Horrific Murder In Cleveland

Mob Chases Man, Beats Him To Death, Urinates On Him And Steals His Clothes

(AP)  Even by tough, urban-crime standards it was a grisly attack: Up to 15 people chased a man, then kicked and beat him to death on the street. Before police arrived, one attacker urinated on the victim's head.

When the crime-hardened neighborhood awoke later that morning, two people reported a man lying on the pavement, his clothes being dragged off by his assailants.

"You got a male being assaulted by 15 other guys. He's laying on the street," one 911 caller said.

The April 27 attack on Charles Gooden Jr. happened in the most murder-ridden neighborhood in one of the nation's poorest cities. But it was also within a 10-minute drive of the city's skyscrapers, sports venues and tourist attractions.

Three suspects have been charged with aggravated murder. Police have not mentioned a motive, but they expect more arrests.

It wasn't always dangerous along East 117th Street, where the tulips bloom late because of the cool winds blowing off Lake Erie just a mile to the north.

"It used to be so quiet, and we were so blessed to live on 117th Street," said Irene Bennett, 78, who has lived there for 40 years. She is so used to gunfire and loud outbursts at night that she slept through the commotion of Gooden's slaying.

In retirement, she and her husband had hoped to enjoy simple pleasures: watching people pass by and planting flowers around their neatly kept home. But the violence in the neighborhood makes that impossible.

"You pay for your home. You work hard. You retire, and you want to enjoy, just come out on your porch and ... wait for the summertime to come," she said, shaking her head.

The attackers sent word that anyone helping police could face retribution, according to City Councilman Kevin Conwell. He described the assailants as gang members.

Conwell said the motive was based on an argument involving a woman and a threat by her cousin against Gooden, 41.

"He went to defend his malehood honor. He hit the cousin in the mouth. When that happened, the other gang members jumped on him," said Conwell, relying on information from police and neighbors.

Charged in the slaying were Latangia Anderson, 23, Johnny Brown, 20, and Paris Moore, 19, all of Cleveland. They were each jailed on $1 million bond.

None of the three defendants was able to afford an attorney. The lawyers appointed to represent them all said they could not comment on the case.

After the attack, a memorial of stuffed animals took shape outside the Bennett house because the slaying scene doesn't have a tree to anchor the display.

The display has dwindled but still has a stuffed dog with the label "Puppy love" and another with Gooden's nickname, Bud, written on it, according to Bennett, who knew Gooden when he was a youngster visiting an uncle down the street.

The uncle's house is now boarded up, along with many other neighborhood homes left dilapidated by poverty and drugs. There are a few newly renovated homes and two newer ones, one with barred windows. But in the once-lively commercial district around the corner, most stores are closed, except for a few barbershops or storefront churches.

The neighborhood is Cleveland's murder capital, according to police spokesman Lt. Thomas Stacho, and outsiders driving the streets risk getting pegged as people looking to buy crack cocaine.

Still, Gooden's death unnerved people here, including the 911 callers.

"They're stomping somebody and ripping their clothes off. You need to come," another caller said. "Like 15 of them beating the hell out of him."

The emergency dispatcher asked if an ambulance should be sent. "You better bring a stretcher, too," the caller replied. "Please hurry."

[toolmangler-2009]

Par for the course in Cwevewand.

firing squad....

[toolmangler-2009]

These perps don''t need to worry, they''ve got "SHARPTON" on their side. It''ll never go to court

[minimoossee]

death penalty it should be for any gang member - they have no respect for people and think they can rule the cities... time people took a long hard look at the laws and off these idiots in a heart beat

[benal1]

They need to all be turned over to the victim''s family for 30 minuites and let them do whatever they want.I cannot even imiagine watching something like this, how horrifying

[crazyivan32]

I remember seeing a promo for a hideous video game years ago called "Postal" where one of the things you could do after you killed someone (which is depraved enough) was to **** on their head. I remember being shocked and disgusted, even by my jaded, cynical standards. I figured it was just a matter of time before I saw it in the news. That day has arrived. We get out of young people what we put into them. Garbage in, garbage out. Maybe a bit off topic, but these kind of video games should be outlawed. In limited cases, I say screw free speech. Hate isn''t protected by free speech.

As for the freaks who did this, may God have mercy on them because I won''t.

[mandylou4u]

why, if there are so many eye witnesses, does something like this have to go to court and waste taxpayer money? I''m not in the position to say what should happen to these "bad guys" but if I had seen them doing this to this boy, I would have been outside with my firearms and probably gotten in trouble myself. Things like this go on all the time. Take a visit to southwest little rock and see how much this goes on. They do blame it on "coming up hard" but their parents are still teaching them to be deralicts and to hate. We can''t really expect too much more from folks like this until their parents step up and start doing their jobs. All these years and they still haven''t figured it out. Sad

[expatriate07]

The only thing that separates a man from a monster is his ability to justify evil. The man who justifies hurting another person is evil, no matter the justification. It seems we are in no shortage of monsters.

[mandylou4u]

the bad thing is, when people see something like this going on, they do nothing. Then they go and say, I saw this and that. And you did nothing? I thought there was a law against that? People have gotten so scared to say or do anything. I stood up for a lot of people in my old bad neighborhood and i''m still alive. It just takes people not wanting that junk in their back yard. Just wait, it will spread into your neighborhood, then what will you do, move? It will follow you if you don''t take steps to stop it.

[reedtaz73]

crazyivan32, isn''t what you''re doing called free speech? BTW, I''ve been playing violent videogames since the 80''s...I don''t think these thugs were inspired them.
Reading the story, seems to me that the victim threw the first punch...I mean, the guy was 41...what the he!! was he doing in the first place. You have to make these punks learn respect, but one(gun-less) man will do nothing in that world. He might have been a crack head in debt with the gang bangers, who''s to say.
How could anyone watch a beating like that...couple of warning shots would''ve sent them running in all directions.

[aztecdakota]

I remember Cleveland from 50 years ago, a really beautiful, pleasant and welcome city. Times sure have changed. Knew a girl there named Arlene Helen, hope she is living in a safe area of Cleveland. Why don''t they just fist fight, one on one, like in the old days? Nutz.

[mandylou4u]

they do resemble cockroaches huh? lol

[erasmus81]

"I''''m not surprised. Animals act like animals." Posted by MyOpinion1 at 02:38 PM : May 13, 2008

And they are growing in numbers everyday.

[toolmangler-2009]

I remember seeing a promo for a hideous video game years ago called "Postal" where one of the things you could do after you killed someone (which is depraved enough) was to **** on their head. I remember being shocked and disgusted, even by my jaded, cynical standards. I figured it was just a matter of time before I saw it in the news. That day has arrived. We get out of young people what we put into them. Garbage in, garbage out. Maybe a bit off topic, but these kind of video games should be outlawed. In limited cases, I say screw free speech. Hate isn''''t protected by free speech.
As for the freaks who did this, may God have mercy on them because I won''''t.
Posted by crazyivan32 at 02:45 PM : May 13, 2008



Well said and I agree 100%

[usa118]

Monkey Town , that''s what people call the area, need I say more.....

[nordeck52]

This violence serves no purpose. Gangs themselves serve no purpose. And like all things that serve no purpose, they do not deserve to exist. Thus, they must be made to seem as if they never existed. Every last one of them should be hunted down and eliminated, no matter what it takes. There are no exceptions, and there certainly won''t be any mercy. They showed no purpose in life, and they certainly won''t show one in death.

Yes, this seems harsh, but enough is enough. The concept of an eye for an eye applies splendidly in this situation.

[roach9703]

Growing anarchy in America?

[toolmangler-2009]

Why don''''t they just fist fight, one on one, like in the old days? Nutz.
Posted by oledakota at 03:22 PM : May 13, 2008



Because they are too scared to go one on one without their Bros'' catching their six (making sure they win). They have no honor because they don''t know what real ''honor'' is. In my day, even the loser of a fist fight came out of it with a form of honor because they had the courage to go toe to toe with an opponent, win, lose or draw. These days all they can do is pop a cap at you and run.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by crazyivan32 at 02:45 PM : May 13, 2008

What does Free Speech have anything to do with Murder on the streets. If you are saying that video games are protected under free speech laws, I believe we can outlaw (as if we need more laws) some of these games. If they indeed have anything to do with this sick crime.

But lets leave our freedom of speech alone, we''ve lost enough freedoms already!

[erasmus81]

"Monkey Town , that''''s what people call the area, need I say more....."


Why is it called Monkey Town?

[expatriate07]

Think.

[slim1h2o]

ToolMangler at 03:56 PM : May 13, 2008

You got that right!

And too,,there is no real men in "that" society.

[nolalou]

Posted by DaVicar2''It used to be so quiet, and we were so blessed to live on 117th Street,'''' said Irene Bennett, 78, who has lived there for 40 years.
Yes, Irene...it USED to BE a white neighborhood.

DaVicar2, what an insensitive racist comment! It''s people like you that give this country a bad name! You have no idea if it was a white neighborhood or not, you have no idea if Irene Bennett is white , black, or some other race! There are many neighborhoods in this country taken over by gangs, those neighborhoods may have been black, white , Hispanic, or whatever. What does that have to do with anything? Stop being part of the problem, you IDIOT!

[randynason]

What have we become? And, why?

[upisup]

I resent the implication that this has anything to do with me. Everybody keeps saying "we". We, we, we. Them! Not we. We has become a politicization of something inexcusable.

[toolmangler-2009]

Tnx Slim, I was raised to give honor to those to honor was due, These Sharpton wannabes don''t have a clue. They think that "Might makes right", again they are clueless. If you are wrong, then it doesn''t matter how strong you are, you are still ''wrong''. You can kill everybody in the world but you will never be in the ''right'', just a killer, If Sharpton and his cronies wanted to do something to help disadvantaged Black youth, they would teach them how to get along not how to ''dominate''.

[vet999999]

We need to get serious about gangs and classify them as terrorists organizations. Find ''em and lock them up. If they cannot behave like decent human beings, then, bury them. A civilized society cannot continue to accept this and survive.

[toolmangler-2009]

What have we become? And, why?
Posted by RandyNason at 04:07 PM : May 13, 2008


Answer #1: Animals (again)
Answer #2: Too much leisure time, TV, Video, and no real parenting.

[toolmangler-2009]

Why is it called Monkey Town?

Posted by erasmus81 at 04:00 PM : May 13, 2008


Because that is a racial epithet (wordydirt). I wouldn''t pursue it any further..

[slim1h2o]

ToolMangler at 04:14 PM : May 13, 2008

There is no Honor in "that" society. Isn''t much in ours either as far as that goes.

But this thing about "P''ing " on the victim, is just what an animal wold do after a "battle of death" fight.

But in this case, it was a bunch of animals going after one guy. Real brave boys! Real Brave! Tsk! Tsk!

[reedtaz73]

We need to get serious about gangs and classify them as terrorists organizations. Find ''''em and lock them up. If they cannot behave like decent human beings, then, bury them. A civilized society cannot continue to accept this and survive. - Posted by vet999999

Just like america did with the italian mafia right? I mean the KKK.Damm, that''s not right either.

[jeny6271]

There is no reason for this behavior,some of the coments are very true, no one can take a proper a** kicking. I know it may not be politicaly correct, but maybe if it was declared open season on these gang members than we could get this cancer out of our lives, since the parent of these little COWARDS teach them nothing.

[mitywhity]

If people do not fear God, what motivation would they have to fear man?

[lefeaoux]

"Gangsta" mentality ... it''s what they do! I grew-up in a West Texas barrio (Mexican Ghetto) and NEVER had a one-on-one fight until the 10th grade. I had to fight at least 3-4 times a week and usually, it was 5-10 on one. I was hospitalized twice before I was in the 9th grade.

These cowards have no honor and no respect for anyone or anything and they only understand one thing ... VIOLENCE! The last time I was "jumped" I had all I was going to take anymore and hunted-down each of my attackers one at a time, caught them when they were alone and introduced them to my Louisville Slugger. They stopped messing with me after that.

The cops can''t or won''t do much about it, the neihborhood is too scared to do anything about it and the liberal judges often just let guys like this go or just hand-down very mild penalties for them.

A group of whites needs to go in there outnumbering them and just whack em all!

[toolmangler-2009]

If people do not fear God, what motivation would they have to fear man?
Posted by MityWhity at 04:31 PM : May 13, 2008


Man is visible, touchable, hearable and fearsome. they have no way to reason man out of existance like they try to do to GOD. GOD exists, he just makes it harder to find him because he only wants those that truly seek him to find him. GOD answers all prayers even those "gimme, gimme" prayers. The answer to those is simply ''NO''.

[boston1954]

This happened on April 27th and we are just hearing about it on May 13th? What is this.....1850??

[erasmus81]

"Because that is a racial epithet (wordydirt)." Posted by ToolMangler at 04:27 PM : May 13, 2008

Why am I not surprised?

[upisup]

"If people do not fear God, what motivation would they have to fear man?"

Why do people have to fear anything in the first place?

[erasmus81]

"Yes, Irene...it USED to BE a white neighborhood."

Posted by DaVicar2

"Wow, there, Johnny Racist. I failed to read one sentence where it listed the race of the victim or the perpetrators. Nice going, jumping to conclusions. But I doubt white people ever commit crime. Now go put your white hood on." Posted by rwassel at 04:47 PM : May 13, 2008

I remember I was shocked when I first heard that black and white people lived in different neighborhoods in the U.S. It is like you are living in the dark ages or something.

[upisup]

"This happened on April 27th and we are just hearing about it on May 13th? What is this.....1850??"

There''s an election donchaknow. *eyeroll*

[upisup]

What difference would it make anyway if we knew about it April 27th, or May 13th? You people always pick on us video game players. But who are the video game players, really? Huh? You guys?

[upisup]

"I remember I was shocked when I first heard that black and white people lived in different neighborhoods in the U.S. It is like you are living in the dark ages or something."

I remember when that beautiful city of Toronto only had 8 murders a year. What happened?

[blogthis1]

Lets be honest here. It may have been a horrible death but "defending his manhood" hahaha Lets call it was it really was, SUICIDE or stupidity. Punching the guy and not expecting his posse to get him! There''s one less idiot in the world.

[allazay]

What a horrible world we live in! How tragic for a person to die defending someones honor.

[upisup]

Must have been more than just a punch. Has to be. People get punched all the time, and you don''t see them ****''n on dead bodies.

[puzzler125]

Did more than one say "fifteen people beating one man?" They took the time to count before calling and/or got the number correct? Something fishy here...

[upisup]

I think the tribality is a misunderstanding of mark twain. People wear alligator boots, but they don''t go walking up to alligators punching them in the face and peeing on them.

[gogam]

TV is good. NO real parenting is an excuse.The guy was 41! His parents are probably dead. He was an idiot to be starting a fight with "monkeys." He has to take responsibility for his own actions. You can''t blame parenting.
For those monkeys that killed him. They should be raped in prison and shown the same justice the victim received--a gang beating them to a pulp!

[upisup]

If you did, best be quick. Cuz a alligators jaws are lightning fast. And he''ll grab ya? And pull ya in.

[upisup]

"What a horrible world we live in! How tragic for a person to die defending someones honor."

Is it honor?