Hate Crime in Georgia: Two Black Teenagers Murder 13-Month-Old Toddler, Wound White Mother; Police Initially Suspected Mother of being Another Susan Smith Murderer-Race Hoaxer; No One’s Calling Crime What It was; Supreme Court Ruling Forecloses on Justice

 

Murder victim Antonio



Victim Sherry West



Murder suspect De’Marquise Elkins. "Police said suspect De'Marquise Elkins will be treated as an adult in criminal proceedings."

Posted by Nicholas Stix

American Renaissance’s Web editor notes that “According to the 2010 US Census, Brunswick, GA, is 59 percent black and 36 percent white. Also, a 17-year-old De'Marquise Elkins (photo below) and a 14-year-old have been arrested in connection with the murder. ]

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Dozens of leads in Georgia baby shooting case

Friday, March 22, 2013 - 13:09

CNN

[N.S.: Posted at CBS’ local affiliate, KDBC. CNN has since sent this story down the memory hole, by replacing it at the original URL with a completely different update (see below).

In this original version, however, one sees that police spokesman Todd Rhodes was insinuating that the cops believed that Sherry West had murdered her own child, wounded herself, and then invented a story in which racist black thugs did it. "That is what the mother said," he said. "We as law enforcement, we can't go off of what anyone says. We have to thoroughly investigate this case."

That’s nonsense. Of course, you start with what the crime victim said. If you’re a crime victim, and a law enforcement agent or prosecutor talks to you like that, he is denying that you are a crime victim, which means he think you’re a criminal. There’s no neutral option.

The child’s father may be Hispanic, but in the photograph, little Antonio is pale and blonde, like his mother, so the killer surely thought that he was murdering a white child. Because the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that no one under the age of 18 may be executed, there will no justice for little Antonio. Indeed, given the direction in which the High Court is heading, it is unlikely that his killer, if convicted of first-degree murder, will even serve a life sentence. The same forces that previously successfully argued that execution was “cruel and unusual punishment” for anyone who committed murder under the age of 18, are now arguing that a sentence of life in prison is also “cruel and unusual punishment.” This was doubtless planned—get death off the table, and then go for “life.” The forces in question clearly believe that for certain racial and ethnic groups, any punishment is “cruel and unusual.”]

BRUNSWICK, GA — he shooting death Thursday of a 13-month-old boy in this tiny waterfront town in southeast Georgia left authorities groping for more leads in their search for the killer.

"Right now, we are not ruling anyone or anything out," said Todd Rhodes, a spokesman for the Brunswick Police Department. Police have received more than 30 leads and have offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to the killer, he told reporters.

Sherry West told CNN affiliate WAWS that she was pushing her son in a stroller at 9 a.m. when two boys approached and demanded money, then wounded her and fatally shot her boy when she failed to give them any.

"He said, 'I'm gonna kill you if you don't give me your money,' and I said, 'I swear, I don't have any,' " West said. "I put my arms over my baby and he shoves me and he shot my baby right in the head." Both boys then ran into a residential neighborhood of this seaside Georgia town about 30 miles north of Florida, she told police.

The woman told reporters that one of the attackers appeared to be 13 to 15 years of age, and the other was as young as 10. Rhodes said police were checking attendance at nearby schools for students who were absent Thursday and fit the descriptions provided by West.

"We are aware there is some speculation being circulated throughout the rumor mill," Rhodes said, without specifying what he was referring to. "However, let me assure you -- as I previously indicated -- that we are thoroughly investigating this case and we will not, I repeat, will not leave any stone unturned."

The baby was shot with a handgun, which has not been recovered, he said.

Though no one has reported seeing the shooting, several people called 911 after hearing it, he said.

"What we heard was that there were shots that went out in the area," Rhodes said.

After stating that "there is no clear motive right now," the public information officer was asked about West's account of having been asked for money. "That is what the mother said," he said. "We as law enforcement, we can't go off of what anyone says. We have to thoroughly investigate this case."

Rhodes said crime is not common in the residential neighborhood where West said her child was shot. "It's a nice area, it's a clean area, it's an area where law-abiding citizens not only live, they also work and play.

"Much like every other city in these United States, from time to time we will have a glitch. Unfortunately, this happened here in Brunswick, Georgia."

Meanwhile, investigators returned Friday to the crime scene. "We want to make sure we haven't overlooked anything," Rhodes said.

He said West has been cooperating with authorities. Asked whether people in the neighborhood should fear for their safety, Rhodes said they should be alert and report any suspicious activity. "But no, they have no reason to live in fear," he added.

"But why my little one?" asked a distraught Louis Santiago, the father, in an interview Thursday with WAWS. "You know, you should have just taken the pocketbook and go."

"This is obviously just a terrible day in the city of Brunswick," Mayor Bryan Thompson told reporters Thursday, "and made even more terrible by the senseless killing of a young child. And it appears perpetrated by children themselves."

[That's black talk. The only time you hear of a 17-year-old or 14-year-old referred to as a "child," when he commits a heinous murder, is when he's black. Usually, the speaker is black, as well, but in this case Bryan Thompson is the white mayor of a black-majority town.] The city's website describes Brunswick, with a population of about 15,000, as "one of the most unique, historic and visually stunning places in the world." It boasts 19th-century Victorian-style homes, century-old oaks and magnolia tree-lined streets.

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Two youths arrested in shooting death of Georgia baby

By Tom Watkins, Nick Valencia and Phil Gast updated 6:50 PM EDT, Fri March 22, 2013 CNN 2 teens arrested in shooting of baby

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Police said they checked school attendance records Two boys, ages 17 and 14, are in custody, police chief says Teens held on suspicion of first-degree murder Woman said 2 youths tried to rob her, shot her baby Brunswick, Georgia

(CNN) -- Two teenagers were arrested Friday in the shooting death of a 13-month-old boy who was in his stroller, according to police in this coastal city.

The suspects are a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy, Police Chief Tobe Green told reporters Friday. Both have been charged with first-degree murder, police said.

Green identified the older suspect as De'Marquise Elkins, saying he will be treated as an adult in criminal proceedings. The 14-year-old was not identified because of his age.

"We are turning every stone to get a motive," said Green. Police said they acted on a suspect description given by the baby's mother, Sherry West, who said she was with her son when she became the victim of a robbery attempt.

Officers checked school attendance records to determine who was not in classes Thursday, police spokesman Todd Rhodes said. No other suspects are being sought, he said.

A weapon, believed to be a handgun, has not been found, but police expressed confidence they would find it. Rhodes, who described the shooting as "horrific," told CNN's "The Situation Room" on Friday evening that search warrants were being executed in three locations.

Police were tight-lipped about the investigation and arrests.

West earlier told reporters that the incident occurred at 9 a.m. Thursday as she was walking home from the post office, pushing her son Antonio in a stroller. She said she saw two boys.

"A boy approached me and told me he wanted my money, and I told him I didn't have any money. And he said, 'Give me your money or I'm going to kill you and I'm going to shoot your baby and kill your baby,' and I said, 'I don't have any money,' and 'Don't kill my baby.'"

The boy tried to grab her purse and opened fire when she said tried to tell him she had no money, West said, with the shot grazing her head. She said the boy then shot her in the leg.

West continued, "And then, all of a sudden, he walked over and he shot my baby in the face." West said she tried to perform CPR on her son and that the police took over when they arrived, but to no avail. "We lost him," she said.

During the incident, the smaller of the two boys was hiding behind the larger one, she said. "I don't know whether it was his brother or a friend."

West had said she hopes the boys will receive the maximum sentence possible. "If they can use a gun like an adult, then they can be charged like an adult," she said. "I want to see lethal injection or at least life in prison. This child did nothing to him. He was innocent and helpless."

Louis Santiago, father of the baby, told CNN later Friday: "I'm doing OK. I'm holding on."

Police offered a $10,000 reward for information and have received more than 30 leads. They were still following them Friday afternoon.

Though no one has reported seeing the shooting, several people called 911 after hearing it, Rhodes said. Rhodes said crime is not common in the residential neighborhood where West said her child was shot. "It's a nice area, it's a clean area, it's an area where law-abiding citizens not only live, they also work and play.

"Much like every other city in these United States, from time to time we will have a glitch. Unfortunately, this happened here in Brunswick, Georgia."

The city's website describes Brunswick, with a population of about 15,000, as "one of the most unique, historic and visually stunning places in the world." It boasts 19th century Victorian-style homes, century-old oaks and magnolia tree-lined streets.

CNN's Nick Valencia reported from Brunswick and Tom Watkins and Phil Gast reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Chandler Friedman, Jim Kavanagh and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.