GUILTY PA - Kevin Kless, 23, beaten to death, Philadelphia, 14 Jan 2012

[gooniequeen]

Details about attack and car description have now changed.

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/car-may-be-different-in-old-city-killing-011912

Seems amazing that with all the people in the area at the time they are having such a hard time getting good information. Have to assume at 230am people alcohol levels were high and lucidness was low.

 

[Filly]

Starry - I am a NYC transplant to Philadelphia and have been here for 12 years. Philly is my adopted hometown now and I have always loved it here. Music, food, history, art, social scene are all world class and I have never felt unsafe in this city until the past year or so (i moved to the suburbs a few years back for my kids school)

I will however say the "2 street" area in old city (where Kevin had been partying prior to the attack) is just 2 blocks of bars has always left me uneasy and honestly other than 1 bar and a music venue and a few good ethnic restaurants the place is just not my cup of tea with regards to nightlife. It attracts a young crowd that seems to be a combination of fratboys, snookie-types and thugs (right there a recipe for disaster/violence) Also, my perception is that most people who come to party their are not from Philly proper and come from North Philly, Jersey and the main line or other nearby suburbs. Your typical Philadelphia resident tend to lean more towards hipsters and artists and not the demographic that would hang on 2 street.

Blame that dang "First Friday" for all the commotion and crime. (I jest).

Blame NoLibs for stealing away the hipsters, and scenesters. (I sort of jest).

2nd between Market and Chestnut always, always had bars and restaurants. It was Market that was mainly back in the day a virtual, blazing row catering to men's clothing. I swear Mars could have seen the old sign and wall from one "Shirt Corner". Otherwise we had places like Khyber Pass, a Mexican restaurant, and a Rib-It with some other bars.

Filly herself patronized a place called "The Black Banana" and they had an infamous gay bar right close to what was once "Third Street Jazz". I miss that place.

Indeed it wasn't until they started First Friday's did that Olde City start to rise. Rise it did. Unfortunately making it appear it's luring thugs.

GQ thank you for answering Starry's question. Starry I didn't mean to ignore your question. It is a beautiful city and I've lived here my entire life. The criminal element is everywhere. Everywhere. In almost any city I'd bet.

 

[Filly]

(i moved to the suburbs a few years back for my kids school)



I miss my adopted city, and want it back.

Then come on back when those kids are done school.:seeya:

Everybody moving to the suburbs. Everybody.

Filly a Philly resident for what feels as long as Betsy Ross has been here.:crazy:

 

[Filly]

Police announce the arrests of three in the murder of Kevin Kless.



http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/dncrime/137809278.html


Felix Carrilo, Kenneth Santiago and Steven Ferguson. The men are from Juniata, Olney and Fox Chase all neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

Today is Kevin Kless's funeral. Prayers for his entire family.

 

[cluciano63]

So glad the arrests have been made...

 

[JoeFromLB]

Looks like a hate crime to me. The suspects were laughing it up later that they had beaten up a white guy.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/2..._to_arrests_in_Center_City_beating_death.html

The tipster said that the night Kless was killed while hailing a cab near Independence Hall, Steven Ferguson, an off-duty hotel parking valet, was boasting with friends about beating up a "white kid" in Old City.

The call gave investigators the break they needed, said Lt. Mark Deegan, of SIU, which handled the case. Hoping to collect a $20,000 reward, the tipster went to police headquarters Thursday, and more details quickly emerged.

 

[Snick1946]

No words.......no words.....this just sickens me. Where is this violence coming from in our society? Anger seems to be everywhere and people have no patience. But for God;s sake-how can you stomp a person to death. I don't understand it. Are they all drunk or on drugs or have they no conscience..........If so how do they feel the next day? And the little cowards as they are do it always in groups. I wonder how cops feel going into the night. I have a cab-driver brother and I just ........pray.

Killadelphia.........rise up and take your city back.

Well for what it's worth, I have a theory- I think a lot of it is directly related to drug use- especially pot. I have never used it but those I know who did tell me that used over a period of time they became short tempered, paranoid and impatient. When you have demographics that tell us that a high percentage of Americans are using this stuff, you have to wonder how many of them shouldn't be. I was involved in a road rage incident years ago with a young man who clearly was smoking a joint while driving.

You combine this with the natural misdirected energy of young people, especially young males and it can be lethal. I am not advocating criminalization but it's something to be aware of..

 

[JoeFromLB]

Felix Carillo cops a plea to involuntary manslaughter and gets two to five years.

Two to five years for beating a man to death??!!

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20130105_Philly_man_sentenced_in_Old_City_beating_death.html

Unbelievable.

 

[Abby Normal Again]

Felix Carillo cops a plea to involuntary manslaughter and gets two to five years.

Two to five years for beating a man to death??!!

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20130105_Philly_man_sentenced_in_Old_City_beating_death.html

Unbelievable.

Perhaps they believe he played a lesser role, and are using his testimony to sink the primary assailants? I hope?

 

[CHERIE.T]

Well for what it's worth, I have a theory- I think a lot of it is directly related to drug use- especially pot. I have never used it but those I know who did tell me that used over a period of time they became short tempered, paranoid and impatient. When you have demographics that tell us that a high percentage of Americans are using this stuff, you have to wonder how many of them shouldn't be. I was involved in a road rage incident years ago with a young man who clearly was smoking a joint while driving.

You combine this with the natural misdirected energy of young people, especially young males and it can be lethal. I am not advocating criminalization but it's something to be aware of..

I have never , ever heard of anyone who smoked pot becoming short tempered. The pot would have to be laced with something. IMO
The are simply mean assed punks who comitt crimes for the fun of it.

 

[Filly]

Bumping as we just had a huge brawl in this area, and a gun was pulled. This is also the area where that huge wedding fight took place and was videoed.

No note on anyone smoking up, but folks were sure drinking.

Felix Carillo will be driving around the streets in a blink of an eye. The guy who pulled the gun the other night was just up on gun charges in May.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Two men plead guilty to beating a 23-year-old man to death as he hailed Philadelphia taxi

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...3-year-old-man-hailing-Philadelphia-taxi.html

 

[Sonya610]

Police have identified a possible vehicle involved in the attack. They are looking for a maroon four-door Mazda carrying four men who appear to be in their 20s and of Middle Eastern or Indian descent.

http://www.metro.us/philadelphia/ne...n-beat-to-death-in-old-city-over-cab-dispute/

I assume the witnesses were the two women with the victim?

How on earth did the description of the perps come out as "Middle Eastern or Indian". That is just too weird, plus I would assume there were harsh words spoken during the brief beating/head slamming incident and accents would be noticeable even if obvious facial features were not.

One got 2-5 years, the other got 5-10. That means 1 gets out in about 1.5 years and the other probably in 2.5 to 3 years.

 

[Justiceforever]

I have never , ever heard of anyone who smoked pot becoming short tempered. The pot would have to be laced with something. IMO
The are simply mean assed punks who comitt crimes for the fun of it.

I agree. Most potheads are too lazy to beat someone to death! This is a sad shame! SMH!

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/st...ttle-fatal-beating-Kless/stories/201504160193

Two defunct Philadelphia nightclubs have agreed to pay $7 million to settle a wrongful death suit filed by the family of a Temple University graduate who was beaten to death in the Old City section of the city by three drunk men...

Insurance policies held by the defunct clubs will pay for the settlement, which was announced Wednesday. Lucy's policy will cover $1 million, G Lounge $6 million, Mongeluzzi said.

Ferguson, who pleaded guilty to third-degree murder, is serving a 10-year prison sentence. Enriquez-Santiago and Carillo, who pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, were sentenced to two to five years in prison.