2017 Chicago torture incident: Difference between revisions
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In January 2017, a white [[ |
In January 2017, a white [[mentally disabled]] man in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]], was filmed being physically and verbally abused by four black people (two men and two women).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/us/chicago-racially-charged-attack-video.html|title=4 Black Suspects Charged in Videotaped Beating of White Teenager in Chicago|last=Smith|first=Mitch|date=2017-01-05|last2=Davey|first2=Monica|newspaper=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331|access-date=2017-01-06}}</ref> They were arrested after the incident was [[livestream]]ed by one of the women on [[Facebook]], and charged with [[Hate crime laws in the United States|hate crime]]s and other offences.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/01/05/508331652/4-people-in-custody-in-chicago-over-beating-live-streamed-on-facebook 4 Charged With Hate Crimes Over Beating Live-Streamed On Facebook], NPR, January 5, 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/us/chicago-racially-charged-attack-video.html 4 Questioned After Video Shows Racially Charged Beating in Chicago], New York Times, January 4, 2017</ref><ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/04/us/chicago-facebook-live-beating/ Chicago torture: Facebook Live video leads to 4 arrests], CNN, January 5, 2017</ref><ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/01/05/4-in-custody-after-group-beats-disabled-man-on-facebook-live-while-shouting-anti-trump-profanities-chicago-police-say/?utm_term=.6a4f6006eef3 Hate crime charges filed after ‘reprehensible’ video shows attack on mentally ill man in Chicago], Washington Post, January 5, 2017</ref> |
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==Background== |
==Background== |
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Revision as of 00:38, 9 January 2017
In January 2017, a white mentally disabled man in Chicago, Illinois, was filmed being physically and verbally abused by four black people (two men and two women).[1] They were arrested after the incident was livestreamed by one of the women on Facebook, and charged with hate crimes and other offences.[2][3][4][5]
Background
On December 31, 2016, the 18-year-old victim was dropped off at a McDonald's in suburban Streamwood, Illinois, by his parents. The victim knew one of the suspects before the incident had occurred as the two had attended the same school in Aurora, Illinois, and the victim had mistakenly thought that the two were friends. When the victim went to the McDonald's, he had the intention of spending time with this "friend." On January 2, 2017, the victim's parents filed a report that he was missing.[6]
Kidnapping and torture
The victim was kidnapped, bound, gagged, beaten, had part of his scalp removed with a knife, and was forced to kiss the floor and drink from a toilet bowl.[7]
In the background of the video, at least one person present is heard shouting "Fuck Trump" and "Fuck white people."[8]
One of the suspects contacted the victim's mother and demanded a $300 ransom for the victim's return.[9]
Aftermath
On January 3, at approximately 5:15 p.m., Harrison District Officer Michael Donnelly saw the victim walking with the suspect that the victim had gone to high school with. The victim was observed by Officer Donnelly to be wearing summer clothing during winter conditions. Police said the victim appeared "injured" and "confused." After checking the victim's name through police databases it was discovered that he had been reported missing. At a news conference, Donnelly later stated, "I observed him wearing a tank top, inside-out, backwards, jean shorts and sandals on...He was bloodied. He was battered. He was very discombobulated."[6]
Victim
The victim, whose name was not released, is an 18-year-old, white, learning-disabled man.[10] He has schizophrenia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.[9]
Perpetrators
Four suspects, all African-American, were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated battery, and hate crime.[11][12]
Prior to this torture incident, one of the suspects had been arrested for allegations of armed robbery, possession of a stolen vehicle, and residential burglary. A different suspect had been previously arrested for attempted armed robbery, aggravated battery, battery, and aggravated assault. None of those charges for either suspect were known to have resulted in any convictions, as far as CBS News was able to tell. The juvenile status of the suspects during some of those arrests may have kept the records partially sealed. Also, some of the charges were eventually dropped.[13]
Public defenders for the suspects said that the 24 year old suspect was the mother of two children, ages 11 months and 2 years old; that her sister, the 18 year old female suspect, attended college and was involved with her church; that one of the male suspects worked for a staffing company assembling furniture and attended church with his grandmother; and that the other male suspect was a high school junior, and cared for his twin brother who uses a wheelchair.[14]
Reactions
President Barack Obama released a statement condemning the incident, saying, "What we have seen as surfacing, I think, are a lot of problems that have been there a long time... Whether it's tensions between police and communities, (or) hate crimes of the despicable sort that has just now recently surfaced on Facebook." Obama expressed that the incident in Chicago was grounds for serious concern, but he also expressed optimism regarding the long term status of race relations in the U.S furthering: "The good news is that the next generation that's coming behind us… have smarter, better, more thoughtful attitudes about race. I think the overall trajectory of race relations in this country is actually very positive. It doesn't mean that all racial problems have gone away. It means that we have the capacity to get better."[6][15]
The Chicago Tribune reported that several conservative commentators—without hard evidence—saw the Black Lives Matter movement as a reason for the attack.[16]
References
- ^ Smith, Mitch; Davey, Monica (2017-01-05). "4 Black Suspects Charged in Videotaped Beating of White Teenager in Chicago". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
- ^ 4 Charged With Hate Crimes Over Beating Live-Streamed On Facebook, NPR, January 5, 2017
- ^ 4 Questioned After Video Shows Racially Charged Beating in Chicago, New York Times, January 4, 2017
- ^ Chicago torture: Facebook Live video leads to 4 arrests, CNN, January 5, 2017
- ^ Hate crime charges filed after ‘reprehensible’ video shows attack on mentally ill man in Chicago, Washington Post, January 5, 2017
- ^ a b c Brutal Facebook Live attack brings hate-crime charges, condemnation from White House, Chicago Tribune, January 5, 2017
- ^ Four charged with hate crime for Chicago Facebook Live attack, BBC, January 5, 2017
- ^ What makes a crime a ‘hate crime’? And would the Chicago attack qualify?, Washington Post, January 5, 2017
- ^ a b Chicago torture video: No bail for 4 suspects, CNN, January 6, 2017
- ^ 4 face hate crime charges in videotaped attack, Chicago Sun Times, January 4, 2017
- ^ Four Charged With Hate Crime For Videotaped Torture Of Teen, CBS Chicago, January 5, 2017
- ^ "Hate Crime, Kidnapping Charges Filed Against 4 In Facebook Live Torture Case". Retrieved January 6, 2017.
- ^ Judge to Facebook attack suspects: "Where was your sense of decency?", CBS News, January 6, 2017
- ^ Defenders Give Details on Chicago Beating Suspects, ABC News, January 6, 2017
- ^ "Obama: Chicago live-stream hate crime is 'despicable'". BBC. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
- ^ Janssen, Kim (January 6, 2017). "Facebook Beating of Disabled White Teen Becomes Conservative Rallying Cry". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
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