Wednesday
Sep162009
Second Dunbar Village Trial Underway: Why are Melvin Young, Augustus Fontaine still Running Loose?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at 8:29AM Gina, The Blogmother
Well this one snuck up on me. The last of the Dunbar Villag Trials began yesterday.
Oh yeah RIIIIGHT! Oh it gets BETTER and BETTER:
Well if that's what he is admitting to, then he should stay on their "team" and serve the next 45 years in the cell next to his "team mates." Lawson is expected to testify again. The Palm Beach Post has video of his testimony in the first trial.
This looks like the same strategy as the first two, the "I was there, but I didn't do as much evil as everybody else." In a sense they are throwing themselves on the mercy of the jury.
Meanwhile two others implicated in the attack are running around free; Melvin Young, Augustus Fontaine.
To be honest with you, I won't be following this one blow by blow like the first one, quite frankly, this scars the soul. I will however read news accounts at the end of each day. In addition, Michelle Riley and Judy Woods are scheduled to go on trial for the torture and killing of Dorothy Dixon in Alton, IL and I hope to be able to have some coverage of that trial as well. It will be more difficult since the trial is in a more isolated area.
Blame Tommy Poindexter. Blame Avion Lawson.
But don't blame Jakaris Taylor, a youth who played sports and went to church but was drawn into the brutal gang rape of a 35-year-old Dunbar Village woman out of the love of a friend and the fear of another youth who had long terrorized the poverty-wracked housing project. Palm Beach Post
Oh yeah RIIIIGHT! Oh it gets BETTER and BETTER:
So, he went to the apartment, hoping to persuade Lawson, whom he often called his "brother," to leave, Haddad said.
Instead, Taylor stood and watched while the Lawson and at least four other young men repeatedly raped the woman, ultimately forcing her to perform oral sex on her 12-year-old son.
When he tried to leave, Haddad said, Poindexter taunted him.
"What about you? What about you little bro'? You ain't never done it before?" Haddad said, quoting Poindexter.
Fearing Poindexter, known as "Crazy Tommy," would turn one of the two guns he was holding on him, Taylor approached the woman for oral sex. He "simulated a sex act" hoping it would show Poindexter and the other boys in the room that he was on their team, Haddad said.
Well if that's what he is admitting to, then he should stay on their "team" and serve the next 45 years in the cell next to his "team mates." Lawson is expected to testify again. The Palm Beach Post has video of his testimony in the first trial.
This looks like the same strategy as the first two, the "I was there, but I didn't do as much evil as everybody else." In a sense they are throwing themselves on the mercy of the jury.
Meanwhile two others implicated in the attack are running around free; Melvin Young, Augustus Fontaine.
Still, the victim testified that 10 men assaulted her. Lawson identified six: Poindexter, Walker, Jakaris Taylor, Melvin Young, Augustus Fontaine and himself. Taylor goes on trial next month. Why haven't West Palm Beach police arrested Young and Fontaine? Law enforcement officials say only that it's an ongoing investigation. It had better be. For those who were there on June 18, 2007, with Poindexter, Walker and Lawson, the truth still awaits. And all of those who were there should face it. Palm Beach Post
To be honest with you, I won't be following this one blow by blow like the first one, quite frankly, this scars the soul. I will however read news accounts at the end of each day. In addition, Michelle Riley and Judy Woods are scheduled to go on trial for the torture and killing of Dorothy Dixon in Alton, IL and I hope to be able to have some coverage of that trial as well. It will be more difficult since the trial is in a more isolated area.
Reader Comments (16)
Thanks for the updates AND for the intense coverage of the first trial.
Symphony has been posting updates on her face book page and I've been following all of the local media. Since you are a lawyer, do you think Chris Haddad's defense is actually going to have any impact on the jury?
The whole premise of his defense really pisses me off...
I join BLKSeaGoat in expressing my appreciation for your coverage of this case over the past couple of years...
peace, Villager
Thanks so much for the update.
Taharkah, her blog is www.essentialpresence.blogspot.com
Off-topic:
Wanted to see if WAOD knew about this story. Forgive me if you already do; just got back from overseas.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/07/new.york.beating/index.html
Back on topic.....
@ gem2001, this is why I mentioned this guy in a post on another topic. I'm feeling less certain about this trial. People in that city may be battle-fatigued after the first trial. :(
The son of the woman in the Dunbar Village case is expected to testify later this afternoon in the trial of Jakaris Taylor. It is said the teenage boys got the guns used from the boyfriend of Jakaris' mother.
Geez, this is just crazy . . . a sad. Funny thing, ever since this happened, I don't view young teen boys in my neighborhood the same. :(
They are running loose because people won't REALLY care until this stuff spills into 'respectable' (read: non-black) communities. Black folk have also proven that we aren't willing to take the subject of rape -- even gang rape -- all that seriously.
At any rate it looks like the time has come:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7015348
Similar M.O. (no desire to cover tracks, because they never had to in the past gang rapes). This crew made the mistake of choosing a girl that people actually cared about.
I agree that it's scarring to the soul - blogs can become like a crime scene blotter sometimes... I'm glad that others can share the load in the DV coverage.
(FYI Symphony has extensive history on this case at http://dunbarvillage.blogspot.com )
This is yet another reason why I am glad that I don't have a young daughter.....
This makes me want to vomit - and want to harm anything that even looks like those thugs...
And I am sure that someone heard her screams or cries but did nothing.....absolutely disgusting...
@RevMamaAfrica
"I don’t view young teen boys in my neighborhood the same."
That's sad, but I understand that. I read a story years ago about a study that compared the responses of woman, when people were approaching. In a previous study, black women had not felt uneasy if black men walked by...but a more recent study had found that - that was no longer the case. A black woman was just as likely to feel uncomfortable if a black man walked by as a white man and in some cases more uncomfortable.
That's a sad commentary. But, that's why when crimes like this happen, you have to have an immediate reaction. That's why we need round up these young, rogue males that roam freely in our neighborhoods. I wonder about that also.
I drive through white neighborhoods, I see little children at the playground AND NO ONE walking the streets. In some black neighborhoods, I see grown men playing basketball at the parks, and older teens just kind of hanging out. And, in the street there is a constant traffic of teenagers and smaller kids walking by in groups. I always wonder, where are their parents. This is a recipe for disaster.
Not all of these kids would have trouble on their minds, of course, but the potential to be in the wrong place and under the wrong influence just seems to increase to me. Or, hey...to get snatched by some idiot and harmed.
tHE SON TESTIFIED YESTERDAY AND THE MOTHER IS TESTIFYING NOW. sHE REUFTED tAYLOR'S CLAIM THAT HE ONLY "SIMULATED" RAPING HER TO AVOID BEING BEATEN BY THE OTHER ATTACKERS.
Name: FONTAINE, AUGUSTUS Race: Black DOB: 08/07/1992
Address:
442 10th ST
WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 Facility: OWN RECOGNIZANCE
Booking Number: 2009044691
OBTS Number: 5002181289 Booking Date: 08/24/2009 Time: 16:11
Arresting Agency: 94 - WEST PALM BEACH Officer: MOMIROVICH
Release Date: 08/25/09 Time: 00:47 Holds For Other Agencies:No
Warrant Number: 273859PC4 Jacket Number: 0346643
Charges:
843.02-3143 RESIST OFFICER-OBSTRUCT WO VIOLENCE
Original Bond: $0.00 Current Bond: $0.00
Name: FONTAINE, AUGUSTUS Race: Black DOB: 08/07/1992
Address:
442 10TH ST
WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33401 Facility: Main Detention Center
Cell Location:M-S-10-B-01L-F
Booking Number: 2009047476
OBTS Number: 5003271577 Booking Date: 09/08/2009 Time: 09:34
Arresting Agency: 01 - PBSO Officer: C. MENOTTE
Release Date: N/A Holds For Other Agencies:No
Warrant Number: 273859PC4 Jacket Number: 0346643
Charges:
948.06-3848 PROB VIOLATION-PROB VIOLATION
Original Bond: $0.00 Current Bond: $0.00
* VOP: CHARGE: CT1) FLEEING OR ATTEMPTING TO ELUDE CT2) GRAND THEFT (MV)
Original Bond: $0.00 Current Bond: $0.00
* CT3) BURGLARY OCCUPIED STRUCTURE OF CONVEYANCE CT4) RESIST OFFICER W/O VIOLENCE
Original Bond: $0.00 Current Bond: $0.00
* CT5) OFFENSE AGAINST POLICE FIRE SAR DOG OR PO HORSE CT6) NO VALID DL DRIVING W/O A DL/JUDGE HOY
Original Bond: $0.00 Current Bond: $0.00
Unfortunately looks like Melvin Young hasnt been arrested YET - but I'm sure he will, just like his buddy Augustus Fonatine.
Sure 'justice' will be served once they are in lockup - one way or another.
1WhoCares,
Thanks for the information.
JAKARIS TAYLOR IS GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!!!!!
"Fontaine" sounds like a French name. Could Augustus Fontaine be a Haitian kid being racist against other Haitians in order to be accepted?