As George Zimmerman has recently been acquitted on the murder of Trayvon Martin, it’s only right that we shed light on other unfortunate victims of careless hero complexes. In Milwaukee, 76-year-old John Henry Spooner is now awaiting to stand trial for the cold-blooded murder of his next door neighbor, Darius Simmons. One civil-rights leader titled Spooner’s actions as [misplaced] ‘vigilantism and rogue police behavior.’ Will it ever stop? Hit the jump for the details.
With the results of the Zimmerman trial deemed a lost battle, it’s important that we remember that there is still a war. A war that we are still making effective strides in.
Thankfully, the story of the unfortunate fate of Darius Simmons is much more clearer, yet –still– all too familiar. Hopefully enough for a conviction.
Considered suspicious, another black teen had been gunned down.
John Henry Spooner shot Simmons, his next door neighbor, in May of 2012 after accusing him of stealing $3,000 worth of guns from his home. Simmons, who had lived with his mother next door to Spooner for only a month, was taking out the trash around 10:00 a.m. when the old man accused the boy of the theft and demanded he return the shotguns. While the boy told him he had not stolen the guns his mother, Patricia Larry, told Spooner to go back inside. At that time, Spooner pulled out a handgun and shot the young teen from 5 feet away, killing him.
*Photos of Teen In Gallery Above*
