GUILTY GA - Antonio Santiago, 13 mos, Brunswick, 21 March 2013 - #2

[tlcya]

Pastor Wilfredo Calix-Flores told Action News he has been afraid of returning to
work at his small church on Norwich Street in Brunswick ever since he was shot in his arm during a robbery attempt there on March 11th.

Police now say the gunman who demanded a cell phone and wallet from the pastor was the alleged Brunswick baby killer, De'marquis Elkins.

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/conten...leged-baby-killer/A7P-CIs2xUaphlEv9VByRA.cspx

 

[tlcya]

a pastor. and a sleeping baby.

SMH

No one was safe from this young man and his merry band of cohorts it would seem.

very scary

 

[jjenny]

Kuritz added that pictures and tattoos have helped law enforcement add RICO, or Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations charges in cases similar to this.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article/285639/40/Baby-shooting-suspects-wont-face-death-penalty

Criminal Defense Attorney Richard Kuritz explained further, "The Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court not too long ago decided you cannot sentence a juvenile to death or mandatory life.

He can still get LWOP (just not mandatory). Which simply means LWOP is not the only option for his sentencing.

 

[tlcya]

District Attorney Jackie Johnson of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit said in a statement Thursday she would not seek the death penalty against either suspect because Georgia law doesn't allow capital punishment for defendants charged with crimes committed before they were 18. Both teens are charged as adults.

snip

Kimberly Copeland, the attorney for the 15-year-old suspect, said she planned a vigorous defense but had no further comment.

"I believe in the innocence of my client," Copeland said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_...icted-in-ga-baby-slaying-and-second-shooting/

DL has an attorney and is being charged as an adult.

Could a mod weigh in on whether or not 15 year old DL, charged as an adult with murder, can be named as Elkins (17) is in this thread or if we must continue to use his initials only? Please and thank you.

 

[kimlynn]

Mother of the child seems very sure as to who the shooter was. Also the gun was found after interviews with DE's family members.
Seems like DE will have a hard time if he tries to claim DL was the shooter.

Agreed,but from what I can tell we have an attorney that might give it a go.
I also think LE has much more evidence than we know that will point toward the guilt of DE.

IMO

 

[Marina2]

I commented earlier this week that, in spite of reports to the contrary, this sort of violence does occur in this area quite frequently. Why anyone would say otherwise I don't know. This article highlights what I'm talking about. Incidents were occurring regularly before the article was written (Dec. 2012) and continue to this day. I wonder if DE and his little street thugs are involved in any of this. All of this is happening in the same vicinity where Thursdays shooting occurred.

Brunswick police responded just before 8 p.m. Wednesday to a call from 1801 London St. that as many as 13 gunshots had been fired. When officers arrived, they found 28-year-old Antwan Lawrence, shot multiple times, in the 1000 block of Gordon Street.

A short while after the shooting, at 9:16 p.m., city police received a call of shots fired in the 2600 block of Union Street. Minutes after that, another call of gun fire was reported at Prim Place.

In response to Wednesday’s shooting — and a wave of gun violence that has plagued the city and county since the Nov. 19 shooting death of Gregory L. Boone in the 2600 block of Union Street — Brunswick Police Chief Tobe Green, Glynn County Police Chief Matt Doering and Sheriff-elect Neal Jump met Thursday to form a city-county violent crimes task force.

More at link.
http://www.onwardvoice.com/shooting-victim-dies-special-squad-formed

 

[Wise Old Owl]

I commented earlier this week that, in spite of reports to the contrary, this sort of violence does occur in this area quite frequently. Why anyone would say otherwise I don't know. This article highlights what I'm talking about. Incidents were occurring regularly before the article was written (Dec. 2012) and continue to this day. I wonder if DE and his little street thugs are involved in any of this. All of this is happening in the same vicinity where Thursdays shooting occurred.

More at link.
http://www.onwardvoice.com/shooting-victim-dies-special-squad-formed

Sounds like gang warfare - kinda like what we have in Miami with all the drive-bys.

Ballistics will (and are) playing a huge part in this. Like I said, wonder how many more crimes LE will be able to link to these 2 now that they have this gun.

And tl - its best we just keep with the initials.



JMHO

 

[tlcya]

District Attorney Jackie Johnson of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit said in a statement Thursday she would not seek the death penalty against either suspect because Georgia law doesn't allow capital punishment for defendants charged with crimes committed before they were 18. Both teens are charged as adults.

snip

Kimberly Copeland, the attorney for the 15-year-old suspect, said she planned a vigorous defense but had no further comment.

"I believe in the innocence of my client," Copeland said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_1...cond-shooting/

 

[tlcya]

Not finding much on DL's attorney Kimberly Copeland. I see an attorney of that name on Brunswick street in Jesup.

Could a local let us know if this attorney is known in the area, what her reputation is, etc?

I also noted that in the article up above she is not listed as a PD so I am thinking she has been privately retained?

His parents are reportedly incarcerated so I wonder who has had to come up with attorney retainer money. I get the impression his family is not any more wealthy than Elkins so I imagine coming up with money to hire an attorney would be quite a hardship.

I do not know who is responsible for this young man, but the only family member we have heard from is the Aunt O who cooperated with LE. I have a great deal more respect for how the L family is handling things (staying out of the press with outrageous claims of botched police work etc) than how Elkins family has comported itself.

 

[TheDuchess]

a pastor. and a sleeping baby.

SMH

No one was safe from this young man and his merry band of cohorts it would seem.

very scary

Right-but I'm sure we will be hearing that the pastor has some kind of psychological disorder, or he isn't reliable because of his extreme view that God came down to earth and became man.

Also-I'm sure that baby had it coming. Perhaps he too was part of a gang and had once spit up on a rival gang member or perhaps he may have even started the incident himself. I understand the child was carrying a pacifier in one hand and a rattle in the other-both could have easily been used as weapons. And we may even hear that little Antonio has some kind of psychological issue himself-sleeps all the time, laughs uncontrollably at random times, cries for seemingly no reason at all and has trouble with dressing himself, bathing himself and even feeding himself! I'd be willing to bet he had some bathroom related issues as well!

It is so frightening that not only can someone as upstanding as a pastor, and so completely innocent as a sleeping child can become a victim to these horrific crimes-but that there are still plenty of people running around that will do everything to defend those that would do such a thing!!! FB support groups-family members creating false alibis and hiding weapons, defense attorneys who run around making the most outrageious claims, the list goes on....

I just cannot get this case out of my mind. I have 3 children and cannot imagine losing them to something like this. I have always had fears of someone "stealing" them, them having an accident, or getting sick. But never in my wildest dreams would I have ever even thought something like this could happenn to them! Trust me, if it had, you would all have a field day picking apart my behavior after someone shot my baby in the face in front of me. I'd be blubbering in a corner making all sorts of nonsensical statements. One thing for sure-I would never again be in my right mind or the same person I am today.

I pray for this mother and father and the sister as well. They have all suffered such unfathomable loss. I hope someone can step in to help this family heal and to come together to overcome their grief.

 

[kimlynn]

BINGO!

As for "other charges" or others being charged - here's a thought to chew on. The ballistics of the gun. Obviously LE linked it to the earlier robbery (had the bullet from the guy's arm) and they have the bullet from Antonio. BUT, what if, they have some unsolved shooting cases and they are now comparing those ballistics to this gun?

I know I sound like a broken record - but I really don't think there will be a trial on this one. Nope. DL rolled on DE very early on. He's singing like a canary - and probably on quite a few others (and other crimes) as well. After Gough sees all they have - there will be a deal struck - DE pleads guilty for XXXXXX amount of time. DL's sentence will be decided on his cooperation.

Gough filed for speedy trial because he wants to know what they have. And they have it - ALL of it. I would really like to know if they have any video - that we've gotten wind of the other day. Gough won't want to risk his "record" on taking this to trial - he'll deal with the DA. DE and DL will be sentenced by a judge and sent away. Now mom, sis, and aunt - they just might go to trial - but Gough isn't defending them.




JMHO

Good points,WOO. I never even thought about the bullet from the first robbery as evidence.I was thinking more along the lines that it was victim ID.
Also good points about the posibility that this might be pled out without going to trial.

IMO

 

[kimlynn]

I think this incident (on March 11) is why the Police Chief has been waffling on his statements about gang activity. Plus the fact that law enforcement executed more search warrants on Tuesday.

Yes....might be more to come as they still seem to be working and investigating.

IMO

 

[Elley Mae]

When this first happened and DE's Fb page was up I saw a stream of photos he had taken of himself, in a bathroom standing on a toilet holding a cellphone to the mirror taking photos of himself. I wonder if the cellphone was his? I didn't look at the date they were uploaded. I just have a feeling the cellphone was not his. jmo

 

[*LD*]

Sounds like gang warfare - kinda like what we have in Miami with all the drive-bys.

Ballistics will (and are) playing a huge part in this. Like I said, wonder how many more crimes LE will be able to link to these 2 now that they have this gun.

And tl - its best we just keep with the initials.



JMHO

Based on comments from the police chief, yesterday, I understand that the GBI has the gun and ballistics reports will take awhile to come back. Therefore, they don't have ballistics linking the gun to either shooting. At this time, they can only link it to the family based on what they were told that lead them to the gun.

 

[tlcya]

Based on comments from the police chief, yesterday, I understand that the GBI has the gun and ballistics reports will take awhile to come back. Therefore, they don't have ballistics linking the gun to either shooting. At this time, they can only link it to the family based on what they were told that lead them to the gun.

Agreed. I think they have the bullets from both crimes which match one another and are the same caliber as the gun located. But the actual ballistics will not be back for a minute.

It is very likely those ballistics will tie the gun to the crimes. but we aren't quite there yet.

 

[*LD*]

Agreed. I think they have the bullets from both crimes which match one another and are the same caliber as the gun located. But the actual ballistics will not be back for a minute.

It is very likely those ballistics will tie the gun to the crimes. but we aren't quite there yet.

Yep, I am eager to see the results.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Not finding much on DL's attorney Kimberly Copeland. I see an attorney of that name on Brunswick street in Jesup.

Could a local let us know if this attorney is known in the area, what her reputation is, etc?

I also noted that in the article up above she is not listed as a PD so I am thinking she has been privately retained?

His parents are reportedly incarcerated so I wonder who has had to come up with attorney retainer money. I get the impression his family is not any more wealthy than Elkins so I imagine coming up with money to hire an attorney would be quite a hardship.

I do not know who is responsible for this young man, but the only family member we have heard from is the Aunt O who cooperated with LE. I have a great deal more respect for how the L family is handling things (staying out of the press with outrageous claims of botched police work etc) than how Elkins family has comported itself.

ITA tl - but think about this. DL's parents are incarcerated. He rolled - rather quickly - which probably means he was "traumatized" by witnessing DE shoot that innocent child - hell, maybe even lil Antonio looked at him (DL) the moment he was shot! Horrific.

I also believe there are gangs involved in this - not necessarily Antonion's killing - but in the periphery, meaning other crimes. Maybe there are "concerned citizens" - ones with "means" and "privilege" that have knowledge of what's going on with this case and have decided that since DL is singing and cooperating - that they will provide a decent defense for him. IDK - I could be wrong. Maybe its even a foster family that he may have been a part of at one time.

DL is guilty - at the very least of just being there and being part of it. He is mitigating his sentence by assisting the prosecutors with information. And, it seems, because of this he is being afforded a little leeway and a good private defense attorney.





JMHO

 

[Isabelle]

Would be interested in knowing if the gun used can be traced to it's original owner.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Based on comments from the police chief, yesterday, I understand that the GBI has the gun and ballistics reports will take awhile to come back. Therefore, they don't have ballistics linking the gun to either shooting. At this time, they can only link it to the family based on what they were told that lead them to the gun.

BBM

I respectfully disagree. It doesn't take days (or even hours) to load and fire that gun into the water barrel, retrieve the bullet and compare the markings on it to other bullets recovered from previous crimes. It just doesn't. Now, DNA and fingerprints and stuff like that yea. But just ballistics on the markings - nope.

And with this crime being so high profile - that gun will be the top priority in the lab.

Those ballistics have already been done and results are entered. I also believe that the Grand Jury was presented with that as well.





JMHO

 

[tlcya]

I think it would depend on what all tests GBS was trying to perform on the gun and the sequence in which those tests might need to be done.

And does there need to be a delay or a particular order in which they were performed.

Wish I knew more about the science of it.

For instance, would the gun need to be dry to test fire? Would that require disassembly? Would that risk messing up possible existing fingerprints? How would possible existing fingerprints be retrieved, would that also require the gun to be completely dry?

and so forth and so on.