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Posted on 08/12/2005 7:45:26 AM PDT by lunarbicep
A peaceful place for prayer turned into a deadly scene early Thursday morning. Police said Donald Middleton, 46, was beaten to death in the parking lot of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.
Lillie Bell has been Middleton's neighbor for 35 years. "When I heard what was going on," she says," it was a big shock to me that someone would run a young man down like that and take his life."
Police said a group of men across the street saw Middleton trying to break into the church.
The Rev. Arthur Sutton said the men tried to stop Middleton, but went too far.
"My thing about it is if they saw something being done to the church the proper authorities should've been called," Sutton said. "I think they were trying to do a good deed, but it went too far."
The coroner said Middleton died of severe head trauma.
This is not the first time Middleton has been accused of doing wrong. His arrest record dates back to 1984. Charges include, auto theft, burglary, grand larceny, disorderly conduct, bank robbery and possession of crack cocaine. Despite the long rap sheet, neighbors said Middleton did not deserve to die.
Bell said, "I remember Donald as a good boy, a good young man."
There have been no arrests in this case. Jackson Mayor Frank Melton said witnesses are working with police.
I don't know about that.
It's been my experience, that so called
"half-drunk "corner boys"" aren't usually
the type to take violent offense, at the
vandalizing of a church....But it could be
a good trend in the making...
Not that i'd want to see someone beiing
intentionally killed for it...but i certainly
think a littler "street justice" in the form of
a good ass whuppin...ain't out of line...this one
apparently went too far.
I feel sorry for those who went too far.
I hope it was not by intent.
They will have to face the consequences of doing so.
Lemme guess:
In a few days, Google will identify this thread, and some brain-donor related to Donald Middleton will join Free Republic for the sole purpose of telling each and every one of us how wrong we are. We'll be told that we didn't know Donald, and if we were related to him, we wouldn't say such hurtful things.
I'll go on the record as saying that the mob was wrong, and should be punished. Nevertheless, the world is a better place without Donald Middleton.
A completely scriptural reaction?
Well maybe she was 86, and it is all relative.
Let's all observe a moment of silence for poor Mr. Middleton...OK, that long enough, now on with your day
Try the Quakers next time.
"uh, lady... the guy was 46. ok, that ain't elderly yet, but it sure as hell ain't young, at any rate."
Matter of point of view, I suppose. If you're 90, 46 is still young. I've been known to call females "young lady" when they are 49. I'm 50. That is known as diplomacy. Many other possibilities.
Take it to the bank.
I remember a passage in Nicholas Pileggi's "WiseGuys" (the book that became the movie "Goodfellas") about a street punk who tried to mug an old lady in a certain Italian-american neighborhood back in the sixties'. He somehow managed to fall off a nearby rooftop...
Did this incident take place near the Bergen Hunt and Fish Club? Or its local equivalent?
All participants in this saga were a bit darker than the guidos you speak of, if you catch my drift. No mafia, just street corner justice.
Rap sheet going back to '84, but he was still a "good boy." Pathetic.
Progressive??? Why didn't they just become Methodists?
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