Category: Violence

It’s Official: CPS Board Chairman Michael Scott’s Death Ruled a Suicide

Posted on by TL

Police are careful, very careful, when it comes to homicide and suicide. We regret that Michael Scott’s death was ruled a suicide.

Such a loss.

From the Sun-Times:

The death of Chicago School Board President Michael Scott was ruled a suicide this afternoon by the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. He died of a gunshot wound to the head, officials said.

When police found his body early this morning, Scott was face down in a foot of water along the Chicago River downtown, a .380-caliber handgun under his body, a source said.

The 60-year-old Scott, Mayor Daley’s go-to-guy for years, had a gunshot wound to his left temple.

He left behind his cell phone on a ledge overlooking the river on the west side of the Apparel Center, 350 N. Orleans.

But he left no note, a source said.

Another source who was with the Scott family today said the family does not believe Scott committed suicide and are not accepting the medical examiner’s conclusion.

“They know him to be a fighter,” the source said. “He had so much life ahead of him and so much more to do.”

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and those who knew him best.

Read more here.

Weekly Address: President Obama Calls for Review of Events Leading to Tragedy at Fort Hood

Posted on by TL

Washington, D.C.–November 14, 2009.

This was a week for honoring the extraordinary service and profound sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Every fall, we set aside a special day to pay tribute to our veterans. But this year, Veteran’s Day took on even greater poignancy and meaning because of the tragic events at Fort Hood.

On Tuesday, I traveled there to join with the Fort Hood community, the Army, and the friends and families of the victims to honor thirteen of our fellow Americans who died – and the dozens more who were wounded – not on some distant shore, but on a military base at home.

Every man and woman who signs up for military service does so with full knowledge of the dangers that could come – that is part of what makes the service of our troops and veterans so extraordinary. But it’s unthinkable that so many would die in a hail of gunfire on a US Army base in the heart of Texas, and that a fellow service-member could have pulled trigger.

There is an ongoing investigation into this terrible tragedy. That investigation will look at the motives of the alleged gunman, including his views and contacts. As I said in Fort Hood, I am confident that justice will be done, and I will insist that the full story be told. That is paramount, and I won’t compromise that investigation today by discussing the details of this case. But given the potential warning signs that may have been known prior these shootings, we must uncover what steps – if any – could have been taken to avert this tragedy.

On the Thursday evening that this tragedy took place, I met in the Oval Office with Secretary of Defense Gates, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – Admiral Mullen, and FBI Director Mueller to review the immediate steps that were necessary to support the families and secure Fort Hood. The next morning, I met with the leadership of our military and the intelligence community, and ordered them to undertake a full review of the sequence of events that led up to the shootings.

The purpose of this review is clear: We must compile every piece of information that was known about the gunman, and we must learn what was done with that information. Once we have those facts, we must act upon them. If there was a failure to take appropriate action before the shootings, there must be accountability. Beyond that – and most importantly – we must quickly and thoroughly evaluate and address any flaws in the system, so that we can prevent a similar breach from happening again. Our government must be able to act swiftly and surely when it has threatening information. And our troops must have the security that they deserve.

I know there will also be inquiries by Congress, and there should. But all of us should resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the political theater that sometimes dominates the discussion here in Washington. The stakes are far too high.

Of all the responsibilities of the presidency, the one that I weigh most heavily is my duty as Commander-in-Chief to our splendid service-men and women. Their character and bravery were on full display in that processing center at Fort Hood, when so many scrambled under fire to help their wounded comrades. And their great dignity and decency has been on display in the days since, as the Fort Hood community has rallied together.

We owe our troops prayerful, considered decisions about when and where we commit them to battle to protect our security and freedom, and we must fully support them when they are deployed. We also owe them the absolute assurance that they’ll be safe here at home as they prepare for whatever mission may come. As Commander-in-Chief, I won’t settle for anything less.

This nation will never forget the service of those we lost at Fort Hood, just as we will always honor the service of all who wear the uniform of the United States of America. Their legacy will be an America that is safer and stronger – an America that reflects the extraordinary character of the men and women who serve it.

Thank you.

Source: whitehouse.gov

Brighton Park Man Allegedly Goes All Van Gogh on Girlfriend

Posted on by TL

Ugh.

From the Sun-Times:

A woman was hospitalized Sunday morning after her boyfriend allegedly bit off part of her ear during an argument in the Southwest Side Brighton Park neighborhood.

About 3:40 a.m., police responded to a domestic-related incident in the 4000 block of South Brighton Place, where a man allegedly bit off part of his girlfriend’s ear during a fight, police said.

The woman was taken to John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in an unknown condition.

According to the report, detectives recovered part of the woman’s ear on the scene.

Ugh.

Jennifer Clark, Mother of Three, Killed at Party

Posted on by TL

This is wrong any way you look at it. A young mother of three lost her life Sunday in Chicago.

From the Sun-Times:

Jennifer Clark had three children at a young age but tried hard to improve her prospects, continuing her education after high school and working as a home health-care aide.

Her life ended early Sunday in a hail of bullets at a West Side party. Clark, 24, died of a gunshot wound to the chest when someone fired into a party at Hau’t Sneakers and Gear, 5360 W. Division.

Police said the shooting happened about 1:05 a.m. after a man was asked to leave the event for "rude behavior." Once outside, the man filed several shots through the door, hitting Clark and a 16-year-old girl, said Police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak.

The teenager was wounded on the bottom of her left foot and was in serious condition at West Suburban Medical Center, Oak Park. The Cook County medical examiner’s office said Clark, of the 3200 block of West Crystal, was pronounced dead at 1:41 a.m. at Mount Sinai Hospital.

All because a dude was asked to leave a party.

Dude, you gotta step up. A woman lost her life because your pride was hurt.

And three children lost their mother.

Dude, you gotta step up.

Love Conquers Hate: President Barack Obama Signs Hate Crimes Legislation Into Law

Posted on by TL

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

www.hrc.org/loveconquershate

Washington, D.C.– The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised President Barack Obama today for signing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. The new law gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person’s actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. The legislation was added as a provision to the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act earlier this Summer. For a comprehensive retrospective and historical overview of hate crimes advocacy visit: www.hrc.org/loveconquershate.

“This law honors our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters whose lives were cut short because of hate,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today’s signing of the first major piece of civil rights legislation to protect LGBT Americans represents a historic milestone in the inevitable march towards equality. Although this is a major step in fighting the scourge of hate violence, it is not the end of the road. As a community, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to changing not only laws but also hearts and minds. We know that hate crimes not only harm individuals, but they terrorize entire communities. After more than a decade of advocacy, local police and sheriffs’ departments now have the full resources of the Justice Department available to them.”

“We applaud President Obama for signing this bill into law and thank the leadership and our allies in the House and Senate. We also will always remember the tireless efforts of Senator Edward Kennedy on this issue. Senator Kennedy once said that this legislation sends ‘a message about freedom and equality that will resonate around the world.’ This marks the first time that we as a nation have explicitly protected the LGBT community in the law. And this law sends a loud message that perpetrators of hate violence against anyone will be brought to justice,” said Solmonese.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act honors the memory of Matthew Shepard, a Wyoming college student brutally murdered in an act of hate violence in 1998, and James Byrd, an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas, in 1998.

“We are incredibly grateful to Congress and the president for taking this step forward on behalf of hate crime victims and their families, especially given the continuing attacks on people simply for living their lives openly and honestly,” said Judy Shepard, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “But each of us can and must do much more to ensure true equality for all Americans.”

“We appreciate everyone who worked so hard on this bill. My son was taken at such an early age and we hope this law will help prevent other families from going through what we experienced,” said Stella Byrd, mother of James Byrd. “Even though we’re different colors and different sexual orientations or gender identities, God made us all and he loves us all.”

The new law also provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

This legislation was first introduced in the 105th Congress. There have been 14 total votes in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate to bring this historic legislation to the president’s desk.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

President Obama Signs Hate Crimes Legislation

President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law. (Photo: HRC.ORG)

Source: HRC.ORG

Sympathy for the Devil: James Degorski Spared the Death Penalty

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Tribune:

A Cook County jury today spared James Degorski of the death penalty three weeks after he was convicted in the murders of seven workers at the Brown’s Chicken restaurant in Palatine in 1993. 

He will be sentenced to life in prison.

The jury began deliberations at about 12:20 p.m. after hearing closing arguments from lawyers on both sides.

Degorski, 37, is charged with killing seven workers in the suburban restaurant 16 years ago in an attempt "to do something big." His co-defendant and high school friend, Juan Luna, was sentenced to life in prison two years ago for the murders.

"He slaughtered them that night," Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Biesty said in his closing. "He wanted to do something big and he wanted to be famous. Well, he did do something big and he is famous…and now it’s his judgment day."

In rebuttal, Mark Levitt, a senior Cook County assistant public defender, encouraged jurors to look deep into their hearts and give Degorski a life sentence instead of death.

"Finding mercy where it shouldn’t exist is exactly what mercy is," said Levitt, who spoke in a soft tone during closing arguments and referred to Degorski as "Jim."

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Tom Biesty pulled out all the stops, mixing crime scene pictures with photographs of the victims smiling, according to the report. Family members wept as images of loved ones flashed on the screen.

But the Public Defender Mark Levitt won the day, especially after recounting Degorski’s childhood:

In his closing arguments, public defender Levitt recounted the convicted murderer’s abusive childhood abd showed school-age photos of Degorski and his four siblings while recalling the sexual and physical abuse they suffered at their father’s hand. Levitt portrayed Degorski as a young child willing to take extra blows in the hopes of protecting his siblings, a role that left him with deep psychological wounds.

At moments, a typically stone-faced Degorski swallowed hard and looked away as Levitt described a tyrannical and sexually-perverse father.  Levitt said his client suffers from neurological problems, was in special education classes from an early age and wet his bed until the age of 14.

Another violent chapter in the Brown’s Chicken murders comes to a close.

I can’t help thinking how violence begets violence, considering Degorski’s childhood. From that violent past, seven more lives lost.

From WGN as the jurors heard closing arguments:

Read more here.

Ramiro Guevara, 17, Shot and Killed in Chicago Club

Posted on by TL

Sad news out of Chicago.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A 17-year-old boy was shot to death this morning in a Logan Square neighborhood nightclub, police said.

Police were notified about the shooting at about 2 a.m. inside the V Live night club at 2047 N. Milwaukee Avenue, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro.

Ramiro Guevara got into an argument with another man inside the nightclub, and the other man pulled out a handgun and started firing, Alfaro said. Alfaro said Guevara was shot in the head, but a police source said Guevara was shot in the back.

The shooter fled the nightclub, and no one was in custody this morning, Alfaro said.

As always, our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim. If anyone knows anything, please step up and contact the Chicago Police Department. You can also use your cellphone to TEXT a crime TIP.

Read more.

Apparently We’re Killing Each Other Less Frequently in Chicago

Posted on by TL

The news is better in Chicago, but only 11% better.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Homicides continued to decline this year in Chicago through September, including homicides of school-age children, according to Police Department statistics.

Homicides fell 11 percent through the first nine months of 2009 compared with the same period a year ago, department officials said.

Through Sept. 30, there had been 348 slayings, down from 393 for the same period last year.

Through Sept. 15, killings of youths between the ages of 6 and 18 declined by 14.5 percent compared with the same period last year.

Last week, police Supt. Jody Weis trumpeted a 47 percent decline since last year in homicides involving youths — but that figure included those between ages 9 and 19.

Despite the decline in youth slayings in Chicago, the issue has grabbed the spotlight since the fatal beating of 16-year-old Derrion Albert near Fenger High School after classes on Sept. 24.

The city and nation have been riveted by the startling video of the beating, in which several teenagers can be seen wielding large planks of wood in a melee involving more than 50 youngsters.

In response, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Attorney General Eric Holder came to Chicago last week to meet with students and city officials about youth violence.

Was this a quick move on Mayor Daley’s part to quell the unease surrounding the death of Derrion Albert? You bet. 11% means that forty-five fewer people were killed in Chicago this year compared to last year.

That is significant.

Let’s hope it lasts…

Alleged Conservative Vice Lords Gang Member Shot Dead

Posted on by TL

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

An alleged gang-member was fatally shot near his home Thursday night in the West Side’s Austin neighborhood.

Brandon Chambers, 21, of the 100 block of North Lavergne Avenue, was pronounced dead at 9:41 p.m. Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Police News Affairs Officer Robert Perez said Chambers was walking on the sidewalk in the 160 block of North Lavergne Avenue when a dark-colored car — possibly a Pontiac G6 — approached and somebody inside called Chambers to the car.

Somebody inside the car then opened fire, striking Chambers in the head, Perez said. An autopsy is scheduled for later Friday, according to the medical examiner’s office.

It’s all about drugs.

Legalize them.  All of them.  Regulate them.  All of them.

Right now, the gangs control the drug market.  And our young are dying every day.

UCLA Student Hospitalized After Fellow Student Slashes Her Throat

Posted on by TL

Why do we gravitate toward the most violent stories in the news?  I do it too.  I was just reading the Chicago Tribune online, looking at local stories, national stories, and this was the story I clicked to read:

A female UCLA student was hospitalized Thursday after a fellow student slashed her throat in a chemistry lab on campus, authorities said.

A man was arrested after UCLA police got a call about the stabbing Thursday afternoon in Young Hall.

UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said the victim and suspect were among a group of students working in the undergraduate teaching lab at the time. They are both 20-year-old seniors.

Officers were interviewing 30 to 40 witnesses who were in or near the lab and might have seen the attack, Campus Police Assistant Chief Jeff Young said. No names have been released, and the motive is under investigation.

The woman was being treated for multiple stab wounds at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Her condition was not immediately known.

So why did I gravitate to the most gruesome story in the Trib?

This is very sad.

From the LA Times:

One student who was inside the lab when the attack occurred shortly after noon told The Times that he looked up as the assailant appeared to repeatedly punch the victim. Then the man calmly turned and walked away as the victim lay bleeding profusely.

Law enforcement sources said some type of verbal altercation occurred just before the attack, but the relationship, if any, between the assailant and the victim was unclear.

Witnesses said they saw a woman staggering out of the sixth-floor Young Hall lab with a teacher’s assistant applying pressure to her bloody neck moments after the attack, which was reported at 12:21 p.m.

Ugh.

Students and faculty “are obviously very shaken” by the incident, Garrell said. “It’s very shocking,” according to the LA Times.

Here’s to a complete recovery, although something like this will linger for a long, long time. Personally, and at UCLA.