Charging Document In Nizzel George Killing, Word For Word...

Facebook photo of Nizzel George from the FB profile of his father, Cornelius George, used under First Amendment Comment and Criticism, blog post by John Hoff

Here is is, just copied and pasted, for readers to analyze. Click here to see original document on Hennepin County Attorney website.

PARAGRAPH BREAKS IN PROGRESS...

STEPHON TERRELL SHANNON CCN: 12196412

Complainant, Robert Dale, of the Minneapolis Police Department, has investigated the facts and circumstances ofthis offense and believes the following establishes probable cause:

On or about June 26, 2012, at approximately 8:34 a.m., officers of the Minneapolis Police Department weredispatched to a residence located at 4515 Bryant Avenue North, Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, upon report of a shooting that had just occurred at that location. The report indicated that multiple shots had been firedinto the home and a five year-old boy, N.A.G, date of birth 8/2/06, had been shot.

Upon entering the home, officersobserved the victim lying lifeless on a sofa, with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper back area. Several otherchildren and adults were crying, and told the officers that they heard gunshots from outside and then realized the victim had been shot. Emergency medical care was summoned and the victim was transported to North MemorialMedical Center, but they could not save him. A later autopsy revealed the cause of death to be gunshot wound and the manner of death, homicide.

Officers located ten discharged cartridge casings outside the residence. The casings were located in two areas: a cluster in the middle of Bryant Avenue and a second set near the curb in front of 4515 and 4519 Bryant Avenue North. Officers observed at least one bullet hole in a red Chevrolet Blazer parked in front of the residence. Officers located eight bullet strikes on the home, seven in the siding of the home and one on the railing of the frontsteps. Five of the bullet strikes had penetrated into the living room’s east wall. Two bullets penetrated the westwall of the living room. At least three bullet holes were observed in the walls and doorframe of the northwestbedroom. Officers learned that three other children were sleeping on the couch with the victim at the time he wasshot and killed.

Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots and seeing two people run from the scene after the shooting. Another witness reported seeing two individuals in front of 4515 Bryant Avenue North pull out handguns and shoot into the victim’s residence. The witness, Witness 1, said the witness knew one of the shooters, and that he had the street name “Funny Mo.” Witness 1 gave a description of the other shooter. Witness 1 did not identify anyone in lineups.

Officers also spoke to a known individual, Witness 2, who reported that the day before the murder, several young people were at the neighborhood gas station/convenience store. The witness saw someone he knew as “Funny Mo,” point a gun at two other teens. Other witnesses also told the officers that the two teens, who had been assaulted by “Funny Mo,” knew people at the victim’s house and spent a lot of time there.

As officers canvassed the area for weapons or witnesses, they were approached by residents of 4501 Camden Avenue North. The residents informed the officers that their house had been shot up at around midnight and thatpolice had responded to the call and located discharged cartridge casings. Officers could see approximately 5 bullet holes in the window glass. As they were talking to the residences, two black males, possibly in their early 20’s, approached from the west and began arguing with the residents of 4501 Camden Avenue North, accusing them of the shooting on Bryant Avenue North. Neighbors in the area told the officers of conflicts between individuals who frequented the two addresses.

Officers spoke to known Witness 3, who had called police with information about the identity of the shooters.Witness 3 reported that the witness had a conversation with STEPHON TERRELL SHANNON, date of birth 3/24/1995, Defendant herein. Witness 3 told the officers that the witness spoke to Defendant, who admitted that hehad shot into the victim’s house. Defendant told the witness that he was on the porch area of 4501 Camden Avenue North when it had been shot up by unknown individuals. Defendant was angry and believed people associated with 4515 Bryant Avenue North were responsible.

Defendant went to the residence and fired into the house with a handgun. Defendant told the witness that he had made his peace with God and was sorry about the baby.Witness 3 attempted to get Defendant to turn himself in, but Defendant refused to do so because the police “didn’t have nothin’ on him.”

One (sic) June 27, 2012, officers interviewed a known juvenile, later identified as the Codefendant. He admitted beingat the Camden address just prior to the house being shot up and returning to the residence shortly thereafter when police had responded to the call. The Codefendant said that some of the bullets penetrated into the porch area where he had just been sitting. The Codefendant was confronted about reports that he was responsible for setting off the chain of events that lead to the murder of N.A.G.

Officers told him that they knew he had pointed a gun at some guys at the local convenience store the night before, which lead to the Camden address being shot up and the retaliatory shooting of the victim’s home. The Codefendant initially denied his actions at the store, but later admitted that he had “upped the gun” at the guys who he had heard talking about how he was from the “other side.”

On June 28, 2012, officers located both Defendant and Codefendant and arrested them. Defendant and Codefendant were seen leaving a hotel where they had been staying with the residents of 4501 Camden Avenue North. Defendant, Codefendant and another young man got into a vehicle registered to Jamica Holden, one of the residents of the Camden home. As officers executed a search warrant for the hotel rooms rented by Holden’s boyfriend, Antonio Ferguson, Ferguson told the others present not to talk to the police.

Defendant was interviewed after a rights advisory and agreed to speak to investigators. Defendant was informed that he was in custody in connection with the murder of N.A.G. and that a witness had told the officer that Defendant had confessed to shooting at the house. Defendant admitted speaking to the witness but denied that he had confessed to the killing. Defendant said he lived at 4501 Camden Avenue North and referred to ‘Mica’, or Jamica Holden as his mother.

Defendant said that he was on the front porch of 4501 Camden Avenue North on the night of June 25th when the house was shot up. Defendant said that he knew who did it but would not tell the officers. Defendant said that he was angry about the shooting and that several people were in the house when it was shot up. Defendant denied being at the scene of victim N.A.G’s murder. Defendant berated the officers for failing to solve the September 2011 murder of his “brother” Juwan or “Skitz,” Jamica Holden’s son.

When officers stressed the importance of witness cooperation in solving homicides, Defendant said that if he knew who killed Juwan he would not tell the police, but would take care of it himself. Witness 1 was later re-interviewed and said that the witness recognized “Funny Mo” in the lineup but did not identify him because the witness was afraid of the shooters. Witness 1 identified the known juvenile Codefendant in a line up as one of the individuals he saw shooting at the victim’s house. Witness 1 expressed concern over the witness’s identity being disclosed and the potential for retaliation.

The Codefendant was re-interviewed on June 28, 2012, after being arrested with Defendant. The Codefendant denied participating in shooting up the victim’s house. Officers also interviewed Jamica Holden, who confirmed that there have been ongoing problems with violence and threats since the death of her son, Juwan. Juwan’s friends have been calling themselves the “Skitz Squad,” and spending a lot of time at her house. Holden reported that people drive by the house and make threats to shoot up the house.

THE DEFENDANT IS 17 YEARS OF AGE:ACCORDING TO MINN. STAT. § 609.055, SUBD. 2(b), § 260.015, SUBD 5(b), AND MINN.R.JUV.PROC.18.08, SUBD. 1, DEFENDANT SHANNON IS AUTOMATICALLY SUBJECT TO ADULT COURT JURISDICTION.