Hate, Violence, and Death on Main Street USA - National Coalition ...

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HATE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH ON MAIN STREET USA2008Pontiac, MichiganA Group of Teenagers Attack Two Homeless MenAugust 26: Three teenage boys between the ages of 14 <strong>and</strong> 15, who all attended Jefferson MiddleSchool, attacked two homeless men in a span of three days. Two of the boys were identified asThomas J. McCloud Jr., <strong>and</strong> Dontez Marc Tillman. The first victim, Wilford Hamilton, died of headinjuries a couple days later when he was taken off life support. Another homeless man, HeffernHoffman, 65, was attacked the following day, he became unconscious from the beating <strong>and</strong> wentinto a coma. He was brought to the hospital to undergo surgery. On October 14, Hoffman died afterbeing in a vegetative state since August.According to Kevin Braddock, the police spokesman, “just the severity of the crime, the injuries,they’re brutal for juveniles”. After they attacked the two homeless men, they also attacked twopedestrians. The pedestrians’ ages were 33 <strong>and</strong> 52. The three teenagers were caught, <strong>and</strong> werecharged with the first-degree murder of Wilford Hamilton. Thomas McCloud, who was charged inthe killing of Heffern Hoffman, was charged as an adult in the beating death of Mr. WillfordHamiton. Both teens are currently being held without bail. If convicted, the boys could face life inprison.St. Louis, MissouriHomeless Man Killed at Bus StopAugust 31: A homeless man who appeared to be in his 60’s was attacked during the night at a southSt. Louis bus stop. The man, who has yet to be identified, died, <strong>and</strong> may have suffered a heartattack during the attack. Gregory Bean, who witnessed the attack, saw that the victim was punchedin the head <strong>and</strong> in the stomach. The perpetrator of the crime has not yet been identified.SEPTEMBERNorth Little Rock, ArkansasHomeless Man Beaten to <strong>Death</strong> with Baseball BatSeptember 27: Homeless man Anthony Patterson, 50, was found beaten, bloodied <strong>and</strong> dead onMain St. of the upscale Argenta section of North Little Rock. Police followed a trail of blood to thehouse of Donald Scott Grace, 50, <strong>and</strong> found him with blood still on his clothes <strong>and</strong> the bloody bat inthe foyer. According to Patty Lindemann of Hunger Free Arkansas, Grace was arrested <strong>and</strong> chargedwith pre-meditated murder.However, after the crime was committed, the Argenta community was outraged at the bail postedfor the crime. North Little Rock District Judge Jim Hamilton set Grace’s bail at $25,000, which wasone of the lowest for a homicide in the local court’s history. It was one of only two bails set below$100,000 for a homicide since 2006. Currently charged with first-degree murder, Grace awaitstrial.67
OCTOBERHATE, VIOLENCE, AND DEATH ON MAIN STREET USA2008Los Angeles, CaliforniaHomeless Man Set on Fire <strong>and</strong> Burned to <strong>Death</strong>October 9: John Robert McGraham, 55, a homeless man, was drenched in gasoline <strong>and</strong> set on fireat 9:30 p.m. on the side of the road on 3 rd Street in the Mid-Wilshire area. He was brought to ahospital <strong>and</strong> then pronounced dead. Benjamin Martin, 30, was linked to the murder by DNAevidence <strong>and</strong> witness accounts. Deputy Chief Charlie Beck commented on Martin’s motive sayingMartin had, “straight-up personal dislike <strong>and</strong> little bit of crazy” toward homeless people.McGraham, or simply “John”, as he was known to many in the community, was said to have neverbothered anyone <strong>and</strong> rarely asked for money, according to the Los Angeles Times. On the eveningof Sunday, October 12, a group of 200 plus people gathered at the spot where McGraham was killed<strong>and</strong> created a memorial for him at the site.NOVEMBERLong Beach, CaliforniaFive Homeless Gunned DownNovember 1: Five victims were gunned to death in a homeless “hot spot” off interstate 405 in LongBeach California on Saturday November 1st. Alongside bags of belongings, were four unrelated<strong>and</strong> homeless victims. It was later found that victim Vanessa Malaepule lived with her mother <strong>and</strong>six children. The shooting took place sometime between late afternoon <strong>and</strong> night, according to acompilation of witness accounts. “Some neighbors reported hearing gunfire, yelling <strong>and</strong> a carspeeding off,” reported Thomas Watkins of The Associated Press. Three men <strong>and</strong> two women werefound dead the next day, <strong>and</strong> “some had been shot more than once”. Identified victims include:Lorenzo Perez Villicana, 46, <strong>and</strong> Vanessa Malaepule, 35, Katherine Lynn Verdun, 24, FrederickDoyle Neumeier, 53, <strong>and</strong> Hamid Shraifat, 41. The suspects remain unknown, however wereconsidered armed; “the people who did this were not homeless.” On the events, Comm<strong>and</strong>erFarinelli of the Long Beach Police Department commented that, “violence against <strong>and</strong> amonghomeless people had long been a problem”. And for Don Morgan, Long Beach resident <strong>and</strong> friendof the five victims, the tragedy was “a case (that) shines a light on violence against the homeless,” acase that will hopefully make the public more aware.San Antonio, TexasHomeless Man Burned to <strong>Death</strong> by Two TeenagersNovember 19: 18 year-old Juan Gutierrez <strong>and</strong> 19 year-old Carlos Portillo were out partying thenight of the 19 th of November before they stabbed, beat, <strong>and</strong> eventually burned an innocenthomeless San Antonio man to death. Johnny Pena was a barber three years ago before he hit thestreets. Minding mostly to himself, Johnny was considered by his neighbors to be harmless. Thatnight, authorities say, “he was sleeping in an alley when two teenagers encountered him”. At that68
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