Jamiel Shaw was an outstanding high school football player who also ran track. Jamiel had good grades and stayed out of trouble. His future was so bright, he was being recruited by Stanford. Gang members ended that future when they pulled up in a car and asked him if he was in a gang. Before Shaw could tell them "no," he was murdered in the streets of Los Angeles. Jamiel Shaw Sr. heard the shots from inside his house and tried to call his son's cell phone to know avail. Watch dad describe
This young man not only had a good dad, he also had an outstanding mom. Army Sgt. Anita Shaw was notified of her son's murder while serving her second tour in Iraq. Anita Shaw has returned to Los Angeles to bury her son.
In the mean time, Pedro Espinoza, a 19-year-old member of the Hispanic 18th Street Gang, was arrested and could face the death penalty if convicted. Espinoza is scheduled to be arraigned March 25. Espinoza was apparently not a novice when it came to crime. Espinoza was released from jail one day before this murder. The previous charge? Assault with a deadly weapon. According to Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, a second suspect who was with Espinoza at the time of the shooting is also being sought.
Shaw is not alone. During a three week period of gang related shootings in L.A. a man was gunned down as he held a 2-year-old baby. In another incident, a 13-year-old boy was shot to death last week as he picked lemons from a tree. In a third incident, a 6-year-old boy was shot in the head while riding in the car with his family (two were arrested for that shooting Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa describes the shootings as random. In the mean time, relations are apparently strained between the black and Hispanic communities. "There's no denying that some of the crime in this city is a direct result of hatred, animosity, racial animosity, ethnic differences," Bratton said.
Shaw is not alone. During a three week period of gang related shootings in L.A. a man was gunned down as he held a 2-year-old baby. In another incident, a 13-year-old boy was shot to death last week as he picked lemons from a tree. In a third incident, a 6-year-old boy was shot in the head while riding in the car with his family (two were arrested for that shooting Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa describes the shootings as random. In the mean time, relations are apparently strained between the black and Hispanic communities. "There's no denying that some of the crime in this city is a direct result of hatred, animosity, racial animosity, ethnic differences," Bratton said.
Shaw will be missed both off and on the grid iron. He was a junior at Cathedral where he ran for 1,052 yards with an average of 14.2 yards per carry. Off the field, he will be missed even more by friends and family. May his death serve as a rallying cry that starts an official war against gangs. If gang shootings result in strict enforcement of the death penalty or life in prison without parole, one of two things may happen. Either gangs will become less attractive option and thus gang crime be deterred or murders will be permanently removed from the community.
Update 7-20-08: Pedro Espinoza, a 19-year-old who allegedly is a gang member was charged in the March 2 death of Los Angeles High School football player Jamiel Shaw Jr. The Defendant pleaded not guilty to murder. Espinoza was arrested March 7 and charged March 11. A few days later, Jamiel Shaw Jr. had his funeral and was laid to rest. Espinoza remains jailed without bail. If guilty, this is a step in the right direction in the war against gang violence. Keep in mind, all suspects are innocent until proven guilty.
Update 3-5-10: In order to post any further comments on this particular thread, you will need to email legalpub@legalpub.net. Unfortunately this is necessary on this thread due to spamming.
Update 3-5-10: In order to post any further comments on this particular thread, you will need to email legalpub@legalpub.net. Unfortunately this is necessary on this thread due to spamming.
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26 comments:
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No news like this is ever good news. I was against the death penalty 8 months ago. Now, I fully support the death penalty for these type of murders.
Terribly sad news. You feel bad for the families living in these neighborhoods that are working hard, and tring to stay out of trouble. The thought that the dad saw his son lying dead in the shirt that he had pressed for him that morning just hit me hard. This kid's mom is fighting for the country overseas to help provide a better life for her family, and to have to be told that your son was gunned down at home - it just doesn't make sense. I know stories happen like this all of the time, but it doesn't make it any easier to understand why.
Everytime I hear a story like this, I flash back to Ben Wilson a basketball player out of Chicago over a decade ago.
Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.
This is too much like the Eve Carson case, just a waste of a life.
U really wanna go to war with us?
One more is sought in the killing.
Good ball player. Even better person. R.I.P. Jamiel
To "anonymous, U really wanna go to war with us?" ~
You, are a typical thug COWARD. That is why you don't even have the cojones to leave your name. Stand on your own two feet, leave your name and then maybe people will respect what you have to say. Right now, you don't seem to respect human life.
U dontz no the streetz.
Incredibly sad. So many of these kids have a lose-lose situation. The real cause behind all this crap is actually politics. It's too long to get into here but I'll put up a blog about it on my own within a few days and get into detail. Basically, as a poly sci major, I learned that keeping people uneducated and "down," so to speak, is the way to keep your job as a politician. Totally disagree w/the rationale and the ripples it causes, such as this incident. One of the many reasons I went into standup instead of politics...
"U really wanna go to war with us?"
Defend murder, do you? Defend burglary, do you? Defend dealing drugs to our kids, do you?
Yeah, I’ll go to war with that…and if that’s you I’ll go to war with you. Any time and any place.
If you’re able, would you please elaborate on just what it is you find socially appropriate with killing, raping, and robbing?
I’m interested in hearing about your position. And I’m sure others are as well.
L.S.
All that gang banging bullshit sounds real good at first. But when you are 15 years into a life sentence lets see how many of the "homeis" will come and visit your dumb ass. Anybody in a gang is a follower not a leader. These pieces of trash cant stand on their own two feet and be men. If this guy gets the death penalty it will be to good for him.
Ray Holmes...many of their homies are in jail/prison with them. There's an entire society of gang-banging in prison.
Did You Stop To Think...what do you mean lose-lose. Just because the Shaw family lives in Jefferson Park doesn't mean they are losing in life. Not everyone in that area is poor or uneducated. You'd be surprised by the "normal" people who live in Jefferson Park.
Hey Lady,
I meant "lose-lose" in that he didn't join a gang, did everything "by the book" so to speak, and then got shot any way. In some areas there's a lot of pressure to join a gang and not joining one can cause you as much trouble as joining one. Has nothing to do w/Jefferson Park. Clearly, for example, he was educated and I didn't say anything about being poor. (Down and poor are two different things.) I am going to hazard a guess, though, that the guy who shot him wasn't the most educated guy in the world.
Lady, I agree with you, not all from that neighborhood are disadvantaged. The Shaw family was doing things right best I can tell.
Ian, joining a gang or not joining can not be tolerated as a lose lose proposition. The only place gangs should exist is in jail. And that needs to be a life time residence.
Ray Holmes, I agree with you. Word needs to be taken to the streets that your life as a follower in a gang is short lived. Once the gang member is on death row or committed to life in prison his utility to the gang is next to none.
Anonymous, yes, I will join L.S. is going to war against gangs. Gangs are destroying the options available to young men. The life of crime is a one way ticket to hell. If I can make this world a better place by standing up to gang violence by legislation, jury verdicts, criminal prosecution, and whatever it takes, then count me in on the fight.
Homz I take ya ta dizkneeland! U is the thug.
Perhaps an education would help you?
Pete
You’ve got to understand these gang members…they’re dressed apes! They’re valueless cowards who simply live for the here and now. The concept of education is lost to them.
Some decide that they wish to join the human race…And they do and make lives for themselves. Most however, become social leaches living off the labor of others in our prisons, stealing on our streets, or committing other criminal acts to get by.
Cowards all! The lot of them! I say cast them over the side to the sharks!
Range me.
L.S.
Lee, any time I have the coordinates of a gang banger, I will radio them to you and cover my ears anticipating the eradication of these leaches!
Mary
u wood not survive 1 day in da hood. Get real.
“u wood not survive 1 day in da hood. Get real.”
I will be so bold as to assume you meant to say, “You would not survive one day in the neighborhood. You need to get real.” This is credit towards your person, as I was able without great difficulty to ascertain what you were trying to communicate.
Now, without fully addressing your comment (as you have no real clue as to who I am or where I come from. It would be fatally foolish to assume that because I don’t support killing, raping, and drug dealing, and might just be educated past the 3rd grade, that I can’t kick much ass in a dark ally at 0’dark thirty), I would ask you to address my prior questions.
Just what is it about killing, raping, stealing, not having good homes for families, bad schools, anarchy, evil chaos, hunger, famine, etc. that you defend?
Or am I misjudging you, and you repudiate those who wish to destroy?
I would greatly appreciate you commenting on what it is good about “social cancer”?
L.S.
Homz, I is 1 of tha good ones. I gotz no record. But I was learnd ta fite to keep my thingz. But some buddy cum to my crib not invited, he dis. Sum gangz r neded to live free.
Gomez
I would of course support fighting “to keep my thinz”. And of course if “some buddy cum to my crib not invited” I too would of course kill him quick, fast, and in a hurry. Those are just common sense, basic, unchanged, common law, and fundamentally fair reactions.
But they are completely different from doing the wrong thing, breaking the law, offering violence to those who do not offer it to you, etc.
And you’re right that “sum gangz r needed to live free.”…but not the illegal activity ones. We need gangs of electricians, gangs of bakers, of truck drivers, of teachers, of… Gangs can just be another way to say “social group”…we need those. I personally like the boy and girl scouts.
But we also need rule of law. When the social group disregards the rule of law, that’s where the problem lies.
Thanks for putting in your two cents, Gomez. Please keep posting. Your divergent experiences and opinions would be valuable in discussions.
BTW, I would bet with a bit more effort you could represent yourself in a more favorable linguistic light. The atrocious spelling really does nothing for you and adds nothing to the discussion. A little work with a dictionary, spell check, and Google before posting would help support your positions.
L.S.
Good post Gomez. Tell it like it is cuz. English is not everyone's first language but L.S. is right, education can help free you from your environment.
When I was a teen, I am not sure I would have survived without being a part of "a social group."
Hector
I am not certain that spell check is always turned on in the comments. But if it does work, that might not be a bad way to help improve any one (including my own ) writing skills.
A 19-year-old reputed gang member was charged in the March 2 death of Los Angeles High School football player Jamiel Shaw Jr. The Defendant pleaded not guilty to murder. Pedro Espinoza was arrested March 7 and charged March 11. A few days later, Jamiel Shaw Jr. had his funeral and was laid to rest. Espinoza remains jailed without bail.
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