Several people submitted stories about the Daily Progress’ two articles this weekend. One person writes, “The Saturday story clarifies a lot of factual mistakes that the police have been perpetuating for weeks. The second, on Sunday, details many of the victims’ serious injuries. It also quotes several victims wondering why the city establishment seems to be ignoring them and running to help their attackers. How about some predictions: since these stories don’t follow Maurice Jones’ party line, can we expect more public-access propaganda labeling them sensationalism?” Writes another, “If these people were the victim of rape the uproar for the lack of concern for victims would be at an national outrage. The city officials seem to be serious about the criminals not the victims.” Each Progress story contains new and interesting information about the attacks. If you haven’t read them, be certain to get your hands on a copy.
Sideblog
Police announced this afternoon that their investigation into what was initially believed to be a fatal fire on Rugby Avenue is now a homicide investigation. #
The Virginia Supreme Court has denied George Huguely’s appeal. His second-degree murder conviction will stand, WRIC reports. #
In a carefully worded story, and not citing specific sources, WTVR reports that forensic evidence belonging to Jesse Matthew Jr., the main suspect in the disappearance of Hannah Graham, matches forensic evidence collected during the investigation of Morgan Harrington’s 2009 murder. #
In the wake of Hannah Graham’s disappearance, and the evidence that came from private security footage, city officials are revisiting the question of installing security cameras on the downtown mall. #
Both Charlottesville Registrar Sheri Iachetta and former Electoral Board member Stephanie Commander have turned themselves in to the police on
four six and four felony counts of embezzlement, respectively. #Ten years ago, the National Institutes of Health budget doubled and schools like the University of Virginia built massive new research facilities. A decade later, those buildings remain largely underutilized. NPR visits UVA in this story on the effect of federal binge and spurge spending in the sciences. #
In 2012, Council approved a new student housing complex on West Main—now some council members are questioning whether what they were shown matches what was built. #
The Architectural Review Board has approved a bike-themed mural on West Market, below the McGuffey Art Center, although at least one member expressed concerns that it might look like the bicyclists were riding away from Charlottesville’s downtown. #
City Police Chief Tim Longo is meeting with city leaders to work on protocols regarding the use of military surplus police weapons in Charlottesville. #
A 100-year-old Colonnades resident received military honors for her service in the WWII Women’s Army Corps #
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Archive for Sideblog »
For further reference, here’s the sequence of events as compiled from on-line news stories. Perhaps others here could add (or correct me) with info they have on-hand:
DATE: September 15, 2001
TIME: “about 1 AM”
PLACE: 1500 block of Virginia Ave.
ASSAILANT(S): “a group of six or seven black girls ”
VICTIM(S): female 4th-year UVA student and her sorority roomate
CRIME/INJURY: robbery; “The first attack, which police called a ‘spontaneous, unplanned event,’ occurred in September.” Victim “said she and her roommate were sitting on a curb outside a sorority house about 1 a.m. when a group of six or seven black girls approached them. At first the girls were friendly, then one punched [her] and her roommate in the side of their heads and someone took [her] purse and ran off. She said city police called her about three weeks ago to tell her they had recovered her purse.”
SOURCE(S):
Richmond Times-Dispatch (2/3/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
DATE: September 15, 2001
TIME: not reported
PLACE: parking lot of Culbreth Theatre
ASSAILANT(S): five females
VICTIM(S): three women, one of whom was female PVCC student
CRIME/INJURY: attempted robbery; “There were no injuries reported.” “[N]o one has been arrested in connection with [this] incident.”
SOURCE(S): Cavalier Daily (2/12/02) and Washington Times (2/14/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
DATE: January 12, 2002
TIME: “around 11 [PM]”
PLACE: somewhere between Maury Ave. and Clarke Court
ASSAILANT(S): four black males
VICTIM(S): first-year, male student
CRIME/INJURY: “[A]n 18-year-old told police he was attacked and punched by three black males who had been standing along Maury Avenue. The attack left him with black eyes and sore ribs.” “According to police, he suffered two black eyes and was taken to University Hospital for treatment.” Victim “said he remembers hearing an attacker mutter something like ‘preppy UVa boy’ as he was beaten.”
SOURCE(S): Cavalier Daily (1/30/02) and Richmond Times-Dispatch (2/3/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
DATE: January 12, 2002
TIME: “Later [after the 11 PM attack] that same night . . .”
PLACE: Madison Ave.
ASSAILANT(S): “a group of about eight black males and females”
VICTIM(S): three University students; one was third-year and male.
CRIME/INJURY: assault; “[T]hree U.Va. students reported being jumped from behind.” “One victim suffered a broken cheekbone that required surgery. Another had two knots on his head and a swollen finger. The final victim escaped nearly unscathed.” One victim was “was hit from behind with a wooden stick . . .”. Victim: “I heard what was like a stampede . . . [a]nd I was struck with a wooden pole right as I was turning around to see what was going on.”
SOURCE(S): Richmond Times-Dispatch (2/3/02) and Cavalier Daily (1/30/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
DATE: January 18, 2002
TIME: 11:40 PM
PLACE: 300 block of 15th Street, near corner with Grady Ave.
ASSAILANT(S): “a black male between five feet nine inches and six feet tall, and appeared to be approximately 20 years of age”
VICTIM(S): one female UVA student
CRIME/INJURY: robbery; “The student reportedly was struck several times . . .” “Police said investigators recovered the contents of her purse in the home of one of the teenage girls charged in the robbery.”
SOURCE(S): Cavalier Daily (1/30/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
DATE: January 25, 2002
TIME: 10:15 PM
PLACE: corner of University Way and Rugby Road
ASSAILANT(S): “The attackers reportedly were two black females and three or four black males.”
VICTIM(s): three second-year, male students
CRIME/INJURY: “The assailants, ‘ran up from behind, hit them, kicked them and then ran off . . . The sudden nature of the attack left the victims capable of only vague recollection of the details of the violent assault and its perpetrators. ‘We tried to escape and ran about five meters,’ said one of the victims, who asked to remain anonymous. ‘About three or four people started kicking me in the head. From then on, it’s just a haze,’ he said. ‘I won’t be going to class for a couple of days.’ One of the three students was admitted to University Hospital and has been released. The others sustained scrapes and other minor injuries and refused medical attention.” “[A] group of four men and two women, all black, approached three U.Va. men walking along Rugby Road. The group punched and kicked the U.Va., students, other students said, giving one 19-year-old a concussion.” One victim reported that he “was kicked, over and over again . . .”
SOURCE(S): Cavalier Daily (1/30/02) and Richmond Times-Dispatch (2/3/02) and Daily Progress (3/2/02) and Daily Progress (3/3/02)
I am outraged at the lack of attention to the victims and trying to cover up the whole mess for the attackers. If the shoe were on the other foot it would be a totally different story.
If the shoe were on the other foot it would be a totally different story.
Indeed, it once was.
Read the “When the shoe was on the other foot” thread at the bottom of this link.
I look at the link which bought me to “THIS EVENING’S FORUM WAS PROMPTED BY A JANUARY 22ND INCIDENT AT CRAZY CHARLIE’S IN WHICH A BLACK ASSISTANT MANAGER WAS ASSAULTED BY SIX FRATERNITY BROTHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI. IT HAS BEEN ALLEGED THAT THE ATTACK WAS RACIALLY-MOTIVATED” this is what the link states in 1993.
What happen and was the allegation true?
I see the University’s response to this event involing non-UVA students. Did the city do anything or were their heads in the sand, again.
Both Progress stories are posted below, under the “CHS Race Attacks Meetings on TV” thread. Read them — they’re good.
Okay, so the police aren’t permitted to name juvenile defendants. And, apparently, local newspapers must have their own policies against naming them, too – is that right?
Well, I suspect that there’s pretty wide knowledge throughout the community as to exactly who these under-aged thugs are. Anybody care to name names?
The Progress does have such a policy.
The names are pretty well-known, though.
I’m not chasing after names, but I’d like more BASIC detail about those charged.
From the news reports in the Richmond Times-Dispatch (2/3/02) and the Cavalier Daily (2/4/02) we learned that ten people had been arrested and we learned some details about six persons then facing charges:
1) a 17-year-old female with robbery and felony assault
2) a 17-year-old female with robbery and misdemeanor assault
3) a 17-year-old male with robbery and felony assault
4) a 16-year-old male with felony assault
5) a 16-year-old male with malicious wounding
6) a 18-year-old male with felony assault, named by the police as “Gordon Fields”.
Recently, from the Daily Progress (3/2/02) we learned that ten people have now been charged.
So, who are the other four and what charges are they facing? Or are police now reluctant to give the sort of details they previously provided? If so, why?
(And does anyone know the difference between “felony assault” and the charge of “felony assault by mob”? Apparently, from the news articles, some of those charged are facing the latter.)
Until the people speak up and voice their concerns directly to the PUBLIC SERVANTS who are charged w/ enforcing the law, the focus and concern will remain on the accused “victims”.
It is pathetic that we are concentrating on what the accused need, rather than the victims. Shame on all the public servants who are protecting the alleged assailants more than the victims.
–jd
It is pathetic that we are concentrating on what the accused need, rather than the victims. Shame on all the public servants who are protecting the alleged assailants more than the victims.
–jd
Nahww, “jd”, you obviously haven’t been paying attention. The top man – the mayor – is on top of things and is casting his attention far and wide:
From the Washington Post (2/26/02):
“Mayor Blake Caravati said the city is approaching the incidents as ‘a teachable moment.’ ‘Sure, they did wrong, but they’re our young men and women who are going to live in the community a long time,’ Caravati said. ‘We need to be supportive of them. This is an opportunity to talk about the situation, use it to learn and change our community in a positive way.'”
So, now “jd”, aren’t you ready to be “taught”?
I think I am going to be sick.
Mayor Caravati’s heartfelt concern is nauseating.
Fine. Let’s learn. But first, let us apply the laws equally. Damn it.
–jd
Punish those responsible for their crimes, and stop talking to the press. It is really that simple.
This interest in naming names isn’t just idle curiosity. I’d be very interested in knowing if any of these defendants have political connections to the mayor. Could it be?
Fine. Let’s learn. But first, let us apply the laws equally. Damn it.
Again, “jd”, perhaps you haven’t been paying attention. Justice will be done. You might just not recognize it because it’ll be what is called “restorative justice”(Daily Progress 2/28/02).
For example: ‘I would hope there’s a way that those charged could somehow communicate with the victims and that they could decide among themselves what’s a just solution,’ said Ron Wiley Jr., chairman of the defense committee.
I’d be very interested in knowing if any of these defendants have political connections to the mayor. Could it be?
Now, that’s an interesting angle!
From the Daily Progress (2/14/02):
“City officials were familiar with some of the teen-agers involved in the attacks, and while they wouldn’t provide their names, they said the teens were not the type thought to be involved. Mr. Caravati described some of the juveniles charged as ‘very accomplished.’ ”
‘I would hope there’s a way that those charged could somehow communicate with the victims and that they could decide among themselves what’s a just solution,’
Ick, quit making me gag. Too much fromage.
-not JD
I do know that on the tape hosted by Maurice Jones, it looks like Azzura Cox, the daughter of Councilor Cox.I am guessing on the spelling of her first name.
What if one of the victims wants the harshest punishment possible? If I was beaten for no reason I would not want to sit down with my tormentor and listen to them drone on “I am very sorry”. I always think “yeah, your just sorry you got caught”.
If this was a sexual assault that suggestion would have NOW, SARA, and various University orgs screaming to all of the press,police and politicans.This was not a one time event, it was one of several beatings. If they had not been stopped, it would most likely still be going on. It was premediated and deliberate.
Here is my question- Don’t you think that some serious punishment will send the message that we as a society will not accept this type of behavior. Many of the same people who now demand “special justice” want the head of any drunk driver on a platter.
Restorative justice might make sense if someone had ever proposed it before. If the tables had been reversed would we be hearing about this? PLEASE tell me why this isn’t the city’s most hypocriticial stand!
Yeah, but that tape was of a group of Charlottesville High School students talking about the problem. Those kids didn’t do anything wrong. Please don’t make them take any heat for the thugs.
What is relevant is any relationship between any of the assailants and political officials. Any information?
To be fair, restorative justice has been proposed before. A group of citizens have been pushing this concept for the past couple of years.
Frankly, I think there’s much to be said for the concept of restorative justice and I’d like to see it pursued. But not in this case. It would be terribly wrong to see a good idea used to get the offspring of well-connected political insiders off the hook. And it would be a disgrace if local politicans, most notably the mayor, would permit this program to be ridiculed because it’s being dragged out as a tool of convenience to help them handle a political hot potato.
The ignoring of the victims and the concern of the image of the attackers is flat out disgusting. Bunch of chickens afraid to carry out the procedure that should be carried out for these attackers. My Stars!!! They are actually being babied.
MJ
How come we only see these types of arguements (ie. for punishing the offenders to the fullest extent) on cvillenews.com and not at these community meetings? seems like that would be a more effective way of getting your point across than ranting on a website…
Two reasons and I will type slowly so even you can understand.
1. In this PC town if one who doesn’t want to be a social pariah, you can’t go to a public meeting and state a view like this. Within a few short minutes you would be called a rascist or something similiar. I have lived here long enough and been to enough public meetings to know the last thing most liberals want is a real discussion of the issues.
2. What the hell do you think this is website is for? Open discussion without the fear of personal ridicule. The same reason the virtual chalkboard exist.
“Two reasons and I will type slowly so even you can understand. ”
You don’t have to be mean about it.
~Not the original poster
Not the original poster either. It was harsh but it was not totally unwarranted I thought the question on why the original poster was not heard at any public meetings was very condescending.
And lets face it – if you can’t come here to rant where are you going to go?
Does the Progress also have a policy about giving the addresses of adults arrested and charged with crimes?
I thought it was quite normal to describe where such folks lived — you know: “Joe Schmoo, of 315 Anyname Street, was arrested and charged with . . .” It’s part of the public record.
For your reading pleasure, here’s a (moderate) opinion column and here are links to more stories and more politically-natured (conservative) tracts about “politically correct hate crimes”.
It is clear then that people’s moral convictions end here at a webboard. It’s fine to rant, but if you really believe in what you are ranting about you would risk the “social pariah” label and go out and state your opinion.
Frankly, I think there’s much to be said for the concept of restorative justice and I’d like to see it pursued. But not in this case. It would be terribly wrong to see a good idea used to get the offspring of well-connected political insiders off the hook.
Care to elaborate? Is this just supposition or do you know this to be true?
If it is true, you might care to contribute to the Name the Perps thread. You wouldn’t necessarily have to name the juveniles (I wouldn’t), but you could describe these relationships in general terms — which would still be enlightening to those of us outside the bubble of unnecessary (and perhaps politically convenient) secrecy.
I’ve got a question about Gordon Fields, but first here’s some text from the Daily Progress (2/21/02)”:
Previously it was reported that Fields had been charged with “felony assault [by mob?]”.
Question: has the District Attorney changed the charge, or is this a new charge related to another incident in which Fields was involved?
It is only clear that you are a self rightous liberal who will always protest because you “feel” your soul is pure. You assume that this board is where my convictions stop-you are wrong. You assume just because you don’t hear my voice at a meeting it does not exist-you are wrong. There are many opportunities to express these thoughts and this board is only one of them. In your world, one enters a fray with the sword of truth and smites all those who don’t bow down. If I had to guess you are under 25, though this would also be the sign of a life long activist who has never had a job that paid more the $30k. There is nothing wrong with either reality other than the fact it’s not the one I live in.
What does someone’s salary have to do with it? You undermine your argument with those type of comments… If you are so insightful tell me what gender I am, what color my hair is, and how tall I am… That would contribute as much to your arguement as the salary comment….
REPLY – you are absolutely right, go to a council meeting and state your feelings and boy, you got trouble big time. Now they are making such a big todo over the fact there were ONLY NINE attackers, not 10 and that mistake should have been caught. Jeez, what a bunch of chickens. I am furious about the way the attackers are being treated and the way the victims are being MISTREATED.
mj
First, how have the authorities been able to connect the second attack (the investigation for which the UVA police is responsible, and for which no one has yet been arrested) with the other five attacks?
Second, one of the female juveniles charged with robbery (by inference, this must be related to attack #1) received the stolen property from male robber who assaulted a lone, female student in attack #5. Will she also be charged with receiving stolen property? What is the significance of this connection?
Third, was Gordon Fields, the star athlete now in legal trouble, going off to play college ball and, if so, where?
As of December 25, 2001, he was “uncommitted”. (Or not yet eligible to play?)
He is a big dude, too: 6 foot 4 inches, and weighing in at 240 lbs. Of course, these are typically inflated, self-reported football stats — but still. Perhaps he (and whatever other CHS athletes perpetrated this series of attacks) were motivated by their “cynical and bitter” feelings — instilled by “a tradition of racial bias” in refereeing at CHS games and the complacency of CHS administrators who knew of this institutionalized racism but were too fearful to protest.
My explanation is clear. I am only interested in your mind and your motivation. I only undermine my arguements if I am wrong. From the looks of your post I was right. Your view of reality is colored by many factors just as mine is. I made no judgement of eithers ultimate truth.
Now they are making such a big todo over the fact there were ONLY NINE attackers, not 10 and that mistake should have been caught.
Where are you reading or hearing this “mj”?
not MJ but I heard it on am1260. One attacker was listed twice.
“It is only clear that you are a self rightous liberal…” “I only undermine my arguements if I am wrong. From the looks of your post I was right. ”
Well if I am self-righteous, then what do you call yourself? You THINK you are right. If I were to follow your arguement, I would say that you are a middle-aged, slightly balding, ultra-conservative male who doesn’t have an open mind and only thinks that he is right. RIGHT?
All the more reason for the police to release a full list: who has been charged with what?
They’ve never said. Or the press has never asked. Shameful.
Clear Channel’s “news” department regularly gets local details wrong. I wouldn’t put too much credence in anything they report.
In general, they try to include as much info about a person as possible — age, middle initial, street address — so they can’t be confused with other people with the same name.
Why they did or didn’t do it in any particular case, though, is hard to say.
The city put out a press release Monday night.
Got a link?
Daily Progress, page B2, if it’s worth 50 cents to you.
Otherwise, I’m sure WINA will get it eventually.
Daily Progress, page B2, if it’s worth 50 cents to you.
It ain’t. I’d sooner give half a buck to attackers’ Defense Fund. No, wait — I’d sooner give 50 cents to the Charlottesville GOP (and I’m a life-long Democrat). Something in this stifling political monopoly has just got to give . . .
I just visited the city’s site (charlottesville.org) and the press release page — and there’s nothing there. Got to love transparency in government.
Repeat: for the people, by the people!
The mailing address for your 50 cents is the Charlottesville Republicans Robert Hodous 412 Jefferson St. East Charlottesville 22902. Drop on by and save on postage, Bob will be glad to see you. And he may even let you read his copy of the Progress for free.
I just had a glipse of someone else’s paper. I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong in the details.
The city announced that they had miscalculated the number of those arrested (or was it charged?). They had counted one person mentioned in the investigators’ notes twice.
So — the police and DA’s office are either shifty or incompetent. Take your pick!
Well, whatever.
The information is there. If you don’t want it that bad, that’s your decision. Good to know exactly how interested you are in this whole issue.
Anyone care to start a “predictions contest”?
Post your predictions for what will happen in the short term (before the first cases go to trial), and what will happen in the mid term (the outcome of the trials), and what will happen in the long term (after the trial and for so far as your crystal ball can see).
Waldo archives all these posts, so at some point we’ll be able to look back and crown the “Nostrodamus of Charlottesville”.
Just remember to tag your prediction with a name/handle/sig file.
Let the games begin!
If you don’t want it that bad, that’s your decision. Good to know exactly how interested you are in this whole issue.
Remember that, in the modern ecological mantra, before “recycle” comes “reduce” and then “reuse”!
I’m interested — heck I’m concerned — but not so much as to buy the overpriced journalistic farce that is Regress!
does the truth burn you so? You have an inability to see the totality of the arguement. You are only batting 33% on your guesses. You spend most of your own post ranting and have ignored the most of the substance of the post. It was our realities color our opinions. This is what you disagree with?
I have yet to met a liberal who will ever admit that a conservative can have a opened mind. An open mind is only one that change when given a new or better set of facts. This does not mean that an opened mind can not have opinions and some preconceptions. It only when presented with a new reality that one can tell if a mind is open or not.
Pray tell, what new reality have you brought to the board?
From Larry Sabato via the Washington Post on a question of PC speech, I think it applies to this discussion as well:———–
Larry Sabato: We are running out of time, but I simply want to tell you how strongly I feel about the squelching of full and free debate on university campuses throughout the nation. Universities ought to be yeasty places where one can say all kinds of possibly outrageous things, with others completely free to debate and condtradict those outrageous statements with equally outrageous claims of their own. Sadly, there are all too many on and off campus who want to sanitize colleges today. The health of the free market of ideas requires that we fight these people tooth and nail!
link:http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/zforum/02/sabato030502.htm
It was in the Progress this morning about 9 not 10 attackers.
MJ
Dickhead.
Dickhead.
So . . . you work for the Progress, huh?
You would think they would have gotten a correct head count when they went to photograph and fingerprint them. Or when they filed charges against them.
But certainly they would have the correct number before they went and explained to the local and national media repeatedly that there were 10 people charged.
I can guarantee you that Mayor Caravati will be (1) devoting a lot less time to this issue and (2) taking more of a hard-line approach to the criminals involved, now that he has secured his Party’s re-nomination. The truth is, he and his ticket mate (David Simmons) needed the support of the African-American community to get nominated. Key to securing that support was trying to appear concerned about the attacks and sensitive to the community involved. Now that his Party nomination is reassured, he can risk pissing off the African-American community (and specifically, Rev. Alvin Edwards, a very well- connected former mayor whose parishioners included most, if not all, of the youth that were arrested for the attacks). It’s the old Democratic adage — in the primary, run to the left, in the general election, run to the middle. And Blake is, above all, a political creature.
Would somebody really be so despicably calculating and diabolic as to use people that way for something so petty as a seat on the Charlottesville City Council?
God help us, if this analyis is right and somebody like that is in a position of power in this city.
HELLO! What city do you live in?
blake caravati is just about THE most “despicably calculating and diabolic” politican this town has ever seen. in fact, many people who’ve worked with him have serious reservations about his moral fitness for office. the word “sociopath” gets thrown around a lot in reference to blake, and this is from PEOPLE IN HIS OWN PARTY. the man sees politics as a full-contact sport, a war of attrition if you will, and will stoop to nothing in the pursuit of victory.