James Davis, 28, Convicted For Shooting Kibbie Walker Over "Diss" In Mental Mid Music Video...Oh, And He Shot That OTHER Guy, "Mystery Man" Cortez Blakemore...

Facebook photo published under First Amendment Fair
Comment and Criticism, blog post by John Hoff


"Snitches Get Stitches" 

Mainstream media recently reported the conviction of James Davis, 28, in the shooting of Kibbie Shakeel Akbark Walker, pictured above with red socks. I have been unable to determine if the white pants pictured above were worn after Labor Day, which has long been a source of concern to this blogger...



(Little JNS blog in-joke) 

Lost On The Editing Room Floor? 

The shooting conviction was reported after our Hennepin County Attorney fired off a press release, justifiably proud of the guilty verdict considering the victim refused to cooperate on the stand due to the "no snitching" code. 

I found it interesting that even though two mainstream media sources wrote their stories straight off the wording of the press release, their edits left out what I consider the most interesting aspect of the story: This shooting took place because of a "diss" in one or more music videos. JNS blog has reported EXTENSIVELY about these music video controversies, click here for an example. 

For the sake of the story being complete and wrapped up with a big red bow (to match those red socks, above) I'm going to simply reproduce the entire press release here...something I don't normally do in a story, though I often "copy and paste" these press releases into comments. 

And THEN I'm going to write a little something about "mystery man" Cortez Blakemore, who was shot in the spine--dear lord! 

Here's the press release: 

A jury found a Brooklyn Center man guilty of two counts of attempted murder for the benefit of a gang in the April shooting outside Target Field, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Monday.

The jury deliberated over parts of two days before convicting James Davis, 28, for shooting  Kibbie Walker and Cortez Blakemore as they left their cleaning job at Target Field on April 12. Davis will be sentenced March 19 at 10 a.m.

“This was a difficult case because the main victim was not cooperative and did not want to say who shot him,” Freeman said. “But the jury did an excellent job of listening to all the evidence we put forth. We are determined to stop these gang shootings.”

Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Thad Tudor, in his closing arguments Friday morning, noted that Walker, despite being shot in the chest and the abdomen, did not help on the witness stand.

“You saw Kibbie Walker try to tank this case,” Tudor said. “He said, ‘I don’t know who shot me.’ This is the don’t snitch crowd.’’

According to the criminal complaint, Walker and Blakemore were just leaving their new job cleaning up after a Twins night game just before 3 a.m. As they were walking out of the left field gate, three men in hooded sweatshirts came up to them and began shooting. Blakemore was seriously injured when a bullet hit his spinal cord.

Tudor said that while Walker was not helpful on the witness stand, his recorded interview with police was informative, including when Walker picked Davis out of a photo lineup. Another witness testified that Davis joined him and others at the Flameburger restaurant and said he did the shooting and to watch the news.

The complaint, and testimony during the trial, indicated that this was a feud between two gangs. Davis is a member of the 1-9s and Walker is a member of the Taliban. Walker admitted to police that he made a YouTube video making fun of the shooting death at the Epic Nightclub of 1-9s leader Tyrone Washington.

(JNS blog interjects: Walker didn't make that video ALL BY HIIMSELF, that's for sure!) 

Walker also will be sentenced next month. In December, he pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault for shooting repeatedly at a car at Chicago Avenue and Eighth Street on April 30. 

--------------

Could There Be TWO Guys Named Cortez Blakemore? 

This blogger heard about Kibbie being shot, and reported "it is likely one other person was shot as part of the same incident," but until the conviction this was the first I'd heard of a "Cortez Blakemore," let alone the severity of his injuries with that bullet hitting his spinal cord.

There is a guy named Cortez Davon Blakemore, who was born 04/07/1990, and I would tend to think this is the same guy, but something about the dates in his incarceration record strikes me as odd. 

See, either this guy is a DIFFERENT Cortez Blakemore (really?!!) or Cortez Blakemore was running around loose after a stint in prison, got shot standing right next to Kibbie Walker, and now Cortez is back in prison. Hurt spinal cord and all? 

You see, Cortez Davon Blakemore, click here for his MNDOC information, was sentenced on April 19, 2009, for an assault charge. An attempted murder charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement. Cortez had 74 months hanging over his head. And what I'm seeing on MNCIS would tend to make me think this guy went to prison and stayed there. 

I would particularly think that since he hasn't committed any new crimes since the 2009 sentencing. That's always the dead giveaway about whether somebody is in prison or loose. Have they committed more crimes that appear upon the electronic court docket? Sorry to say...they almost always do. Driving around with no insurance, at the least, and lying about their identity to Officer Friendly. (Not his real name) 

The MNDOC site confuses matters, a little bit, by saying this guy has been incarcerated "since 12/31/2014." This information would nicely coincide with Cortez being released from prison prior to April of 2014, getting himself shot that month, and then ending up back in prison for something like failing to abide by probation conditions. 

But he's in prison at "MCF Oak Park Heights." That's a "super max" prison. Would a guy with a spinal injury go THERE? Also, bouncing back to prison would appear on MNCIS, wouldn't it? Though I've known MNCIS to be a little behind on its information, sometimes. 

Hold On To Your Hat--Here's ANOTHER Cortez Davon Blakemore Born In 1974! 

Cortez Davon Blakemore, born 10/07/1974, is probably NOT the guy who was hanging out with Kibbie Walker and got shot. 

(ADDENDUM, MARCH 15, 2015. JNS Blog has positively verified from an official source that the Cortez Blakemore shot in the spine at Target Field was the guy who was born in 1990) 

The ages are not right. Of course, if Blakemore was just a bystander instead of a friend and peer to Kibbie--and the press release is not clear on that aspect--then Blakemore could have been hit by bullets intended for Kibbie, right? Then the age is NOT any sort of clue, right?

One thing is for sure. Blakemore "1974" has a rap sheet as long as my arm. Here it is, and keep in mind not all these charges may represent convictions.


27-CR-96-015408
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
02/26/1996
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
DRIVING W/O A VALID DRIVERS LICENSE
FALSE INFORMATION TO POLICE
62-T9-96-042077
96743212
96743212
96743212
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ LAVON
10/07/1974
08/15/1996
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Moving - Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
DAC
SPEED
NO SEAT BELT
62-T4-96-057215
96700696
96700696
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
11/07/1996
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Moving - Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
DAC
NPI
62-K3-98-003814
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
10/22/1998
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Gross Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
CRIM DAMAGE TO PROP GM Not applicable - GOC
82-T7-99-019685
CG 178756
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
09/21/1999
- Washington-Stillwater
Non- Traffic Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
MSD THEFT
82-K8-00-005074
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
09/13/2000
- Washington-Cottage Grove
Gross Misd - DWI
Converted Closed
FALSE NAME TO OFCR-DRIVER Not applicable - GOC
(NO BAC)GMD-AGG DUI Not applicable - GOC
(NO BAC)GMD DUI (2 W/N 5Y Not applicable - GOC
GMD TEST REFUSAL Not applicable - GOC
(NO BAC)MSD DUI Not applicable - GOC
MSD TEST REFUSAL Not applicable - GOC
MSD DAC Not applicable - GOC
62-K9-01-600154
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
02/09/2001
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Suburban
Gross Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
FALSE NAME TO POLICE ANOT Not applicable - GOC
NO MN DL Not applicable - GOC
62-K0-01-003765
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
10/24/2001
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
ASSAULT2 DANG WEAPON Not applicable - GOC
(TCIS Amended Charge) CRIM DAM PROP4 Not applicable - GOC
27-CR-03-022962
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
02/28/2003
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Southdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
INTERFERE WITH EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL
DOMESTIC ASSAULT
DOMESTIC ASSAULT
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
27-CR-03-015125
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
03/04/2003
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
2ND DEG DWI - ALCOHOL Not applicable - GOC
GM-CHLD DNGR-DWI-2ND DEGREE Not applicable - GOC
DRIVING AFTER CANCELLATION Not applicable - GOC
FAIL TO OBEY SEMAPHORE Not applicable - GOC
27-CR-03-017873
1020503825
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
03/13/2003
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
DRIVING AFTER CANCELLATION
62-T4-03-608604
903540971
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
04/18/2003
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Suburban
Moving - Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
DAC
27-CR-03-029600
1030641680
1030641680
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
04/29/2003
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
DRIVING AFTER CANCELLATION
SEAT-BELT REQUIRED: DRIVER
62-K5-03-600513
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
05/09/2003
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Suburban
Gross Misd - DWI
Converted Closed
DUI ALC 2ND DEG(NOBA Not applicable - GOC
DAC Not applicable - GOC
19-K5-03-003780
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
11/21/2003
Dakota-Hastings - Criminal/Traffic/Petty
Gross Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
GM GIVE ANOTHER'S DL INFO Not applicable - GOC
MSD OBSTRUCT LEG PROCESS Not applicable - GOC
62-K1-05-000205
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
01/18/2005
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Gross Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
DAC GM Not applicable - GOC
27-CR-05-036798
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
06/06/2005
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
DRIVING AFTER CANCELLATION - IPS Not applicable - GOC
27-CR-06-007150
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
01/26/2006
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
REFUSE TO RELINQUISH/TELEPHONE EMERGE
DOMESTIC ASSAULT
27-CR-06-019646
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
03/23/2006
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
DRIVING AFTER CANCELLATION-INIMCAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY
19-T8-06-065088
5 544565
5 544565
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
06/12/2006
- Dakota-Apple Valley
Non- Traffic Misdemeanor
Converted Closed
DISORDERLY CONDUCT
CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPTY
62-KX-06-002724
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
07/17/2006
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Felony
Converted Closed
CHECK FORGERY-OFFER Aid/Abet - GOC
27-CR-06-053633
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
08/08/2006
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Sommerville, John J.
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE Not applicable - GOC
25-CR-07-1092
Blakemore, Cortez Davon
10/07/1974
03/28/2007
Goodhue
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
Traffic-DL-Driving after cancellation-inimical to public safety Not applicable - GOC
27-CR-08-35665
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
07/07/2008
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
Driving After Cancellation - Inimical to Public Safety
62SU-CR-08-4293
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
08/05/2008
Ramsey Criminal/Traffic/Petty Suburban
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Open
Traffic-Drivers License-Driving After Cancellation
Traffic Regulation - Driver Must Carry Proof of Insurance when Operating Vehicle;Misd
Traffic - Duty to Drive with Due Care - Speed Greater than Reasonable
27-CR-08-46674
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
09/11/2008
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Downtown
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
Traffic-DL-Driving after cancellation-inimical to public safety
27-CR-08-52001
BLAKEMORE, CORTEZ DAVON
10/07/1974
10/07/2008
Hennepin Criminal/Traffic/Petty Brookdale
Crim/Traf Mandatory
Closed
Driving After Cancellation - Inimical to Public Safety
Unregistered Vehicle

Just Starting To Turn His Life Around?

It must be fairly noted that Cortez Davon Blakemore, long rap sheet or not, hasn't been charged with anything since 2008, and he's only faced traffic charges since an assault charge in 2006. 

This might truly be a case of "he's just starting to turn his life around." Cortez Blakemore--yes, the one born in 1974--was divorced in 2007 and there was a child ("dissolution with child") mentioned in the proceeding. It's possible the child in question was Cortez Davon Blakemore "1990." 

Mystery NOT Solved 

But who was the Cortez Davon Blakemore shot outside Target Field? The younger or the older? Or is there yet another "Cortez Blakemore?" 

Or, and this is a terrifying albeit unlikely possibility...

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE? (Click here for the movie trailer)