Teens Charged in Death Over PSP

[Shrygue]

via Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/352701/teens-charged-in-death-over-psp)


Two teenagers have been charged in the death of James Felton-Maitland, 17, who was hit by a truck in Miami and killed while running from the teens bent on stealing his Playstation Portable, Miami-Dade police said.

Police sayd that Jamila "Jam" Brown, 19, and Keith Lebrone Goa, 17, spotted Felton-Maitland as he walked from North Dade Regional Library on Dec. 27 with a PSP in his hand. The two knocked the teen to the ground and "beat him while attempted to take custody of the PSP," according to the arrest report. The teen managed to escape with his PSP and ran across a street where a truck slammed into him, causing severe head trauma.

He died Jan. 5.

Initially the Florida State Patrol ruled the death an accident, but the family hired a private detective and pamphleted the neighborhood with flier seeking witnesses. After tracking down the teens who allegedly tried to rob the boy, they handed their information over to the Miami-Dade Police Department.

The teens, one of which later confessed, were arrested on charged of second-degree felony murder and strong-arm robbery. In Florida, anyone who commits a violent felony that results in death can be charged with murder.

[kris threat]

They should've just bought one...now they are in jail. Idiots.

[splodger15]

Why did the guy run should have just stood his ground and had a fight to stay safe these days you need to be tooled up yourself.

[acn010]

Why did the guy run should have just stood his ground and had a fight to stay safe these days you need to be tooled up yourself.

2 against 1? no chance
would you stay and fight against two by yourself? dont think so

[mike_jmg]

no one should try to take other people's psps, you don't know how much effort someone (or his parents:p) has made to earn enough money to buy it
Make your own effort and
DUDE GET YOUR OWN!!

Damn maddafackas good they're in jail

[acn010]

and that is why sony should lower their prices lmao

[Sterist]

and that is why sony should lower their prices lmao

lol! so true.

[Triv1um]

2 against 1? no chance
would you stay and fight against two by yourself? dont think so

Too be honest I would. Even if I knew I didnt have a chance in hell, I would take it and come away knowing there was nothing else I could do.

[Uruz 6]

Too be honest I would. Even if I knew I didnt have a chance in hell, I would take it and come away knowing there was nothing else I could do.

Same here... run? I wouldn't go that far anyway with my pride in the way.
I mean it.

[antman811]

Now this guy is dead because two idiots tried to rob him.There is never a happy ending in situations like this.

[JKKDARK]

Poor guy, he was owned by a truck.

[No_one_in_particular]

Why did the guy run should have just stood his ground and had a fight to stay safe these days you need to be tooled up yourself.
WHY ARE YOU FINDING FAULT WITH THE VICTIM?!?!

Thick as ****. Maybe, just MAYBE, he wouldn't stand a chance. Who knows, maybe one of those lads would knock ten shades of shit out of the guy, so why would he stand and fight two of the ****ers ?! He'd get his head kicked in, and his PSP stolen. Soooo most likely faced with options:
a, Stand and 'fight': head kicked in & psp stolen
b, Make a run for it and avoid both a kicking and theft of your PSP.

His logic beats half of you idiots.

[Eviltaco64]

They couldve robbed a gamestore and couldve got away with a couple PSPs. Sure, it sounds bad but a few stolen PSPs is always better than death.

[kryst abegnalie]

if the boy owned the phat psp, he could smash it to the one boy that it stoles, and then make a karate chop on the other guy, proven it can cause sever head injury when smash to the head..hehehe

but to the dead boy, poor lad, he should fight back or call some help, or the two can take it then call the police and let them arrest the two, good that the two was in jail now.

[kam30en]

Does anyone know if it was a homebrew capable psp. :)

[JKKDARK]

yeah probably this guy was a DCEmu member :p

[Art]

Tragic news :(

Yeah, I say he should have thrown the PSP as hard as he could
into the 19 year old's head, and taken on the other one.

[Stone Temple Pilots]

I still don't see how some people are making some minor jokes out of this. The guy DIED because two ****ing scumbags couldn't scrounge up some goddamn money to by their own! It's absolutely ridiculous! I had my first PSP stolen in 2005 (I'm on my 3rd now) and I felt like complete shit cause that thing was like gold. I think the guy was smart to run from them. I feel bad for the family of the victim, to have the death of a son, especially because the death was caused by two losers that wanted his handheld. I'm not saying any of you guys don't feel bad about this, but don't try and cheer it up or make fun of it, this is some sad stuff.

[Jim Gunn]

Everyone should have a concealed carry permit and when things like this happen you can defend yourself. I guarantee if he had pulled a pistol out and they knew he could defend himself he would be alive today. Chances are with no casualties at all.

[Stone Temple Pilots]

Everyone should have a concealed carry permit and when things like this happen you can defend yourself. I guarantee if he had pulled a pistol out and they knew he could defend himself he would be alive today. Chances are with no casualties at all.

Problem with that logic is obvious, there would be people that would use the weapon for UN-defending, chances are the percentage of people using it for pure assault would be way more than people using them for defense. But at the moment and time, it would be helpful, albeit a stupid way to defend himself, but helpful.

[No_one_in_particular]

A thirteen year old really shouldn't have to carry around a weapon.

[Takean]

I still don't see how some people are making some minor jokes out of this. The guy DIED because two ****ing scumbags couldn't scrounge up some goddamn money to by their own! It's absolutely ridiculous! I had my first PSP stolen in 2005 (I'm on my 3rd now) and I felt like complete shit cause that thing was like gold. I think the guy was smart to run from them. I feel bad for the family of the victim, to have the death of a son, especially because the death was caused by two losers that wanted his handheld. I'm not saying any of you guys don't feel bad about this, but don't try and cheer it up or make fun of it, this is some sad stuff.

Thats exactly what I was thinking. I have a feeling there are more young idiots on the psp scene than mature ones. Either way you look at it, it's not funny. Someone died here. A family lost a loved one. My wife and i just had a baby girl about 5 months ago. It's not easy. Raising most of you knot-heads here has been a huge undertaking for your parents...and a lot of love (even if you can't see it), and to lose any of you would quite possibly devistate both ur parents...as well as friends. It matters little that the kid didn't stand his ground...its just sad how it ended up. We can always look at a game and say" crap..I shouldn't have done that"... but life on the other hand...for the most part, doesn't allow us to make changes to our actions.

Tragic news indeed...

[No_one_in_particular]

To add to that: some of the suggestions are just dumb. Throw his PSP at one, and fight the other ?! There goes his precious PSP, which is the only reason for him to stand and fight in the first place. I mean seriously, what the ****.

[Art]

To add to that: some of the suggestions are just dumb. Throw his PSP at one, and fight the other ?!
It's supposed to be taken with a grain of salt.

There goes his precious PSP, which is the only reason for him to stand and fight in the first place.
If this thread elicits nothing else, it's that the PSP is worth absolutely nothing in the big picture.
Injustice is the reason to fight, violation of a Human right to walk the street without being mugged.

[No_one_in_particular]

If it's meant jokingly, is this really the place for it ? The thread of a dead 13 year old ?

Fair enough, you could stand there and fight for your injustice, but it's more than likely you're gonna get knocked the **** out if there's two of them.

But I do agree that PSP's mean absolutely **** all in the grand scheme of things.

[Art]

Actually, It's far more likely that both of them are on the ground, and I walk away uninjured,
and have a damaged PSP, depending on how good the PGP case really is.
Two thugs that jump out to rob a kid need not be well versed at hurting people.

Its a 17 year old that was killed, so if the 19 year old is out of the pcture, it's looking a lot more fair as far as self defence goes.
I guess I'm trying to figure how a 17 year old could possibly have handled it, and that is a possibility.
That is what taken with a grain of salt means.

[jamotto]

Fighting for injustice is commendable. Fighting for injustice and losing, gains nothing and loses everything.

What troubles me is that no one tried to help the man in his time of need, and even worse no one came forward to tell how things went down that day until a P.I. started prodding.

[Art]

True. A 17 year old is not a man which makes that even worse.

[No_one_in_particular]

Actually, It's far more likely that both of them are on the ground, and I walk away uninjured,
and have a damaged PSP, depending on how good the PGP case really is.
Two thugs that jump out to rob a kid need not be well versed at hurting people.

Its a 17 year old that was killed, so if the 19 year old is out of the pcture, it's looking a lot more fair as far as self defence goes.
I guess I'm trying to figure how a 17 year old could possibly have handled it, and that is a possibility.
That is what taken with a grain of salt means.
When I said your, I didn't mean you specifically. Look at the facts, the victim was 17 (confused it with another thread), and he was up against a lad of his age, and an older lad. Unless you've trained yourself 9 times out of 10 you're (again, not meaning you) gonna come off worse.

There's a lot of ifs and buts, and YES in an ideal situation he could of somehow fought them off, but are you telling me you'd recommend taking on two muggers ? For a PSP ? I'd say he handled it logically, and made a run for it...which is why I don't get why you're reviewing his actions.

[Art]

Often people doing the wrong thing are fairly weak willed when push comes to shove, and at 17-19 that is probable.
Even more likely with witnesses about... the ones that had a responsibility that unfortunately wasn't met.

The last time I was bullied as a kid (which is all these teenage muggers are),
It had nothing to do with robbery, I was just walking down a footpath.
It only took one punch that didn't really connect,
to send more than one bully running, because the group of
bullies realised they no longer had the weak target that bullies are looking for. They still could have beat me up.

I think handing over the PSP would be the safest approach, but you wouldn't come out feeling the best.

[No_one_in_particular]

Often people doing the wrong thing are fairly weak willed when push comes to shove, and at 17-19 that is probable.
Even more likely with witnesses about... the ones that had a responsibility that unfortunately wasn't met.

The last time I was bullied as a kid (which is all these teenage muggers are),
It had nothing to do with robbery, I was just walking down a footpath.
It only took one punch that didn't really connect,
to send more than one bully running, because the group of
bullies realised they no longer had the weak target that bullies are looking for. They still could have beat me up.

I think handing over the PSP would be the safest approach, but you wouldn't come out feeling the best.
I get what you're saying, but I think that presumption is a little skewed due to your experience. I'm willing to bet in most cases, it'd take more than a punch for them to piss off, it says they'd already 'beaten him to the ground', I reckon he must of got a punch in somewhere there. Also, there's always a chance one of them's carrying a knife (well, there is in England) so I'd still say, better to be safe than sorry and do one.

You're right though, handing over the PSP would of solved it all, but you can see why it was probably the least attractive option to the victim.

[I xfire I]

just hand over the psp, no item is worth life

[carlitx]

Why did the guy run should have just stood his ground and had a fight to stay safe these days you need to be tooled up yourself.


2 against 1? no chance
would you stay and fight against two by yourself? dont think so

yah id run if i managed to get back up to.

[F9zDark]

I still don't see how some people are making some minor jokes out of this. The guy DIED because two ****ing scumbags couldn't scrounge up some goddamn money to by their own! It's absolutely ridiculous! I had my first PSP stolen in 2005 (I'm on my 3rd now) and I felt like complete shit cause that thing was like gold. I think the guy was smart to run from them. I feel bad for the family of the victim, to have the death of a son, especially because the death was caused by two losers that wanted his handheld. I'm not saying any of you guys don't feel bad about this, but don't try and cheer it up or make fun of it, this is some sad stuff.

Chances are, they weren't stealing it for the PSP, rather to pawn it and get some money for some drugs or alcohol. But it is horrible and I can't believe people are joking around and being stupid about it.

Its easy for everyone on here to say what they would do; hindsight is always 20/20.

[deceiver117]

I live in Miami-Dade county and I haven't heard of this story. I will say that North Dade isn't the best neck of the woods if you ask me. The kid got struck by a truck...Miami drivers are the worst. I consider myself to be a great driver. I have been in 4 accidents. 2 of them were me avoiding another car and jumping a median, and the other 2 I was rear-ended within the scope of 1 month. Everyday I have to redigest my lunch from near collisions. If anything the driver should be partially at fault.

[No_one_in_particular]

Its easy for everyone on here to say what they would do; hindsight is always 20/20.
Exactly! Basically what I was getting at, but worded much better. What I don't get is why the majority on here are criticising the victim?! ffs Which leads me nicely onto this:


just hand over the psp, no item is worth life
Yeh, but how was he to know it would cost him his life ? He didn't run away thinking, 'I'm probably going to get killed by being run over', did he ?


If anything the driver should be partially at fault.
I seriously doubt that. If the guy was being chased, he wouldn't exactly stop to look both ways, would he.

[darkness angel 777]

I wouldn't take my psp out in public like that...poor kid he probably didn't even get to experience psp homebrew.

[Mr.Denny]

Why did the guy run should have just stood his ground and had a fight to stay safe these days you need to be tooled up yourself.

What a ridiculous attitude.

Having an armed society won't make anyone any safer. In a story like this finding fault with the victim is pretty insensitive. The guy was only 17 and was probably fearing for his life. Give him a break for gods sake.

Terrible story. Such a tragedy when someone so young dies and over such a trivial fight no less.

[JKKDARK]

That's why this guy died: he needed a weapons! He would shoot to these two losers in their pancreas! :mad:

[acn010]

mod the psp into a TaZ3333r!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
roflmfaoduikfrdshuvfdjre nhvcuvfd redhusiosjwndsxkcidfre jkidcenwmsdcfrkxkdnenhc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DemonicArc]

2 against 1? no chance
would you stay and fight against two by yourself? dont think so

Sure i'd run... if i was a p.... probably not a good idea to say it here eh? but seriously, two against one? TWO AGAINST ONE!?!?! you'd run from that? oh my god, hahaha, oh wow, if i ran every time it was two against one... well... sure i wouldn't have cuts and bruises all the time, but i also wouldn't win 80% of the time, sure it doesn't seems like a good things but better losing 20% of the time than being a well... girl's private part 100% of the time.

and think of it this way, eight out of ten times you're "the guy that won a 2 on 1" fight, even when you lose, you've still got the other times you've won to keep your reputation up, also, anything above 3 on one and groin kicks are allowed, doesn't matter if the people say you're playing dirty, 3 on 1 is hardly fair to begin with.

[No_one_in_particular]

Isn't it great how you can pretend you're hard on the internet and have nobody find out what a p....probably not a good idea to say it here, you actually are.

LOVE the way everyone's falling all over themselves to try and make out they'd do it.

Fact is, someone who doesn't fancy fighting two on one isn't a fanny one bit, and any one over the age of 14 could see that.

[DemonicArc]

Isn't it great how you can pretend you're hard on the internet and have nobody find out what a p....probably not a good idea to say it here, you actually are.

LOVE the way everyone's falling all over themselves to try and make out they'd do it.

Fact is, someone who doesn't fancy fighting two on one isn't a fanny one bit, and any one over the age of 14 could see that.

well its all up to the opinion of the person i think, i couldn't care less what others think, it was just my opinion, if a person wants to run there's nothing wrong with that either, it's not like anyone can fight from the moment they're born, :P the only reason i learned to fight was cuz i got beaten up hundreds and hundreds of times as a kid, mostly by group, bullies don't exactly go at you solo, so its a situation im comfortable with, im not trying to say I'd jump into it though, I'd certainly try to avoid a fight if i could, but i wouldn't just let them get me to the point where i was being kicked on the ground while trying to escape across a busy road either.

even if you know you'll lose, sometimes its better to stick with the situation, doesn't matter if you're gonna win or lose.

hell, if you wanna run, go right ahead, I'll make sure to pay attention to the article when it's you the one that was hit by a truck.

[No_one_in_particular]

if a person wants to run there's nothing wrong with that either
Except that they're a pussy, and "oh my god, hahaha, oh wow"


I'd certainly try to avoid a fight if i could, but i wouldn't just let them get me to the point where i was being kicked on the ground while trying to escape across a busy road either
Presumably you have no idea what either bullies looked like, so why are you suggesting he could do anything other than being being kicked on to the ground while trying to escape across a busy road ? They could of been built like brick shithouses.


even if you know you'll lose, sometimes its better to stick with the situation, doesn't matter if you're gonna win or lose.
Well...yes it does. You never heard of a fight where somebody never gets up from it ? Happens all the time. The guy wanted to keep his PSP, so I'd say there's reason enough for him not to stick with the situation.


hell, if you wanna run, go right ahead, I'll make sure to pay attention to the article when it's you the one that was hit by a truck.
LOL like running=truck LOLOLOL.

[Art]

I think No_one_in_particular is wise.
Playing big man in the comfort of your own home is a game
everyone can enjoy,
but you've got to ask yourself if it's appropriate material for
a thread about the death of a youth,
or a martial arts forum.

There's some poor form on my part here too I think.
Apologies.

[DemonicArc]

I think No_one_in_particular is wise.
Playing big man in the comfort of your own home is a game
everyone can enjoy,
but you've got to ask yourself if it's appropriate material for
a thread about the death of a youth,
or a martial arts forum.

There's some poor form on my part here too I think.
Apologies.

He's not stupid that's for sure, and i understand what you mean, i just hate being looked down upon by self-righteous people who pretend to be pacifists, he's really smart i'll give him that, but there's no reason for him to look down upon my decisions and ridicule me for them, i was trying to say i would fight and im an internet tough guy? does that mean everyone online has to pretend to be a little bitch so they don't look like tough? it's not like only weak brittle guys know how to use the internet. he keeps trying to draw out a fight by judging everyone's credibility, why can't he just let things be?

[Art]

You might be right, he might be right, and so might I,
but it's not really a thread about what to do when faced with bullies and muggers I guess.

I regret having turned it into one.
That's what I offer an apology for.

[Erkinator]

I don't really know if you guys should be joking around and stuff about what happened. I give respect to the family that had to go through this ordeal, and they shouldn't have too. sorry, after reading this, I had to get it off my chest.

[SoulReaver911]

Personally, I would have tried to get back to the library with PSP intact. Then again, with my hard head, I might just have taken them on. Or try to convince them they would regret it. I just wish that kid had someone with him to take on the other guy while guarding the sacred PSP. Sad he died trying to keep that thing. It's not worth death.

[No_one_in_particular]

I'll thank both Art & you for the compliments, guess the internet's not just great at making people look hard, if you get my drift ;)

I'm not out for a fight, I've just found all this defending of the victim a little irritating to say the least. A 17 year old kid about to be mugged by two lads decides to run, is it really THAT condemnable ? I think people need to realise how unfair the criticisms have actually been in this thread.

Your initial post - I won't lie - annoyed me. By calling acn010 a pussy, you were calling the victim that too. Which as you already know, I found completely unfair, and thus probably lashed out at you. You're right, not everyone on the internet is a weed, we could have some immense fighters right on this forum, but as Art's already pointed out, it's a little disrespectful for us all to be boasting how we'd of handled it.

Anyway, we'll end it on friendly terms and I too will apologise for any insults. It's a tragic thing to happen to a poor kid. :(

[Mr.Denny]

I think it's terrible how people look down on the guy for running. Hell, with a two on one fight I'd run. I'd run fast. Also, I think people are almost blaming him for what happened. It was just a horrible accident. My personal opinion is that he was the bigger man for running and not lashing out with violence. But hey, that's just my opinion.

Too many internet hard adolescent kids here imo.

[DemonicArc]

I'll thank both Art & you for the compliments, guess the internet's not just great at making people look hard, if you get my drift ;)

I'm not out for a fight, I've just found all this defending of the victim a little irritating to say the least. A 17 year old kid about to be mugged by two lads decides to run, is it really THAT condemnable ? I think people need to realise how unfair the criticisms have actually been in this thread.

Your initial post - I won't lie - annoyed me. By calling acn010 a pussy, you were calling the victim that too. Which as you already know, I found completely unfair, and thus probably lashed out at you. You're right, not everyone on the internet is a weed, we could have some immense fighters right on this forum, but as Art's already pointed out, it's a little disrespectful for us all to be boasting how we'd of handled it.

Anyway, we'll end it on friendly terms and I too will apologise for any insults. It's a tragic thing to happen to a poor kid. :(

Alrighty, sorry for lashing out as well, i didn't mean to imply anything about the victim, and i do see it came up that way now but i wasn't trying to insult the victim.