioned if he had been white... as it addresses the subtle association between African-Americans and stupidity/laziness. :)
Or maybe it's pointing out an objective fact that good students are relatively quite rare in inner city schools?
Quote from: Malthus on September 29, 2009, 12:44:55 PM
What's the relevance of him being an honor student?
It highlights the conflicts that black kids face when they try to succeed on the White Man's terms.
Quote from: derspiess on September 29, 2009, 03:27:13 PM
Or maybe it's pointing out an objective fact that good students are relatively quite rare in inner city schools?
:lol:
I think why it stresses the fact that he is an honour student is that it highlights the perception that academically high-achieving kids in a poor, black ghetto are more likely to be victims of abuse than academically high-achieving kids in other (white and/or middle class) areas. Thus it is trying to highlight a (supposed) serious problem in American society.
Which raises the question: is there any validity to that perception?
My knee-jerk response would be yes, but honestly my perception comes more from movies and TV than any objective evidence. :huh:
On the other hand, I don't think it is terribly unusual for newspapers to mention, when a high schooler is killed, if s/he was an honour student or otherwise high achieving.
Quote from: garbon on September 29, 2009, 03:24:39 PM
Yay a few white people begin to notice things that everyone else already knew. :mellow:
Who's everyone else?
Quote from: Syt on September 29, 2009, 12:41:48 PM
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/09/28/Police-study-video-of-beating-death/UPI-81901254142254/
Quotehttp://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.
They are going to have so much fun in prison
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 04:36:58 AM
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Considering that except one they are all 18 or 19, I guess charging them as adults is probably a result of the fact that they are adults.
Quote from: Martinus on September 30, 2009, 05:12:41 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 04:36:58 AM
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Considering that except one they are all 18 or 19, I guess charging them as adults is probably a result of the fact that they are adults.
Well why the fuck do they even mention it then? :P
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 05:15:14 AM
Quote from: Martinus on September 30, 2009, 05:12:41 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 04:36:58 AM
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Considering that except one they are all 18 or 19, I guess charging them as adults is probably a result of the fact that they are adults.
Well why the fuck do they even mention it then? :P
Because journalists are stupid.
Quote from: dps on September 30, 2009, 07:00:27 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 05:15:14 AM
Quote from: Martinus on September 30, 2009, 05:12:41 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 04:36:58 AM
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Considering that except one they are all 18 or 19, I guess charging them as adults is probably a result of the fact that they are adults.
Well why the fuck do they even mention it then? :P
Because journalists are stupid.
No shit sherlock, film at 11.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on September 29, 2009, 11:54:58 PM
On the other hand, I don't think it is terribly unusual for newspapers to mention, when a high schooler is killed, if s/he was an honour student or otherwise high achieving.
That may be part of it. Maybe it was to try and point out in the headline that the slaying wasn't due to some of the usual causes that kids kill each other over, drug deals, or what ever, and that this kid wasn't the type to be in that kind of trouble. That's what I got out of it.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on September 29, 2009, 11:54:58 PM
On the other hand, I don't think it is terribly unusual for newspapers to mention, when a high schooler is killed, if s/he was an honour student or otherwise high achieving.
Yes. "honour" student is a shorthanded differentiation. rather than just having another 16 year old, its good there's something to hang the story on, even superficially.
Quote from: dps on September 30, 2009, 07:00:27 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 05:15:14 AM
Quote from: Martinus on September 30, 2009, 05:12:41 AM
Quote from: Jaron on September 30, 2009, 04:36:58 AM
Why is it when its black kids, they are charged as adults, and when its white kids they just were playing too rough and they get assault charges and stuff. A white kid has to steal guns, plant bombs, and kill half the faculty at a school to get a murder charge. <_<
Considering that except one they are all 18 or 19, I guess charging them as adults is probably a result of the fact that they are adults.
Well why the fuck do they even mention it then? :P
Because journalists are stupid.
no it's because Eric Carson is age 16 and he was charged as an adult.
... you guys are just being lazy.
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on September 29, 2009, 11:54:58 PM
On the other hand, I don't think it is terribly unusual for newspapers to mention, when a high schooler is killed, if s/he was an honour student or otherwise high achieving.
yeah this was my thought. rather than just say one kid was killed by others, they need something to give the story more heft and went for the obvious and implicitly racist, in a smarmy way. This is often the modern Journo way.
Quote from: BuddhaRhubarb on September 30, 2009, 12:11:13 PM
Quote from: Pitiful Pathos on September 29, 2009, 11:54:58 PM
On the other hand, I don't think it is terribly unusual for newspapers to mention, when a high schooler is killed, if s/he was an honour student or otherwise high achieving.
yeah this was my thought. rather than just say one kid was killed by others, they need something to give the story more heft and went for the obvious and implicitly racist, in a smarmy way. This is often the modern Journo way.
It's a classic "Attention Getter." There are an awful lot of people killing other people in the United States every day, so if the media want to effectively sell a given story half the battle is getting the attention (duh) of the reader/viewer. Unfortunately, urban violence is so commonplace that the media is reduced to cherrypicking stories that they can spin to be out of the ordinary in order to sell papers/attract viewers/attract mouse clicks.
I don't think that the practice is overtly racist unto itself on the media's part (although I would agree that racist elements most definitely exist in some of the Target Audience that would be affected by the specific example being discussed in this thread) so much as it is a sad commentary about the prevalence of violence in American culture...