JNS Blog Acknowledges That Don Allen Of IBNN Is Trying To Get To The Bottom Of The Death Of Major Topps...

Social media image of Don Allen, used under First Amendment Fair Comment and
Criticism, blog post by John Hoff

For a couple of years, this blog has more or less razzed IBNN blogger Don Allen about not getting to the bottom of the story about the mysterious death of Major Topps, as Allen had publicly promised. 

Now with "ceasefire breaking out all over" in the North Minneapolis blog wars, this blogger wishes to acknowledge that Allen recently...

THREE Years Since The Death Of Major Topps, And Big-Talking Blogger Don Allen Still Hasn't Delivered The Answers He Promised...

 Creative stock photo, blog post by John Hoff

Well, it's becoming kind of a holiday tradition here at Johnny Northside: Every year, around this time, I mention that big-talking blogger Don Allen PROMISED everybody that he'd get to the bottom of the circumstances surrounding the death of Major Topps. Topps was beaten in the basement of a church. Some weeks later, he died, supposedly of causes unrelated to the beating. There was a great deal of whispering about Major Topps which can be adequately described with a single nickname:

MINOR BOTTOMS. 

Let me quote, once again as per the holiday tradition, what Don Allen told everybody in a blog posting dated November 2, 2010...

An Interesting Link Between Major Topps And Larry "Maximum" Maxwell...

Photo by John Hoff, last known image of Larry Maxwell
before his criminal conviction and imprisonment, blog
post by John Hoff

One of my commenters pointed out something so interesting I decided to write a blog post about it. There is a connection between Major Topps (deceased, and widely suspected to be a pedophile) and the infamous theft of John Foster's identity which spawned the mortgage fraud at 1564 Hillside Ave. N.

There were two other houses in the process of being sold when the fraud at "1564" was discovered and disrupted. One of those houses was 3000 Girard Ave. N. and the other was 2642 James Ave. N. (See my earlier story on this topic, the paragraph below the header "Perfect Credit Makes John Foster A Target For Identity Theft.")

Well, in regard to the address on James Ave. N....

KARE-11 Interviewed Kennedy Barber, A Damned Pedophile, About North Minneapolis "Family Day" And Other Shocking Little Factoids Being Hotly Discussed On North Talk...

Creative stock photo, blog post by John Hoff 

The article mentioned in my headline appeared in August of 2012, but recently it was linked in the course of a red hot discussion on "North Talk" about the topic of skulky convicted pedophiles who like to hang around where children are present, ewwwww.

Click here for the article in question.

Turns out Kennedy Barber, who is quoted in the article about "Family Day" in North Minneapolis, is a loathsome convicted pedophile. Linked here is a court case about this same Kennedy Barber who was chatting up KARE-11 about "Family Day," like he was somebody respectable. (As an interesting side note, Kennedy Barber's lawyer during the 1995 case was none other than Keith Ellison, our current North Minneapolis congressman)

Digging deeper, the plot thickens and a familiar name emerges in the background of Kennedy Barber, who was once an innocent and vulnerable child himself.

That name is Major Topps...

Two Years Since The Death Of Major Topps, And Big Talking Blogger Don Allen Still Hasn't Delivered The Answers He Promised...

Creative stock photo, BABY JESUS WANTS TO GET TO THE 
BOTTOM OF THIS, blog post by John Hoff 

Two years ago to this very day, I wrote about the death of Major Topps on my blog and suggested now public discussion could begin about this man including widespread rumors about him in the community which had crystallized in a nickname for the man, a not-quite-tongue-in-cheek play on words with his name.

MINOR BOTTOMS.

Shortly before the death of Major Topps, there was an incredibly odd assault which took place in a church. I did what I could to dig up information about that, click here and also here. I wanted the full story to be told and I didn't care who told it, this blog or some other media. So I was happy to publish something about how Paul Walsh of the Star Tribune said, "If people will go on the record about Major Topps, I will talk to them..."

One particularly annoying aspect of this story is blogger Don Allen's role. In his typical grandiose way, Allen announced (click here) he would be getting answers about Major Topps death and "issues" surrounding the death. Allen mentioned he would get help from the "National Research Institute" in this quest for answers.

(Putting my hand to my face to hide a smile)

What is this National Research Institute? What is its relationship to the so-called International Business News Network, which is...

JNS BLOG EXCLUSIVE: Police Report In The Alleged "Church Service Assault" On Major Topps...

Stock photo and blog post by John Hoff

As part of ongoing efforts to sponsor a meaningful discussion about Major Topps--a man being hailed like a "savior of black youth" in some parts of the North Minneapolis community in the wake of his sudden death, but his interest in urban youth long regarded with suspicion in other parts of the community--this blog has been providing a community forum for discussion, click here, plus reporting any facts we can uncover. This is quite difficult. As of this moment, even the discussion PRAISING Major Topps appears to have dried up in other parts of the internet.

Some days ago this blog requested the police report for the assault incident and, this morning, that document hit our inbox.

Here it is:

Public Information Report Minneapolis Police Department CCN: MP-10-325354
Report Details

Reported Date: Oct 24, 2010 13:15 Reporting Officer: 007654: David Weseman
Last Uploaded: Nov 3, 2010 Date Printed: Nov 5, 2010
Related CCN : --

Precinct: 04

Incident Details

Offense1: ASLT3 Desc: Aslt-sgnfcnt Bdly Hm Statute: 609.223 Attempted:
Address: 1115 30 AV N
MINNEAPOLIS , MN 55411
Occurred From: 10/24/2010 12:52 Occurred To: 10/24/2010 13:00
Public Data

The suspect assaulted the victim inside the church during service. The victim was kicked punched and hit with folding chairs. The victim was transported to HCMC via ambulance. North ambulance run number AC034175. The suspect was goa.

Recommend further investigation.
Victim

Role / Role #: V001

Name: Topps Jr, Major

Residence: 3424 Perry AV N
Robbinsdale , MN 55422
Telephone: C:763-807-7921

Date of Birth: 09/11/1949 Event Age: 61 Est. Age: 61 - 61
Race: Black

Sex: Male

Height:

Build:

Victim of: ASLT5
Witness

Role / Role #: W001

Name: Beavers, Tina Louise

Residence: Unknown
Telephone: H:612-598-3825

Date of Birth: 06/28/1972 Event Age: 38 Est. Age: 38 - 38
Race: Black

Sex: Female

Height:

Build:

Witness

Role / Role #: W002

Name: Dillard, Leila Almira

Residence: 1115 30 AV N
Telephone: H:612-483-4241

Date of Birth: 08/04/1978 Event Age: 32 Est. Age: 32 - 32
Race:

Sex:

Height:

Build:

(A question from Johnny Northside Dot Com: How does Leila Dillard, the witness, list HER RESIDENCE as the church? And, also, who are these witnesses? Are they random church members or closely connected with the victims?)

Star Tribune Reporter: "If people will go on the record about Major Topps, I will talk to them..."

Stock photo and blog post by John Hoff

A few moments ago I spoke to Paul Walsh of the Star Tribune about his article regarding Major Topps, click here, who died of kidney failure in close proximity to a vicious beating which took place at New Bethel Baptist Church. (Another account of the incident says there was no beating, Topps was merely slapped) An online version of the article in the Star Tribune has been revised at least three times, however...


...Walsh stated this is normal for online stories. The online story matches the print version which will appear, and so these online stories get revised over and over due to--among other things--space considerations in the print version. Walsh said there was nothing out of the ordinary about these sorts of revisions and, in fact, offered to email me a copy of the original article.

When I told Walsh about concerns in the community over Major Topps and widespread, persistent rumors that Topps' interest in young boys wasn't entirely healthy, Walsh simply said this:

"If people will go on the record about Major Topps, I will talk to them."

Walsh's email at the Star Tribune is pwalsh@startribune.com

Major Topps Is Dead--More Information Comes Loose About The Assault At New Bethel Baptist Church!

Stock photo and blog post by John Hoff

As part of my recent effort to dig up information and promote necessary public discussion about Major Topps--whose recent death was announced in a richly-detailed and highly-nuanced article in the Star Tribune, click here--today while en route back to Minneapolis after a long absence, I spoke to a high-ranking police official who will remain anonymous.

According to my source...

The person who assaulted Major Topps at New Bethel Baptist Church was the husband of Topps' ex-wife. The reason for the assault and the very vicious nature of the assault remains unknown.

My source also stated he/she had heard of widespread rumors about Topp having an unhealthy interest in young boys, but had never heard of the nickname some in the community attached to Topps:

"Minor Bottoms."

A rather interesting and detailed discussion is taking place about Major Topps in other parts of the blogosphere, and this discussion can be easily turned up by Googling "Major Topps" or, for that matter, "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON."

Be sure to put quote marks around "GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON" before hitting the search button.

If you just write GO LAY BY YOUR DISH DON but don't put it in quotes, it will not work.

Major Topps Is Dead--Now Let The Public Discussion Begin

Random stock photo by John Hoff

First of all, I did some quick checking and, generally, a legal claim for defamation dies with the plaintiff and heirs are not able to continue the claim. So--after trying for about two years to get a story about Major Topps, the surprising news this morning that Topps has died suddenly brings an opportunity to have an open and public discussion about this man, who has been a fixture in North Minneapolis youth circles for quite a while.

First of all...

...I know numerous individuals in North Minneapolis who--not quite jokingly--refer to Major Topps by a nickname which is a sort of play on words. Because of this play on words I have tried--for about two years--to find out if there's any fire where everybody says there is smoke. But I've turned up nobody who will go on record, though I did get an alarming secondhand report passed on by neighborhood super citizen Megan Goodmundson who knew two minors who participated in Major Topps' drum line.

Secondly, I would really love to know that back story about the assault on Major Topps described in the Star Tribune. I am strongly inclined to believe that if somebody assaulted Major Topps, there was a very good reason they were angry with him.