Deadline: September 25th
For this assignment, I followed the coverage of crimes in the New York Times. Throughout the week there were a number of stories about crimes published, here is the list.
09/03/22
The New York Times: F.B.I. Found 48 Empty Folders That Had Contained Classified Documents at Trump’s Home
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/02/us/politics/trump-fbi-folders-classified.html?smid=url-share
Summary: Backtracking to earlier in the year when Trump had returned boxes of classified material to the National Archives, months later negotiations about any additional missing documents handed to the National Archives, Trump’s team told investigators no other records remained. This article covers the ongoing investigation of what F.B.I agents found in their search warrant of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Hundreds of classified documents were found in Trump’s estate and empty folders that were marked as containing sensitive documents, some documents being ripped up/mishandled. This raised the question if all documents had been recovered and the intentions of Trump with such documents. It also suggested that the indication of all sensitive records being returned was untrue. the bureau is holding the possibility of three crimes against Trump, the unauthorized retention of national security secrets, obstruction, and concealing or destroying government documents.
09/04/22
The New York Times: Body of Abducted Memphis Teacher Is Found, Police Say
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/04/us/memphis-eliza-fletcher-abduction-suspect.html
Summary: The body of Eliza Fletcher, 34, a kindergarten teacher in Memphis was found behind a vacant duplex apartment in South Memphis on Monday afternoon. She was last seen jogging around 4:30 a.m close to the University of Memphis campus, video surveillance showed a person exiting a dark-colored S.U.V running towards Fletcher, forcing her into the passenger side. A biker in the area found Fletcher’s phone and a pair of shoes which were linked by DNA testing to Cleotha Abstson. Abston had been sentenced prior to 24 years in prison in 2001 for the abduction and aggravated robbery of Kemper Durand, he was released in November 2020. In addition to these previous kidnapping charges, Abston is being charged with the first-degree murder of Eliza Fletcher.
09/07/22
The New York Times: Sex-Cult Leader’s ‘Trusted Lieutenant’ Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/nyregion/sarah-lawrence-cult-isabella-pollok.html
Summary: Isabella Pollock was a student at Sarah Lawrence College who was a “trusted lieutenant” of Lawrence V. Ray. In April Ray was convicted on more than a dozen offenses such as extortion, sex trafficking, and racketeering conspiracy. When the investigation on Ray first began on his influence over students, Pollock was not seen as an accomplice. Now, Evidence and testimonies support that Pollock helped Ray sexually and psychologically manipulate her friends and roommates providing Ray to gain payments of hundreds to thousands of dollars. Pollock’s case is severed from Ray’s case but faces one similar charge and stands on trial for conspiracy to launder money. Some statements from former roommates said that Pollock help video recordings that Ray created in order to falsely incriminate students under his influence, and would routinely pick up money from those who had been steered into prostitution by Ray. Claudia Drury one of the victims who fell into prostitution, turned over nearly $2.5 million in about 4 years. She cut off ties when Ray had threatened and nearly killed her in 2018 in the Gregory Hotel in Manhattan, she testified Pollock had been present in the room during this altercation.
09/08/22
The New York Times: In Memphis, Renewed Attention on Violence After Shooting Rampage
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/08/us/memphis-shooting-gun-violence.html
Summary: Sometime after 12 a.m, a gunman shot and killed a 24-year-old man in a driveway. Later on after 4 p.m around the same location, this same gunman would go on a shooting spree killing four people and wounding three others. Being pursued in a high-speed chase by police until finally being caught and arrested around 9 p.m. Police later identified the gunman as Ezekiel Kelly, 19, he had live streamed the entire shooting on Facebook. The information came out that Kelly had been charged in 2020 with attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm, and reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison but after pleading guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault, he was released in March after serving 11 months.
09/12/22
The New York Times: Father Says He Sought Custody Before 3 Children Drowned in Brooklyn
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/12/nyregion/three-children-dead-coney-island.html
Summary: Around 2 a.m on Monday, Officers received a call to check on a 30-year-old woman in concern of 3 young children. After 90 minutes and another call, officers came to find the woman barefoot and soaking wet with relatives and there was no sign of the 3 children with her. After searching for an hour the children, a 3-month-old boy, a 4-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy were found unconscious by the shoreline about two miles from where they found the mother. They were later pronounced dead at the Coney Island Hospital, the mother was not identified but the father, Derrick Merdy, of 7-year-old Zachary, identified the other children who weren’t his as Liliana and Oliver. Merdy met his ex-wife in 2014 but then broke up in 2015 and he has been fighting for custody ever since. Merdy’s ex-wife kept his son in shelters and he claimed his son would often come to him dirty, without sufficient clothing, and would tell him there wasn’t enough to eat where he was staying. Merdy said his efforts to get help from authorities came to nothing and child protective services never made a real investigation despite his claims.
Overall Summary:
While following the coverage of crimes in the New York Times throughout the week, I noticed that most stories are only covered if they are very big and controversial or if the Justice System failed to protect their people. For example, the articles on Trump and Pollock are long ongoing trial cases that are meant to determine their guilt and/or charges. Since they revolve around very wealthy people there’s more controversy regarding their gain in their position and/or influence, that’s why these types of crimes end up in The New York Times. Whereas the other crime stories such as the ones in Memphis and New York City show a fault in the Justice System. The stories in Memphis mention that the person who committed the crime had actually committed crimes in the past, these criminals were released earlier or should have been more carefully monitored. The crime story in New York City also shows a fault in this system when mentioning the father had tried to reach out to authorities about the welfare of his child and was ignored.
Lesly Sanchez
Crj 102
• The nypd say a boy of 15 years old was fatally shot in Brooklyn park.
This article is about a 15 year old child who was a student at Brooklyn laboratory charter schools was involved in a fight between two other boys one of which shot and killed him afterwards according to the police. The authorities identified the boy as Unique Smith they also claim he was dismissed from school before making his way to the park and witness say that unique was sitting with two girls the same age as him when suddenly the two boys approached them, shortly after , a dispute began in which started the fight leading one of the boys who was dressed in all black with a ski mask took out his weapon and shot and killed unique. According to the police they are still investigating trying to find the suspects. One of the fathers whose son goes to the same school had also gotten into an altercation filled the father with concern after knowing another student was killed due to a fight and it brings anxiety about the situation involving young people in violence. Unique Smiths death represented how the youth fall victim to both sides of the violence that happens across our country.
• Due of guards inaction a man being imprisoned at Rikers Island dies from razor wounds
In this article it talks about two correction officers and the captain failed to act immediately for 10 mins when a mentally challenged incapacitated man slit his throat with a razor, Michael Nieves who was 40 was taken to elmhurst hospital and later declared brain dead after being on life support for three days and then later pronounced dead after being taken off life support. The officers and the captain had been suspended due to the situation of the ongoing investigation. Mr. Nieves is the third person this year to had die by suicide after being held in Rikers island. The city has token action and showed a series of efforts to acknowledge the violence and dysfunction that happens behind these bars , although Mr. Nieves death was unexpected he does have proof of ongoing mental issues and suicidal ideations since being in Rikers it was not the result of the officers not doing anything since he has been described as mentally ill. However the officers are trained to acknowledge the signs of a distressed mentally ill person.
•On sept 2 , a women named Eliza Fletcher went to her casual morning run when her husband realized she hadn’t come back and contacted Memphis police.
This article not only talks about the murder and rape of this woman but also informs how much violence goes on through our nation. The abduction of Eliza Fletcher was not only violent but horribly sad , the man who abducted her goes by Cleaotha Abston a man authorities state that he drove the SUV Eliza was abducted in. Days later police find her body near where he lives and arrested him. Police also find out mr. Abstons history of him raping and killing other women proving that Eliza wasn’t the only victim. After the abduction had happened a shooting concurred due to a man going on rampage shooting and killing four people and harming three more while recording all of his horrible action. Not only does this show the surge of violence that happens through cities as in Memphis and many more it proves how human nature can be dangerous.
• a teen who was trafficked killed one her abusers and ordered to pay restitution.
In this article it talks about a young teen girl whom name is Pieper Lewis who was 15 at the time had been forever to have sex with other men for money, the man who trafficked kept her under his roof has been stabbed by her 30 times killing him immediately. She pleaded guilty to killing the trafficker who goes by Zachary Brooks and only gets 200 hours of community service. Not only was she forced to have sex with multiple men for money she was also unconsciously raped her abuser almost every time she was asleep , she would wake up knowing she had been raped and as well during the times it happens pleading him to stop, as this continued happening she woke up right after it happened again to see a knife beside his bed and stabbing him as he was sleeping. The immense trauma she holds within her not only causes pain but makes her a survivor by defending herself by any means possible and helped her seek redemption to not only exceed in school but as well in life.
•Why a suspect is still at large due to police lack of action a nurse should be alive still.
In this article it talks about a how perpetrator in a Brooklyn rape case avoided the hands of the NYPD and months later was caught in connection with the queens nurse murder. On June 18 the NYPD met a woman who said she had been in Brooklyn raped by a man she met on a tinder, later as time passes by police find out the man’s name who goes by Danueal Drayton arrest him a month later after knowing he was involved in the murder and rape of nurse from queens and raped another woman after escaping to Los Angeles. For the police to have taken their time to find the correlation between the rape and murder of the nurse linking to this man a month later is honestly unbelievable, the special victims unit claim they are not under staff but proves otherwise due to this case. Therefore Mr. Drayton arrest should have happened much more earlier causing the police to go through such hectic time to find out who caused such a heinous act of violence.