What's Happening In Your World

Family Says Teen Was Killed for Refusing to Join a Gang


by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Darryl Green was killed in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, a place where death and violence are all too common.  The 16-year old boy was not murdered in the middle of a crime or drug deal, but was instead killed because he refused to join a gang.

His aunt, Juanita Bonner, expressed her shock and disappointment that he would be killed, because he didn’t fit “the profile” of someone expected to not make it to his 18th birthday.

“He never goes anywhere. It’s just so shocking for this to happen to anyone,” she said.

Darryl’s body was found behind a boarded up house in the area.  The killer is still on the loose, as are most of the killers on the south side of Chicago.

“It’s somebody’s child. . .you know, just laying down on that ground, dead. You know, just another life gone,” said Eola States, Englewood resident.

The family says that police told them that their son was beaten to death.   But no details are confirmed by the police.

Darryl had stopped going to school and family members think that he was beaten because he refused to join a gang.

The nation shed millions of tears for the late Trayvon Martin, a tragedy that cuts to the core of our souls.  The idea that a young black man can be killed by a deranged rent-a-cop for not “staying in his place” is a sickening display of just how racist our justice system can be.

But one point I reiterated when speaking with Rev. Jesse Jackson the morning after the Zimmerman verdict was that there are hundreds of Trayvon Martins in every single city.  Each of their lives are precious, and these young men don’t deserve to die.  Unfortunately, many of them are born into a warzone created by the War on Drugs many years ago.  This creates a concrete jungle where it’s either kill or be killed.  But for these men, the George Zimmerman “Stand Your Ground” rules don’t apply:  Quite a few men were given long prison sentences for killing gun-toting assailants who shot at them first.

The point is that, in many situations, even the predator started off by decided that he would no longer be the prey.  So, even perpetrators are victims, and the bullying in a place like Englewood takes on a great deal more seriousness than any of us could ever imagine.   Darryl was being bullied, people failed to protect him, and now he’s six feet in the ground.

When my best friend was shot in the head many years ago, I remember that the public made the same assumptions about him that they did for Trayvon Martin:  He was probably a thug, maybe a drug dealer and did something to deserve to die.  Little did they know that we were best friends for a reason;  Neither of us got into any trouble and were seeking to be good people.

But for black men, people rarely assume that we are good people, worthy of a long and prosperous existence.  In fact, some don’t even think we’re human.  Trayvon was transformed by racist media from a normal 17-year old child into some kind of Hulk-like gangster with a death wish, which was blatantly disrespectful to his family, his person and his community.

Black boys are hit with injustice everywhere they turn.  If they are not victims of violent crime, they are the first ones sent to prison, more likely to be searched, and receiving longer prison sentences than everyone else.  These young men are the future husbands and fathers of the black community, so our collective genocide can be linked to the demise of the black male in America.   This is something we cannot tolerate.


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  1. I don’t think anything is going to change for Chicago until they get rid of all the corruption and start taking kids education serious and stop making them a statistic from the beginning. But I also find interesting that this writer’s perception of how the rest of society sees black young men, I’ve grown up in different neighborhoods in several states some very diverse and some with no diversity or very little and I don’t believe people make assumptions about people the way the media some others are making it out to be. I believe people see individuals for their behavior and for their actions. Don’t get me wrong there are definitely people who stereo type others, but assuming we all do that is putting others in a stereo type also. I think people as a whole need to stop assuming things and start expecting the best from people no matter who they are and I think if we do that people will just naturally rise to the occasion. Just sayin.

  2. For those of you that say we don’tt care about Black on Black crime and that this is a black thing, I got news for you. Whites are doing it too! But when they do it it is not looked upon as the same type of violence. Belfast Ireland is one such example where whites committed violent acys against other whites. In Good ole Oklahoma Timothy Mc Viegh Bomb the federal building.

    • First of all, voters in Illinois need to vote Bobby Rush out of office and vote in a strong, conservative white man. Bobby Rush is a disgrace and a joke; a strong, conservative white man would be the only hope for the black children of the Chicago neighborhoods. Profile known criminal gangmembers and kick in their doors nightly. The current “leaders” in Chicago are more interested in making a name through racial division and race-baiting than cleaning up the problems of the black-on-black crime.

      • What would a white man do? All of this is the problem created by you white folk. It was whites that dumped drugs in the community, it is whites that redlined blacks in mortgages, it is whites that refuse to repair or update the infrastructure in the black community.

        Both conservatives and liberals created many a problem for blacks.




      • I could have sworn the white man in charge was in prison for fraud and racketeering, for trying to sell Obama’s seat in the Senate

  3. It is just plain sad that Darryl was killed and Trayvon was killed no matter who did the killing. It is more prominent with Trayvon because this man is not being brought to justice. We do not know yet if
    Darryl’s killer will be brought to justice. Hopefully he will be.

  4. Everyone should read “American Frankenstein – How The United States Created a Monster!”. It not only explains all you need to know about America’s relationship with its African American citizens, it also compares the black experience in the U.S. with other countries. This is a must read and a comprehensive chronological view of African American history and its result. http://www.amazon.com/American-Frankenstein-United-Created-Monster/dp/1450085695#reader_1450085695


  5. Isn’t this a sad statement? One black kid gets killed by a NON-black person, and the black people all over the nation are up in arms. But hundreds of black kids are killed everyday bay BLACK PEOPLE, and black people don’t get all that upset about it? Is it hat you ignorant black people are actually upset that some hispanic dude did what you think only black people can do? You are really mad that Treyvon Martin is dead, any more than you are mad that hundreds of other young blakd men/teens have been killed since Treyvon was. Teh ONLY thing you ignorant black people are upset about is that a white-looking hispanic dude did the shooting. If a black guy had killed Treyvon, and that black guy had not been arrested right away, you ignorant black people wouldn’t have cared at all.

    I think the Bible has a nice little verse for this situation — first, get the log out of your own eye . . . .

    • We will never perfect the art of sharing the world

      @whiteguy you should have put up a pic cause if you look up the word ignorant I’m sure your picture is there.
      To everyone wondering/asking where is the outrage when black kill black if you’re black you know where it is; it’s in our hearts and that’s where it stays because the law isn’t going to bring the killer to justice. Wherever you live I know you’ve had local marches on city hall asking for help rounding up the bad guys, they vow to help then go to lunch. Since police can’t find the killers where I live, when someone is killed I just watch the clock because within 24 hrs someone else is dead and you can bet he was the killer. So yes the outrage is there. As one commenter put it though “apples and oranges”, these killings don’t have a scene where the killer is waiting on the cops to come so he can confess. Why? because he knows he will be buried under the jail (as he should be). Obviously not old Zimmer boy he knew the Sanford good ole boys would help him cover his tracks of treachery and they did.

    • Wow , ou sit there and spew off ignorant racist mess then say, “You ignorant black people” yeah Buddy you sound very pathetic . I guess you being “white” is something that makes you inherently superior …Ok Zimmerman

    • I hate to sound like an “uncle Tom but I agree with Mr. Whiteguy. We get so upset when a person from other race commit the crime. In contrast to what he said, if Zimmerman would been black, there would been some outrage in the courtroom and plotting revenge such as get to the killer or his family However, you did not see none of that in the courtroom this time around. All of that mourning and singing the damn gospel is not going to do anything for us.

    • We SHOULD be upset about so much more. That much I can agree with you on!

  6. Mr. Keith kysel so just because you live nearby and you know that their all men who are willing to join a gang does not mean that the aunt is not telling the truth all killing are not for the same reason smh you doubt thats the reason but if you are not sure you shouldn’t make a comment and honestly the point is that a 16yo young man lost his life

  7. If I had minor children and was living in Chicago I would leave even if it meant I would be homeless for a while at least my children wouldn’t be ducking and dodging bullets day and night,afraid to go outside, afraid to go to School too the park etc.Chicago is a City wreaking with the stinch of blood and death and the smell is seaping into all homes there like carbon monoxicide the silent killer because you never know if and when these toxic posion (Street Gangs) and (Thugs) will sneak up on your child like carbon monoxide and take there life without them ever knowing what happen SMH

  8. DON’T even try and confuse the Chicago gang violence with the Sanford profiling… Ones apples, the other’s oranges… YOU DON’T send a good-seed young man out into a GANG INFESTED neighborhood and tell them to come home safe… IT’S CHILD ABUSE , It’s ignorance, It’s endangering the welfare of the child.. AND to continue to breed & so-called child raring in that environment should be considered a felony …. If your raising children in a gang infested area and calling your self good parents, Your lying.. If that school didn’t teach you c.r.a.p. and you enroll your children into that same curriculum, Then your lying to everyone else…

    • I kinda agree with you.
      Although it is NEVER the victims fault.
      If you live in a war-zone, you are more surprised you *aren’t* shot.
      I think that is why people have a lack of outrage, sad to say, we’ve become used to this, and that’s not healthy. Gang violence=people get killed.
      The only solution is to get rid of the gangs. I’m still waiting on a good solution on how this can be done.
      About 40% of these youths are unemployed. Maybe giving them something to do. Creating more jobs that DO NOT require degrees. Some of the jobs I see today that requires a degree and for you to be bilingual and they pay you 8 dollars an hour. Da Fvck?
      Sure they can go to school for a degree, but they still need to do something in the meantime. And going to school does not pay the bills.Some people need the immediate.
      And we’re all kind of shocked when people are mowed down in places considered ‘safe’, especially by people who are supposed to ‘protect’ us, like the police.

  9. When you inflict barbarism on your own, disrespect life, you send a message to the larger world that it’s OK for them to do likewise!!!!!!! Why all the fuss over Trayvon???? Is the kid who died here not as significant?? He should be even more significant, because his killers look like him!!! He’s no less dead because the shooter(s) were the same race!!! Wake up Negroes!!!!! Trayvon was shot by a wannabe white man so the entire black population is up in arms??? The most lethal enemy we have is in the mirror not the white man, but he requires constant monitoring!!!!!!

  10. Here’s a MAJOR FAIL on the part of Chicago’s mayor and the POTUS ….. THERE should have been National Guard posted. and curfew setup… Government management is to stupid to handle the job or this is all intentional to embarrass the black community with conservative “I told you so’s … Obama action = conservative yas sir boss…

    • What Chicago need to do is to have the NOI to patrol those areas and clean it up.

      Where is Minister Farrakhan in this situation?

  11. craus taus baus

    Funny how I don’t see no “OUTRAGE” in his aunts tone. In fact I don’t see no outrage coming from anyone. Oh i know if a white person would have killed him then his life would have been considered “precious”. SMDH.

    • Yes if a white person wopuld have killed him, there would have been outrage…AS THERE SHOULD BE. What is your point. Black people kill black people almost daily. And there is outrage. If we put every blk on blk crime on TV, WHITES WOULD COMPLAIN THAT WE ARE TAKING OVER THE AIRWAVES. GTFOOH with that BULL. When a white person does it, it is usually covered up and made to be something of the victims fault. And that in and of itself IS OUTRAGEOUS. SO SMH on that.

  12. READ WHAT THE SOLID(MORE SOLID AND RIGHTEOUS THAN YOU SO CALLED MALES) SYBRINA FULTON SAID(TRAYVON’S MOTHER)…Lord during my darkest hour I lean on you. You are all that I have. At the end of the day, GOD is still in (cont) http://tl.gd/n_1rlbgeq



  13. Just plain nuts ,its bad enough about the Trayvon Taylor verdict now this?

  14. How can we bring this tragedy to the forefront? Not that it isn’t a tragedy when any child dies, but it is even more disheartening when there is no provocation. This young man was doing what good parents tell their kids to do – not to associate with the “wrong” crowd, not to join gangs, to stay in school. He was bullied for doing the right thing and lost his life for following the teachings of his parents. I just hope the “no snitching” foolishness doesn’t prevent this family from receiving some form of justice. It is time to send the message that we do not tolerate this – no matter the race of the culprit.

  15. Amen, Ms. Shirley Hughes. I so agree with your statement. My heart and prayers go out to the family of this young man.This is just so sad. If what the family is saying is true about this young man, the media should be all over this story honoring this hero for standing up to bullies. But for the life of me I don’t understand the “Why?” behind us killing our own people. I mean why do we hate each other that much? We are no better than the KKK or other white hate groups out there. I mean we hate on a brother because he is trying to keep his house and yard looking good. Keep a decent job and live in a decent community. We knock a sister who is trying to get her education so that she can improve her ans her family’s life. We like to have our neighborhoods trashy, yet nobody is working. Plenty of time for someone to clean up a yard or two. I just don’t get it anymore. Do we hate ourselves that much?

  16. Stephanie L. Kennedy

    In the wake of the Trayvon Martin case, don’t our people mainly the younger stupid generation would take notice to the fact that you along with the racist bigots out there, are killing young black men. When is it all going to stop. What??? Martin Luther Kings dream died with him? I am so tired of hearing about all the killing and then to add insult to the injury. You young black men should be helping each other and not killing on another. It doesn’t make you a man . It shows that you are a straight up punk. You have to either shoot or jump someone. If you spend more time reading and learn something rather than standing on a street corner trying to hustle drugs to make money. You guys are tired and sickening. Get a life, you will reap what you sow.

  17. This is sad. If what the family said about how Darryl being killed is true, then those responsible for killing this young man should be held responsible.

  18. My God you need blow the horns…

  19. Some gangs have ties to the police , mayor, big corporations, that run that city. This why the killings go on and on… Remember how the police got upset when the gangs wanted workout ways to stop the killing of each other. The police got to say that was evil on the part of Blacks not to want kill one another. Whites are going to move in, just like what have taken place cities around this nation.

  20. Some gangs have ties to the police , mayor, big corporations, that run that city. This why the killings go on and on… Remember how the police got upset when the gangs wanted workout ways to stop the killing of each other. The police got said that was evil on the part of Blacks not to want kill one another. Whites are going to move in, just like what have took place cities around this nation.

    • Where can I find this info?

    • Thank you. This very same thought was said years ago in the book “Conspirators Hierarchy: Committee of 300. The author said that the CIA is behind this schytt.

  21. Where is Al Sharpton marching about talking about this terrible event. Maybe there isn’t enough TV coverage to attract his attention. Al sure had time to rant when 57 year old John White was found guilty of killing a 17 year old, an unarmed 17 year old, a 17 year old that never touched Mr White. The 17 year old was at the house looking for Mr Whites son. Mr White could have stayed in his house and called the police; Mr White chose to grab his gun and go outside. Mr White claimed that the vocal noise scared him. Mr. White said the gun accidentally shot the boy. That accidental shot was manslaughter. Mr. White went to jail but 5 months later his sentence was commuted.

    Mr Sharpton wants it a certain way, his way. One man that kills is ok but the other is not ok. Hm?

  22. There is nothing but sadness around now. I feel for Trayvon’s family as I feel for this young boy’s family. America is an atrocious nation of violence, fear and ignorance. White people are to blame. We put all this in place. We deserve to pay dearly for the society we created by using power and injustice to satisfy our own greed and desire to feel superior. We are not. We never have been and we never will be. I am so ashamed to be a white man.

  23. Allison N. Harris

    All I can do is shake my head and say that this is all just Shameful…I have raised 2 young men now, 26&29 but I also have 2 Grandsons and I am fearful for them. We as a sociaty have to stand up and fight for these laws to be changed…We are supposed to be The Land of the Free so we as well as our Children-Grandchildren can live just that…..FREE! May God continue to strenthen The Martin-Fulton Family as well as the Families both near and far that has dealt with Tragadies…GOD BE WITH US ALL!

  24. This is very tragic, as is every death of a young Black male or female with potential. We have to discuss personal responsibility and how those that took this boy’s life lacked any; we are lacking in this department. Yes the War on Drugs was a fail, yes there are a lot of our young men and women locked up for no good reason, yes racism is alive and well. But at what point are we going to take some personal responsibility for our children’s demise? We are failing them too; we have lost the “it takes a village” mentality when it comes to protecting our children. Many of Our men are not being responsible fathers, and it is not because they are in jail; they just move on to the next fun thing and leave their families behind. The White man doesnt force them to do that. What about our irresponsible women who sleep with man after man without protection and have children they can’t raise alone? They are setting these babies up to live in poverty and without a strong father figure. And the cycle continues! Nobody told them to do these things. The White man did not force them to do it. We must take a panoramic view of ourselves, the good, the bad, and the ugly, if we want true change. Plus, I wish you would focus on the destruction of the Black female more, you put so much more emphasis on our brothers on this site. Our girls and women fight a two front battle (Black and woman) and many of us fall through the cracks everyday.

    • No, you’re doing the same guilt by association professional “commentators” do.
      How exactly is the black race supposed to stop an individual man from knocking up someone and then leaving?
      We are not some collective body with one mind and voice.
      Realistically, how are we supposed to stop gangs?
      How are we supposed to stop individuals from making decisions on how they raise their families?
      The black race consists of individuals, and we are not of one accord. We cannot police the actions of others, no matter how wrong.
      You can talk about racism all day, but that won’t stop racists from existing.
      I’m all for realistic solutions. I haven’t heard any yet.

      • Many ideas have failed hundreds to thousands of times before they were successful. ANC makes some good points. Its going to take some individual responsibility, from many, to turn things around. Many Black men can stop being DEADBEAT statistics IF THEY WANT TO. Emphasis on WANT. But instead, They are more focused on being “pimps” and casanovas that receive accolades from their peers for having multiple women, “11 kids by 10 Baby Mommas”, 22 kids, 30+ kids, that they dont make parental provisions for. If it wasn’t for the legal system incorporating child support, many black men would be COMPLETELY absent from their child/childrens lives. A court shouldn’t have to force anyone to provide for their offspring, but because of many mens’ attitudes and lack of a conscience, they do. As for the other concerns, it takes time and ACTION to turn things around. Oh and REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. You talk about not hearing any “realistic” ideas, but you are not giving any either.

    • ANC, it is not that simple. The dysfunction has become normal. please read “American Frankenstein – How The United States Created a Monster!”. It not only explains all you need to know about America’s relationship with its African American citizens, but its cause and effect. This is a must read and a comprehensive chronological view of African American history and its result. http://www.amazon.com/American-Frankenstein-United-Created-Monster/dp/1450085695#reader_1450085695


  25. Josephia Johnson

    Strange thing I dont see one person marching or tearing up the city over another dead black male. Maybe white on black is an excuse for you to tear other peoples stuff up because you dont want to work and get your own.

  26. This is so heart breaking and sad my heart goes out to the family of this young man

  27. Dats Fuk’d up & Sad

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