Man beaten, stripped and urinated on by mob of 15

[Jaded]

The ringleaders.....

Latangia Anderson


Johnny Brown


Paris Moore

CLEVELAND — 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.

By the time Charles Gooden Jr., 41, took his final steps, the crime-hardened neighborhood had awakened and two people, talking in matter-of-fact tones, reported a man down, his clothes being dragged off.

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


It happened before dawn on April 27 on a street within a 10-minute drive of the city's skyscrapers, sports venues and tourist attractions, but across a chasm of poverty and crime in the most murder-ridden neighborhood in one of America's poorest cities.

Latangia Anderson, 23, Johnny Brown, 20, and Paris Moore, 19, all of Cleveland, have been charged with aggravated murder and each pleaded not guilty Monday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Bond was set at $1 million for each.

Police expect more arrests.

The attackers sent word that anyone helping police could face retribution, according to City Councilman Kevin Conwell, who called them gang members. Like most council members, Conwell keeps in touch with police commanders, especially on high-profile crimes that worry residents.


Police haven't mentioned a motive. Conwell said it involved an argument involving a woman and a threat by her cousin against Gooden.


"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.



Charles Gooden Jr.



http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,355235,00.html

[HellbettieIX]

that's just vile..only thing worse you could do is shit on the guy :(

[gprime]

The area where this took place is right by my dorm (as in >5 minute walk). And I have to say, having spent a couple of semesters there, this is pretty much par for the course. I mean, we're talking about an area where if you're waiting on the bus to arrive, you'll have two rival gangs of middle school students threatening to kill one another, usually over who the real baby daddy is. Try going out in any of these places alone and after dark and your odds aren't good. I've done it a few times, stumbling through at 3 or 4 am, and amazingly got through unscathed. But I know a few people who were not so fortunate.

[Athena]

This may sound callous (what else is new?), but having lived in a rather downtrodden 'hood, myself...How bad can I expect to feel for this guy? If this article is accurate and the victim went out and started a fight over his pride, it doesn't justify the crime, but it does extinguish a good portion of sympathy I might have for him.

He should have known better. When you live in the 'hood, you beef over pride at the risk of losing your life. This is common knowledge.