Some 'Flash Point' Murder Victims
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Scores of people have been killed in Prince George's County in recent years when someone became enraged during a trivial encounter. Some incidents:
· Shortly after 3 a.m. May 30, 2004, Michael A. Bassett, 18, of the District walked into a 7-Eleven in Suitland and offered to buy a girl a Slurpee. Angered by the offer, Emmanuel A. "Elmo" McClain of Suitland confronted Bassett, whom he did not know, according to trial testimony.
McClain and two other teenagers chased Bassett and beat him, leaving him fatally injured on a busy road, prosecutors said. Two motorists ran over him. McClain was convicted of second-degree murder. Another defendant entered an Alford plea to second-degree murder, which means he did not admit his guilt but acknowledged that the state had enough evidence to convict him. Charges against the third defendant are pending in juvenile court.
· Shortly after 4 a.m. May 23, 2004, police were summoned to an apartment in Capitol Heights. They found Donald K. Denny, 34, stabbed in the chest. Denny was taken to the hospital, where he died.
His girlfriend of five years, Lavon I. Jackson, now 50, admitted to detectives that she stabbed Denny because he woke her up. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
· About 7:30 p.m. April 6, 2003, Phillip Hansberry, 41, was driving his pickup behind a Chevy Blazer on Marlboro Pike in the Capitol Heights area. According to witnesses, Hansberry became enraged because he believed the driver of the Blazer, Clifton Stokes, 53, was going too slowly.
Hansberry slammed his truck into the Blazer and pushed it 670 feet. When Stokes got out, Hansberry -- who outweighed Stokes by 131 pounds -- punched the older man, kicked him in the stomach and then repeatedly slammed Stokes's head on the pavement. Hansberry dragged the limp Stokes and nearly twisted his right foot off.
A passing off-duty officer pushed Hansberry off Stokes; when Hansberry ignored an order to stay put and moved toward the officer, the officer fatally shot him. Stokes was dead at the scene.
