NORFOLK
A special grand jury did not charge the police officers involved in the fatal shooting of James R. "Gucci" Dennis.
Dennis, 21, died in October in a neighborhood off Newtown Road. Police said at the time that officers encountered Dennis shooting at an unknown target, ordered him to drop his weapon, and then fired as he turned toward them pointing the gun.
Dennis' parents, James and Sharon Gorham, have said they don't believe police accounts. Last week, they marched with nearly 200 people on City Hall to protest the shooting.
One woman, Dominique Jones, said the day after the shooting that Dennis' hands were in the air.
A special grand jury was convened at the request of Commonwealth's Attorney Jack Doyle to hear evidence.
The jurors heard testimony Wednesday and early Thursday in a conference room in the second floor of the Circuit Court clerk's office. More than 20 witnesses testified in the closed proceeding, said Amanda Howie, spokeswoman for the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. They included witnesses identified by Dennis' family.
Doyle presented jurors with an indictment charging the officer who fired the fatal shot with first-degree murder and use of a firearm, Howie said. They unanimously voted "no true bill," she said, meaning no indictment.
Court records identify the officer as William Minshew.
Howie said Doyle's decision to present the indictment to the grand jury did not mean he had a position on the case. The intent was to let the panel decide. Based on their votes, no indictments charging the second officer were necessary, she said.
Dennis' father, James Gorham, said the grand jury's decision "didn't work for our benefit, and it didn't work for the truth."
He said he was told that six of seven members of the grand jury were white.
"I think that played a big role in the outcome," said Gorham, who is black.
Bonita Harris, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's department, which summons potential jurors, said jurors were picked randomly from voter registration and valid driver's license lists.
Initially, Harris said, all seven jurors were white. However, one was struck because she was the wife of a police officer. A judge then asked that the juror be replaced with a minority to bring diversity to the panel, Harris said.
Attorney Peter G. Decker III, who represented both officers, praised the process and said Doyle should be commended for asking an unbiased grand jury to hear the facts and make a decision.
The officers "are sympathetic to the victim's family," Decker said. "These are good guys."
Matthew Roy, (757) 446-2540, matthew.roy@pilotonline.com
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Re" Interesting", & Fred's Right..The More The Merrier
Of course it's easy to spot who posted & how many times. The screen name is clearly printed directly under the title of their submission. Also I would like to politely point out, that the way it's written in your post, one may assume that the murder trial you were a jury member on took place in a state capitol, or possibly D.C. I feel that since your name is norfolknative, that it may not be the case at all. Possibly "capital" might be the word you wanted to use, unless of course it was in a capitol district, and was a type of murder other than Capital. On the subject of spelling, I would like to announce that many words are not included in spellcheck, & it sometimes will give a word as an option, that you definitely don't want to use. I don't trust it. ex: Pray/Prey. Try and use those to state your intentions. One way you look religious, the other a predator. If I notice, others will as well. a public service message from contractorva...frequent poster
I'll Try Again Gucci & Sunglasses
Earlier I made a comment that didn't make it to print, concerning the model of sunglasses that Mr. Gucci is wearing in the photograph. My girlfriend has told me I may come off as insensitive, but, this man cannot possibly be sensitive to a comment concerning his apparel, since as the story stated, he is no longer among us. So once again I will try to make my point. The sunglasses in the picture (provided by the pilot), may not be Gucci(this word also provided in the Pilot). I felt that since Gucci is a manufacturer of sunglasses, & the moniker of the young man is , that some people may possibly misidentify the sunglasses in the photo. I also politely offered possible alternatives to the maker of the glasses, & the places where they may possibly be purchased..oh well probably out of characters!! Can't write much when you have to include disclaimers!
(cut/paste & save)
FEAR OF A BLACK MAN BY MR RACE CARD
Hello to all,
I am a graduate of Old Dominion University. I have a degree in Sociology and majored in Criminal Justice. I am a former probation officer for the City of Chesapeake. I have superfluous knowledge of law enforcement and diversity. I was raised in Philadelphia, attended college in Va, and currently live in Maine.
I am appalled by the some of the ignorant minds of our society. As I read this article, I am not surprised by the outcome of this case nor the ignorance in some of your comments. I fear being a black man just as much as the Police fear armed black men. Why, because my constitutional rights are seldom respected. Is it truly my right to own and conceal a firearm?
In my extensive studies, it's allegedly my constitutional right. It is my right to protect my self. It is not a crime to carry a gun nor is it a crime to point a gun at a police officer. (I know I lost any supporters after that statement). Sure having a gun pointed in your face constitutes danger. I have had several guns pointed in my face for a routine traffic stop. Is it OK for me to kill an officer and claim self defense? Law enforcement Officers are paid and trained to work in the most dangerous
Stupidity?
Seneca Darden was shot 6 times when there was NO threat to officer Barry's life! Many people make poor judgements but that does not have to result in the loss of life. Seneca was a good cop and was well respected in that neighborhood. He was not afraid and did not panic under duress like the two officers who used tear gas on the crowd. Also, if he had been the cop at the scene, Gucci would still be alive today because Seneca would only fire his weapon if his life was truly in danger. I have had to deal with hearing all this negative bull aimed at Seneca such as him holding a gun "thug-like" at someone's head yet at the same time threatening fellow officers. My point is this, it is all too common for officers to use the "he pointed the gun at me" excuse when shooting to kill. I support the police department in general but the use of lethal force in this area rivals or exceed that of most major cities in this country. Please explain why this is?
Continued
We need our children to understand the situations like that can get you killed.
Police involved shootings
Ryan Frederick: I don't thik anyone is saying that the shooting of an officer in this case was justified. It was a horrible mistake. Very, VERY bad planning and decisions were made in that case to storm his house.
White officer shooting black officer: It was proven that that particular officer wasn't even suppossed to be in the area and mistakenly didn't listen to orders given by another officer in uniform. When dressed like a thug (which he was undercover, so he was suppossed to be), holding a gun at someone, and disregarding orders given by another officer, you're going to get shot. What happened there was a HUGE mistake on everyone's part. But that's all it was, a mistake. If anyone is to blame it's the residents that started that fight in Young Terrace.
"Gucci": Yes,the officers COULD be lieing saying he was pointing the gun at them, however a Grand Jury of citizins of Norfolk has ade a decision and decided not to indict. However, once again, you have to take in all circumstances and maybe Gucci didn't hear the orders given by police, and turned around to see who pulled up and forgot he was holding the gun out. What-ever the case, a young man is dead. We nee
Things I don't understand
How is it possible to have a racist police department that is bent on exterminating African-Americans when that same department is led by an African-American officer and has many Afican-American officers on the force? Can these men and women really be involved in a genocidal campaign against their people of their own race??
By the way, does every family have a designated apologist for the person killed in these type incidents? Maybe it's just me, but I can't remember the last time a criminal was killed in the act of committing a crime that the family didn't line up and cry that an innocent person had been gunned down. I understand the grief of a tragic loss and the wasting of a young life. We all can regret that, but don't try and suger coat the reality. You must have watched enough TV by now to realize that most of us aren't buying that line anymore.
....continued
It is truly a shame that someone lost their life, others lost a loved one, and at least two Norfolk officers were scrutinized for doing their job.
My thoughts are with all involved.
Interesting!
There are a handful of folks that post the majority of posts, and like Fred Schecker Senior Producer HamptonRoads.com
said, they are easy to spot. If more folks out there would chime in with their 2 cents there would be a broader reach and possibly more varied opinions.
As far as this case is concerned, I have served on a capitol murder jury before. You, as a juror, are presented with evidence and asked to make an informed decision based on what is presented. There was a unanimous decision made that the evidence given clearly exonerated the officers from wrongdoing. It is that simple.
If other evidence was available, maybe a different outcome would be possible.
There is no sense in blaming the police for doing their job, and those in our community who feel otherwise need to take a few minutes and talk to one of our city's officers. They aren't there doing the job because they have to, they are there because they want to be. I have yet to meet an officer that isn't civic minded and interested in helping Norfolk become a safer and better place to live.
It is truly a shame that someone lost their life, others lost a loved one, and at least two Norfolk officers w
RESPECT AUTHORITY
(CONTINUED) Teach them to Love not Hate... to take responsiblity for their actions not blame others.. Teach them to be WONDERFUL YOUNG PEOPLE.. then instead of convincing everyone how wonderful they "were" u can stand back and beam with Pride over how wonderful they "are". Raising children in this day and age is not an easy task. If you have chosen to bring children into this world.. take your job seriously... their lives depend on it!
Stay on topic
This case is about James Dennis and his actions on that day. He pointed a gun at police and was shot. A Grand Jury of citizens (not police, not prosecutors) looked at the facts, listened to the witnesses, and had opportunities to ask questions during the proceedings (which is more than they can do in a trial), and they determined that there was no cause for an indictment. This is the process, and James got all the benefits of the process.
Only if James was denied due process would there be cause for crying foul. Even then, you'd be a long way from proving racism.
RESPECT AUTHORITY
"He was such a nice young man" "He had finally turned his life around" "New Job, Daughter, Girlfriend, Lease on life etc etc etc" It seems that each shooting of recent days has resulted in an onslaught of golden accolades about the character of the deceased. Just recently a "wonderful young man" who was turning over a new leaf in life was shot and killed by Police Officers in the Sparrow Road area of Ches?Va Beach? This wonderful young man (and his new leaf...) were determined to have recently robbed a local Pizza shop. According to what has been read.. security tapes, stolen money and the firearm confirmed this robbery. Now onto this "young man" who was simply defending himself and was by all accounts a "wonderful young man".. pointed a gun at a police officer and refused to obey.. Parents please hear me WONDERFUL YOUNG MEN, (REGARDLESS OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN).. DO NOT ROB PIZZA SHOPS AT GUNPOINT!! THEY ALSO DO NOT WAVE AND/OR FIRE WEAPONS IN PUBLIC PLACES!! TEACH your children to respect authority, in all of our lives there is someone that we must answer to. TEACH them to work for a living.. not take what they believe they deserve. TEACH them to love and respect..not ha
Nobody desrves to be gunned
Nobody desrves to be gunned down in the street like a dog, regardless of race. This young man died simply because he was black & he had a gun, Plain & Simple. Had "Gucci" been little "Timmy" from Ghent, those officers would still be out there trying to talk Timmy into putting the gun down & reasoning with him. But because it was "Gucci" he deserved to die. As for Seneca darden, he was a police officer that was shot in the ack 6 times by a fellow officer, how does that compare. The officer that shot him was not trying to disarm him, HE KILLED HIM. No gun was pointed @ that officer,if so how did he manage to shot Seneca in the back. In Seneca's case, the police lied & said that he didnt have on a badge, YES HE DID> IT WAS HUNG AROUND HIS NECK. So if they will lie to cover the shooting of one of their own, they surely will lie to cover the shooting of just another black boy with a gun. That child was shot with his hands in the air. Had it been a black officer that shot a little white boy, that officer would be hanging from a tree @ City Hall right now.
Cop shooting in Nofolk
I am very outraged at the verdict. Again, cops get away with killing another black man. They say that he was armed, and honestly 9 times out of 10, that's what they always say, but it's not the case. There was another incident in Queens where an 18 year old was holding a brush and they presumed it was a gun. GIVE ME A BREAK. Cops are here for the interest of the Communism (Commonwealth) and they are taught to shoot first, and ask questions later. What they fail to relalize is without that uniform and that gun, they are nothing more than people. Things do have a way of coming around, and when it does, it is very painful. I feel so sad and my heart goes out to his family. The march was a good idea, but it really doesn't change anybodies way of thinking. This case needs to be appealed and taken to a higher court. Again, to the family of this young man. My heart goes out to you.
Doing their Job!
The NPD officers were doing their jobs. They are trained to protect themselves while they serve their community. A man with a gun did not heed the officer’s warnings and was disarmed (and unfortunately lost his life). The Commonwealth's Attorney did the right thing and let a panel of jurors decide whether or not the officers should be indicted on murder charges. The panel of jurors listened to the witnesses and decided that there was not enough evidence to pass the indictment. That is what they have decided after many hours of deliberation. Let's not insult their intelligence by calling it injustice.
In response to the Ryan Frederick thread
I wouldn't presume to know what the majority of people think about most things.
And I would never rely on our story comments to make that call.
The fact is, less than one percent of the million plus users who visit PilotOnline.com and HamptonRoads.com every month post comments.
And a relatively small group of regulars do a lot of the commenting.
The majority of those who register to post, do so sporadically and only on certain topics.
Please keep this in mind when you are relying on the comments you see here to take the community's pulse.
If you are not posting - if you prefer lurking - I wish you would post.
We do have "trolls" who spend all day using this feature and looking for fights - but you can spot those people pretty quickly and ignore them.
And we can't raise the overall level of discussion without more participation.
Fred Schecker Senior Producer HamptonRoads.com
The police will kill you if you don't listen and have a gun!
It you ignore the police when they say "drop your weapon" they will kill you. It's a simple as that. Ask Seneca Darden or Gucci. They are dead because they didn't listen or because they thought that turning towards an armed officer, with a gun in your hand was a good idea. It's not, it gets you killed for your stupidity.
Dying to make this a race issue, aren't we?
If that young man was unarmed, and the police shot him anyway, maybe those claiming this is about race would have SOME argument to make... but who in their right mind honestly thinks that if you point a gun at the police they have no right to shoot you? It is extremely rare that a police officer ever has to fire his or her gun a person. Most go their whole careers without shooting at someone. They're just trying to get home to be with their families at the end of the day.
If what the witness said was true, and the young man had his hands up in surrender when the police shot, then yes, that's a totally different story. But the grand jurors heard from many witnesses, and voted unanimously to deny the indictment. I wish some people would stop thinking everything is always one big racist conspiracy and realize that most people are trying to do what is right.
Submitted by whatever on Thu, 03/13/2008 at 11:33 pm
I agree. "You nailed it!"
The race card
The race card being played by the family member just makes me laugh with contempt and disgust. Why don't you give the ACLU a call sir, and get them to sue the officers, the department, the makers of the guns and bullets, and whomever they can think of?
Get Jesse and Al down here to talk about how the black man has been "disenfranchised, oppressed, and denigrated". This is the largest wasted of time and energy I've seen out of a news story and case in some time.
Bottom line, this kid had a gun and aimed it at a police officer after being told to stop and drop the weapon. I'm sorry to say this, but he got what was coming to him. Yes, the family will grieve his loss, but they can also look to their parenting skills as part of the cause. If you don't raise your children any better than to run around with weapons at 21 years of age shooting in residential areas, then this sort of thing will happen. Sometimes it happens to those you love.
Mr. Twine
Did you read the article that preceded the comment board? I don't recall the Fredrick case mentioned. And who was shot in the back six times?
Interesting Point Of View, Mr Twine
I would like to point out however, that the Police in the "Gucci" shooting were legally "cleared" in their decision, & the fat lady has yet to sing in the Frederick case. If he is acquitted, he could hardly be labeled as a loser, at least not in the case,....legally. He does appear like he could use a few extra pounds though. Maybe the tasty meals provided while in custody, or some oodles of noodles from the canteen, will cure his "skinniness" affliction. Or possibly he may be able to purchase nourishing sustenance with an award from a civil suit, if said fat lady sings a different tune than some others have apparently envisioned.
Re comments, Mstyntty, Ajg8ter, & Orion
Mstynitty, you were the first to mention the race of the officers, in your 1st post, & the race of Mr. Gucci in your 2nd, so not sure where you are coming from. Ajg8tr, I would hardly consider Orion uneducated, he seems well versed in the 3R's & appears possibly educated beyond the public school system, & his comments/views do not usually seem beyond the realm of possibility or deductive reasoning.. Also I noticed in one of your posts, a claim that Mr. Gucci may have been struck down in a "hail of gunfire". There were only 2 officers firing their weapons, correct? Are you contending that they "emptied their clips", so to speak? Or possibly other armed crusaders joined in adding some extra lead, like the "Bonnie & Clyde" car? I recall nowhere actually stating how many bullets were fired, but, may have just missed it. Just curious..
Yes Mark, but
Just because you don't agree with what Ryan Frederick did doesn't mean there weren't many, many people posting on this website about his innocence. Why don't you take the time to review the posts concerning his case. He had endless support. I never said the majority of citizens supports him, but the majority of people who post to this website do, that's undeniable. If you don't agree, do some research. I'm not out of touch with reality, but I don't assume that my views are identical to everyone else's views. I think Ryan Frederick is guilty of being stupid, and just plain guilty, but atleast he had a chance to defend himself. I don't know if this young man is innocent or not, but the "reality" of the situation is that he is not here to tell anyone his side of the story.
Ron Paul and Ryan Frederick
I think you have to be totally out of touch with reality to post "most of you would say" Ryan Frederick was justified in "killing a cop who was in the wrong."
What evidence is there for such an absurd statement? The handful of people who protested? Or the handful of nut jobs who regularly provide amusement with their foolish statements on these boards?
Ryan Frederick may be a poster child for the Ron Paul crowd - a hero for society's lunatic fringe - but for most of us he's a small time drug user who, at best, made a bad decision and killed a cop. Not sure you get a pass for being stupid.
I also find it odd that the usual cast of characters around here, who praised the cops when they shot a fellow black officer six times in the back and are supporting the Gucci shooting, seem to have a different attitude about Ryan, a skinny, white loser.
Don't judge if you weren't there
Police officers shot an unarmed groom on his wedding day 50 times, killing him. Police officers are human, they can and very often do act irresponsibly and irrationally. We don't know what kind of real danger these cops were in because none of us were there. We only have the word of the cops against a dead young man who can no longer defend himself. It's truly a sad day when you have to be afraid not only of the gang members, but the police officers, too. But hey, he wasn't the 120 pound frail Ryan Frederick (who, as most of you would say, was completely justified in killing a cop who was in the wrong), he was just a criminal and thug. Please stop all the judging.
The Cops Escape Again!
Why are the cops never wrong? I don't like cops so will never be on their side. I don't live in Norfolk but live in VB and the only time the cops here want to do anything it usually involves arresting someone or some other corrupt activity. I'm not even from Virginia, but the "system" could learn some lessons from the big cities I have lived in.
whatever...
...you nailed it!
The problem is IMO
First let me say that it is a shame that this young man lost his life. This is a tragedy for the family and our community. A grand jury of citizens has made their decision. Move on.
The problem is that a large section of our community has nurtured and promoted through teaching their youth that law enforcement is inherently racist and that their problems can be blamed on all others unlike themselves. How do you think it feels for an honest police officer who tries to offer the public assistance only to be looked at as the enemy? Hatred for authority is rampant in our community and incidents like this only give simple minds more fuel for their ignorant rage.
Children cry out and fight when they can't get their way. Looks like some folks have some growing up to do. Some one had to say it. Bring the hate.
in the end
the old your word vrs the officer's word dilemma comes up time and again. What officer is gonna say "yeah I shot the kid w/o a threat to my life." Everyone is speaking on their training as to where they shoot but they are also well trained on what constitutes deadly force and all they have to do is say he pointed the gun at me. Hey, I don't know what happened here, I wasn't there and neither were any of you. I do know police officers are human beings like dennis and they too make mistakes. There have been countless incidents where citizens get shot down and never even had a weapon and those officers weren't indicted either. Officers have one of the toughest jobs in the world but accepting their account of events as gospel each and every time is naive. I can graduate from high school, join the police academy and in turn possibly hold the fate of a man's life in my hands. Being an officer does not make me honest, honorable, or a perfect decision maker.