Another Teen Charged in Fatal Beating Death
Updated 10:15 PM CST, Thu, Nov 5, 2009
A 14-year-old boy has become the fourth teen to be charged with murder in connection with the fatal beating of 16-year-old Fenger High School honors student Derrion Albert.
The boy is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, according to police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli. Charges were approved just after 6:30 p.m.
Mirabelli said one count specified that it occurred during an aggravated battery and the other count specified that his actions had a probable cause of death or injury.
Three other Far South Side teens were indicted in the murder on Oct. 23.
Silvonus Shannon, 19; Eric Carson, 16; and Eugene Riley, 18, are charged with the murder of Albert, an innocent bystander in a fight between two groups of students near the Roseland neighborhood school on Sept. 24, Cook County prosecutors said. All three were being held without bond.
The three were indicted on three counts each of first-degree murder and one count each of mob action, according to Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. They are scheduled for arraignment on Nov. 10.
The assault, captured on videotape, was not gang-related but arose from a disagreement between students who live in Altgeld Gardens and another group who live in an area known as the “Ville,” according to Asst. State’s Atty. Jodi Peterson.
"It was a brutal and violent attack in which the victim was merely a bystander," Peterson said.
Earlier that morning, the ongoing fight led to a shooting outside the school, Peterson said.That led to a brawl near the school after classes finished shortly before 3 p.m.
Albert had been standing near 343 W. 111th St. when Carson and an unknown offender from the "Ville" approached him, Peterson said. Carson struck Albert in the head with a long wooden railroad tie and the unknown offender punched him in the face, knocking Albert unconscious, Peterson said.
When Albert gained consciousness, he moved a few feet away from the mob and tried getting up. But he was attacked again. Soon, a group of five from the Altgeld Gardens faction descended upon Albert. He was struck again with a railroad tied wielded by Riley as Shannon stomped his head repeatedly, Peterson said.
The video, shot by a witness, shows a group of teens striking, punching and stomping Albert 's head, police said.
Shannon, a Fenger student, and Riley gave videotaped confessions, Peterson said.
Charges against 18-year-old Eugene Bailey were dropped in what family members called a case of mistaken identity. Police say they were still seeking other suspects.
Copyright SunTimes
First Published: Nov 5, 2009 10:00 PM CST
You Might Like
You have 2000 characters left
