Chicago fatal van crash; deadly vigilantism draws national attention

Jet, August 26, 2002

A deadly auto accident segued into murderous vigilantism in Chicago recently after an angry mob took the law into their own hands by pulling two men from their vehicle then beating them to death with fists, feet, bricks and stones, authorities said.

Jack Moore and passenger Anthony Stuckey were bludgeoned to death after they somehow lost control of their vehicle while making a wide turn on a narrow street on the city's near south side. The van jumped a curb, catapulted in the direction of Andrea Long, Jenny Lawrence and her cousin, Shani Lawrence, and slammed the three women onto the concrete stoop.

A group of men separated from the crowd of onlookers and attacked and killed Moore, 62, and Stuckey, 49.

Chicago police superintendent Terry Hillard denounced the attack as "senseless," "cowardly" and "disgusting."

"This is not street justice, this is not vigilante justice, this is not justice of any kind," Hillard said. "This is a simple, senseless double homicide committed by a bunch of thugs," said Hillard, who added that people can't dispense street justice under any circumstances.

Seven men, Henry Lawrence, 47, his 43-year-old brother, Roosevelt; Ricky Lawson, 43; James Ousley, 31; Lamont Motes, 20; Robert Tucker, 20, and Antonio Fort, 16, were eventually arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and mob action in the vigilantism beating deaths.

Under Illinois law anyone who participated in the attacks will be held legally responsible for the acts of each person involved. A judge denied bond for Tucker and Fort when all seven appeared in court. Police have stated that they were seeking more suspects at JET press time.

An autopsy of Moore and Stuckey would later reveal that Moore was legally drunk at the time of the accident.

Injured in the crash were Andrea Long, 17, and Jenny Lawrence, 18, who suffered a fractured back, broken arm, shattered teeth and a partially torn ear. Both women were treated and released from the hospital. Jenny's cousin, Shani Lawrence, 26, later died from her injuries.

A fundraising event was held for Long and Jenny Lawrence at an apartment complex following Shani's funeral. Jenny stated they didn't remember the van accident which sparked the deadly beating, and that they were saddened by the deaths of Moore and Stuckey. "I was ... surprised, shocked," Long said. Long reflected that she now thinks twice about the simplest of things, like sitting on a porch with friends. "Hanging out, it feels different," she said.

The van accident and subsequent beating took place on July 30, according to witnesses, court records and police. A huge crowd immediately gathered at the crash scene with about 20 of them breaking into a smaller group; one which moved to snatch Moore, and Stuckey from the van, and the other, to remove the accident victims to safety while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Dozens watched as Tucker allegedly broke the driver-side window, punched Moore and pulled him to the ground, where he and others allegedly began to stomp on him. Fort is accused of helping to pull Stuckey out of the van, where, it is alleged he kicked Stuckey and beat him with a slab of concrete.

Prosecutors alleged that Henry Lawrence punched Stuckey and kicked him, while his brother, Roosevelt, stomped and kicked both victims reportedly "until he was out of breath." Lawson allegedly smashed (Stuckey's) head with a large concrete block. Moore and Stuckey reportedly pleaded with the mob for their lives during the attack.

The incident drew national attention to the small, tight-knit Oakland neighborhood that has drawn criminal investigators, religious leaders, civil rights activists and area residents together to try and determine the meaning behind the tragedy.

Meanwhile, police continue their complex murder investigation as they try to sift the truth from rumors in tracking additional suspects. Lawyers for the seven accused argue that the real killers may still be on the loose and that police have been pushed to make quick arrests. Ministers, including the Revs. Al Sharpton and James Meeks, decry Black on Black violence during prayer vigils for the victims. And the families of Moore, Stuckey and Shani Lawrence mourn their deaths.