Relatives: Rioters were overcharged

There’s not much doubt there was an early morning rumble in Sandusky on Aug. 25, pitting about 20 young men from Sandusky against about a dozen visiting Detroit natives.
Tom Jackson
Oct 3, 2013
But was it a burglary and a “riot” featuring gang-related violence? A group of local parents and grandparents, many related to the people facing charges, beg to differ.

Police described the brawl at an apartment on Fox Run Trail as a gang battle.

Charges have been filed against 19 young men, ages 14 to 19, alleging participating in criminal gang activity, aggravated rioting, burglary and complicity to vandalism. Teens involved also face curfew violation charges.

A mostly African-American crowd of about a dozen people staged a “Save Our Sons” sign waving protest in downtown Sandusky early Saturday afternoon. Three protesters interviewed later said they realize that fighting is wrong and charges such as “disorderly conduct” might be appropriate, but argued that the youths were overcharged.

Sue Jones, 54, Sandusky, one of the organizers, said labeling the boys gang members and hitting them with heavy charges is counterproductive.    “We have concerns about our children being called a gang,” said Jones, who said the kids were merely friends. She said her grandson was among those charged. He wasn’t even there, she said.

“I think they’re going overboard on some of these charges,” said Arthur Simpson, 58, Sandusky, who said one of the people charged is his son.

Black people in Sandusky are being targeted, contends Cathy Dickerson, an NAACP member.

Erie County Prosecutor Kevin Baxter said the charges appear to match the facts given to prosecutors by police. Fighting by four or more people is rioting. Trespassing an occupied structure for the purpose of committing a crime is burglary, Baxter said.

Baxter said it’s early in the process and the cases have not yet gone to a grand jury, where the charges could change.

And he said prosecutors will listen to defense attorneys, who can present evidence and make a case for lesser charges, or none at all.

Det. Sgt. Dana Newell of the Sandusky Police Department said police will present evidence in court that the Sandusky participants in the fight were affiliated with two gangs, the Black Point Mafia and the Gotti Boys.

Simpson said his 16-year-old son was on probation for a previous crime. He said he did not know what the crime was.

Jones was asked if the presence of many minors at a fight at about 1 a.m. suggested a lack of parental supervision.

“I understand your point,” she said. “I’m 54 years old. I’ve never dealt with this,” she said. “My children did what I told them to do. This is a different generation.”


Pastor Ron





Let me translate: I was a parent and my kids weren't gang members, so answering this question would indict those who have failed as parents.


"Labeling the boys as gang members"

Well.... if its got webbed feet, feathers and quacks... I doubt it's a chicken.

Besides... weren't a couple of the "boys" making hand gestures very reminiscent of gang signs in the video?

Simple Enough II

^^^^^^This^^^^^^ Quack!

Seen it All

Exactly Pastor Ron! I love the sign "save our sons!" They should of thought about saving their sons when they were around 10 years old, so they would of grown up not acting like thuglets!


Really? The same old song "Black are being targeted in Sandusky". Well if they were not committing the crimes they would not be targeted. I get tired of hearing this because when they know they are guilty the pull the race card. Do your jobs people, parent your kids! If you were stellar parents your kids would not have been there that night doing what they did. Instead of protesting because your kids broke the law maybe you should be at home with them or maybe take the time you spend protesting and take some parenting classes. You can not just blame the kids you have to blame the parents to!

Bleeding Turnips

I chuckle at "Black people in Sandusky are being targeted, contends Cathy Dickerson, an NAACP member." I see the thugs in the video being targeted. If they were white I'm sure the same charges would and should apply.




Weren't these great upstanding citizens also the group who beat a man with a brick and drug him down the street about a year ago?

Truth or Dare

Has the SR made a public request regarding Gang Maps and activity throughout Sandusky? Just curious, cause I think it's important we know what's up, after all, how long have we been told we have no real gangs, just wannabe's?! Seems the Blackpoint Mafia and The Gotti Boys have joined forces over the last few years.

Try Googling Black Point Mafia, Sandusky Ohio, see what you get, or The Gotti Boys, Sandusky, Ohio. I just watched a youtube video of young children boxing it out in what looks like their living room. It's titled "Bang Out in Sandusky (Yo Gotti)", dated Sept. 9th., 2009. Who is the videographer?! Female gang members in training? The children look to be about 8-11 yrs. old, and it seemes were all girls. How proud the videographer must be? Jump to the present, Google "Sandusky Gang Fight", Feb. 13 2013.

One last question, any word regarding the ongoing investigation and the Detroit Men that came here to play "basketball"? I would suppose those renting the two apartments they came out of would be able to provide info., unless of course they're use to allowing strangers coming from Detroit into their homes?



Either Simpson is a liar, or a really bad parent.

Your "child" is on probation and you don't know/care why?

Your "child" is out at 1:00 am on a school night, you don't know/care why?

It's too late now to stand there with a sign and pretend to be a parent.

It is YOU that turned over the parenting of your child to the judicial system! You failed at parenting, so now they are going to do it for you.


I look at it this way , Its better todo something about this now , At least these kids can have a chance to get back on the right track and be productive in their lives .
If we let this go its only going to lead to worse things happening in the future with some of these kids .
I was sickened when I viewed the Video and someone could have really gooten hurt or killed . And the N.A.A.C.P should have been their when the law had to call in help from area police as well as Cedar Point as well as others .If these kids would have been where they were suppose to be instead of where they were , none of this would have happened I am glad no one got killed or badly hurt.
And the thing that really gets me is where is the N.A.AC.P When it comes to raising these kids and helping them to be productive , and where is the N.A.A.C.P at when these kids feel that they have to join gangs to get by? They jump on the band wagon when something goes wrong like this but they sit back and do nothin to help the kids to do the right thing.
If the N.A.A.C.P wants to do something to help , then come up with programs that will help these kids as well as others so that they can focus themselves on something productive as well as the parents need to stop up to the plate and try being better parents with these kids . I know Parents can not be there to watch them 24 hrs a day , but if they work harder with these kids they could make a diifernce in their lives .And this goes for all Parents regardless of race .


Cathy Dickerson, blacks aren't being targeted; hooligans, thugs, idiots and criminals are being targeted. If you don't want to attract police attention, don't be an idiot.

Also, perhaps if the parents had been involved with their children's lives all along instead of just now, maybe they wouldn't have been involved in a gang.


The difference between good parents and bad parents?

Good parents would be ashamed and embarrassed of their children being arrested.

These parents are on the front page of a newspaper telling everyone that their kids are in that video, they don't even see the shame in it.


Throw the book at them.


Absolutely agree with Dick Tracey ...... good parents do NOT defend a child that is clearly in the wrong. A good parent is pro-active in a way that will be productive in changing the wrong behaviors, such as: PUNISHMENT!!!!!!! Wake up parents!!!!! help your children before it's too late and instead of a "gang charge" on their records, it's a murder charge and your child get charged as an adult and goes to an adult prison with the big boys.

Simple Enough II

Maybe all these concerned AA's could be marching at night ensuring that their youths are not out causing trouble at home where they belong etc, and the plus side could be they would be improving their health and shedding some pounds!

Simple Enough II

2am somewhere in sandusky (NSA has it plotted).

Jamal: Otis, WTF is that? It looks like a herd of water buffalo's coming down the middle of the street!
Otis: heah heah, Jamal, you been smokin to much of that chronic, pass that over here.....
Tyrone Shoelaces: Ist that the Po Po coming?
Jamal: Nah, they all where blue and aint that big.
Otis: "Squints hard into the night"..."Eyes open as big as dinner plates" Aw Sheet, it's our Mommas, run Tyrone, its our Momma's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tyrone Shoelaces: Maybe they just headed to the China King for the Buffet?
Jamal: At 2Am? SPARC don't run that late.......OMG come on my OG's it is our Momma's and they lookin for us, run!

Not sure, but it could go down like that.......


@ Simple Enough II

I haven't laughed out loud that hard in a long time....thanks :D


Same here...LMAO


You would surprise. I bet your family is proud

Seen it All

And take away from their bar/partying time? Hardly!


Apparently, the video cameras at the apartments are racist because they only picked up the black kids posturing, yelling, fighting, throwing things, breaking doors, and hilariously running away like scared little girls when the other other group came after them.

he said she said

The parents said their kids are being overcharged. I say charge them with everything allowable under the law.

I was always told that there are 3 types of people that like to argue--lawyers, politicians and housewives and since these kids did nothing but argue, which are they? Housewives?? I doubt anyone one of them could tell what is going in the government right now or have passed the bar in Ohio.

These so called gang members wouldn't last a day in Chicago. Those gang members don't argue--they act and if you are the target, hope your parents have life insurance on you.


first off this is what happens when drugs and the money they make are the most important things in life. Secondly , why do we actually care if there was a riot . This is how natural selection works nowadays so let them kill each other because I assure you that there will be hordes of others to replace the ranks. And third ,if you were to see a group of white boys this size engaged in such behavior , it would be called a Rugby game.
Parents need to own up and stop blaming society for the troubles that youth have.


Call in PETA to protect the animals


I'm going to go into business making race cards. I'll make lotsa $$$. Also agree with most of the posts. Good parenting starts at home, not on a picket line in front of the Court House.


Big dog will sue you..... copyright infringement !


Parents ? Do you mean single moms on welfare?


Do you think every single black mother is on welfare?