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NYPD charged a third person with the murder of Nicole duFresne. The NY Times reports that 18 year old Ashley Evans was apprehended in Maryland, visiting her father (a former NYPD cop), and that her involvement including taking the .357 Magnum that Rudy Fleming used in the crime and hiding it. What's interesting is what Fleming's cousin, Servisio Simmon, said:
But yesterday, Servisio Simmon, 21, part of Mr. Fleming's group, said that Mr. Fleming did not intend to shoot Ms. duFresne. He said, "She kept raging after Rudy, she kept pushing him, she slipped over the snow." He added, "It went off," referring to the gun.It's also unclear whether Evans, a cheerleader, and Fleming or Tatianna McDonald, the 14 year-old arrested two days ago, were involved. Evans's mother told the media that she wanted to apologize to the duFresne family and added, "The only thing I can say is I'm scared for my daughter -- my daughter is a normal teenager."
The whole matter is a terrible tragedy for both sides. Gothamist hopes that people will realize they need to be more aware if they are out late at night, no matter where they are. And given the quick police work on this case, perhaps others considering criminal acts will think again. Here is information about the Nicole duFresne Memorial Scholarship fund at Emerson College.
Updated: There's a Nicole duFresne memorial this afternoon at Angel Orensanz Foundation on Norfolk Street [more details at city rag]
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Please stop reporting on this story.
Uh, not enitrely sure what you mean by tragedy for both sides?? I think the tragedy is very clearly on the side of the victims and not the criminals. Is it tragic that they (the alleged criminals) were caught? That they have so little regard for others that they found nothing wrong with participating in or, at the least, associating with those who rob and kill? And as for your advice to those considering criminal acts -- that they should be concerned that they might get caught and not be motivated that it is WRONG to rob and kill people??
Yes, Please Stop so that the people whom are interested in this will go somewhere else. I mean, It's news so according to some, you shouldn't post on it, especially if you feel like it on **your** site...
IMO, If individuals don't like whats posted here, Just ignore it...
Geez.
Back on topic:
This just gets worse on a daily basis. From the sound of it, just about everyone with Rudy Fleming did the wrong thing and made all the wrong choices.
This is not an unsolved crime, yet here's another "update." Please let this story die already.
I found this story quite newsworthy. Children who were roaming the streets at 3am shot and killed someone. I don't care if the person was beautiful or not the fact that they were out and SHOT someone makes this a story, a very sad story.
To the people who are mad about gothamist reporting on it - I have the simplest solution in the whole wide world.......skip over it, don't read it and certainly don't comment on it.
It's a tragedy for the Criminal's Families.
I know some people will blame the parents, but IMO, it's not that simple. This girl is 18 and the daughter of a cop. Likely she was raised to respect other people, but she still made the wrong choices. I tend to doubt that Rudy Fleming was taught to rob and kill people by his family.
I actually debated whether to post about this story. But when reading about Evans's arrest, I actually found the situation very interesting - it gave more context about the crime. I hope this will be the end. Until the trial.
As for it being a tragedy on both sides, I guess I'm reacting to the statements from the suspects' families, who are in a terrible state of shock and never wanted their kids to be in this kind of trouble. It makes me wonder what else the city can do for all of its residents.
What the city can do for all its residents? I'd be with you if we were talking about kids getting in trouble at an underfunded school or in the early evening in a terrible neighborhood housing project, but we're talking about 3 in the morning! These parents are so concerned for their kids now, but who the hell lets kids - some were younger than 17 - out all night, wandering the streets even on a saturday? If these parents had shown 1/10 the concernfor their kids that they are showing now, their kids wouldn't be in trouble! i have a ton of sympathy for the victim and her family, some for the kids mixed up in this and NONE for the parents.
SD, yeah, the girl was 18 and the daughter of a cop...in Maryland. Obviously there are some problems at home - divorced or separated parents or some similar situation. Why does the fact that her dad is a cop make her more likely to respect others? Even good cops can be bad parents.
"... and NONE for the parents."
Well, that's your choice, but let me ask you:
It's you choice.
"Why does the fact that her dad is a cop make her more likely to respect others? Even good cops can be bad parents."
Absolutely true. People will call me Naive, but I'm pretty certain her parrents didn't teach her to hide a murder weapon.
In any case, good parent. bad parent, these kids choose the path they are on. The parents didn't.
ugh... so many apologists for criminals and the failure families that raise criminals.
"these kids choose the path they are on."
yes! neither the NRA, the government, nor mr. heston chose this path for them.
I bet there are plenty of poor families living in the projects who don't let their kids wander the streets late at night or who have at least taught their children that doing that is a bad idea. These particular families, however, failed in the basic task of raising their children and are an insult to the many hard-working people who, against great odds, raise good kids. The city is not at fault. That's not to say that city hall can't do more for poor New Yorkers, but I don't think Bloomberg is responsible for making sure kids aren't out at 3 AM.
This society is becoming one big video game. Someone kills someone...they are "sorry". Seems like for many people actions in the "real world" have no more feeling or significance than actions in a "virtual computer world." Not surprising, since a video game requires more intensity than most people put into their lives.
Having compassion for the families of both the victim and the defendants is not the same thing as being an "apologist for criminals." The families of these kids probably did what they could, given what they had. Or maybe they had so little that they didn't do much for their kids. Either way, these kids are going to pay for what they did, and they're going to pay with their lives. They will no doubt be tried as adults. They'll go upstate for a long, long time and they'll be broken by the brutality of life and prison. If your conception of justice is an eye for an eye, then this is a just punishment. But you can't deny that there is great sadness in this result, for everyone involved. Nothing will bring her back. The families of these kids lose their children too, and surely blame themselves just as some posters here blame them. Obviously the greatest tragedy is the sudden and violent loss of this girl's life. But failing to see that this is a tragedy on both sides is just narrow minded.
'they probably did what they could, given what they had"...how is that not being an apologist? they failed and innocent people paid the ultimate price. maybe they tried, but the families are not being punished except by their own regrets. that's fair, i'm not going to throw in sympathies to take the tooth out of their punishment.
i don't think it's narrow-minded to hold people accountable for their own actions and i won't feel guilty for doing it. no, i don't think it's tragic sending a punk killer to a life in prison. someone who does this sort of thing is subhuman.
My comments are based on reading this morning's Daily News. They sent a reporter down to Maryland to talk to her father.
Some observations:- the girl's father was a NYC Cop, retired, moved to Maryland where he started a new family.
- the girl came to visit him at the last minute, and she guiltily talked about the duFresne murder, without showing her cards.
- after the girl's story came out, the NYC police went down to Maryland to bring the girl back to NY.
- the father handed the girl over to the NYC police to bring her back to NY _unescorted_.
- the father didnt get a lawyer for her daughter before she was going to be interrogated by the police on murder charges.
- the father blamed the mother for the way the daughter was raised.
So, based on these tidbits from the article (which may or may not be distorted), it's hard for me to feel any sympathy at all for this guy. While it may be "sad" that he makes so many mistakes, i find it hard to believe in sadness for someone who chooses to push the blame for the raising of his child onto his spouse (even if it's an ex) and for someone who hands his kid over to the police without any support. If that's the kind of support the girl got in time of need, what was he like under normal circumstances?Yes, you're right. The father, who as a retired New York City police officer is clearly Daddy Warbucks, should have gone out and secured for his daughter the best legal counsel that money could buy.
"Time of need?" Please. She's an accessory to murder and a proven flight risk at that. If she's big enough to be wandering the streets of New York City at 3 a.m. attacking other people, I think she can hike up her pampers and march back to New York without Daddy holding her hand.
"... and for someone who hands his kid over to the police without any support. If"
Legally, her father had absolutely nothing to with her going with the police: She's 18.
In order:
From your observations, I've not seen him make any mistakes.
Bottom Line: She's legally an adult and she chose this action. She **could** have given herself up but she hid the weapon and fled the NYPD juristiction. it should also be noted that the NY Times article mentioned that she moved out of her family home in South Jamaica.
Im glad you posted the story - Jeffery Sparks was a friend of mine (music scene) who I have not been in contact with for over 11 yrs- I searched for him last year (wrong part of the country) to touch base with him, with no luck. Then on feb 1st surfin around following my streamng linked conciouse by happenstance I saw his picture on the ny daily homepage and I couldnt believe what i saw. devestated. i never met Nicole but from the Jeffery I know she had to be special and i appreciate your running the story.
the tragedy imho is the liberal approach towards punishment, wishing for "hope", not faith and actions- and the fact that a 19yr old had a gun in the first place.
both my aunt and uncle (who are married to each other) are cops. my cousin, who's their daughter, was a pretty rebellious kid. she always started the fights and she would steal things from department stores. this all started at the age of 14 and stopped by the age of 19. it's not b/c of her parents being bad parents. its' actually b/c of the high school she went to. ppl there were dumbasses and she hung out with the wrong crowd.
I feel sorry for both parties because yes DuFresne's family lost a loving and caring person but fleming had problems from young and as many times as his family tried to get the medical attention he needed the government never responed. all they did was throw him into special ed and figured they solved the problem.When truly all they did was make it worst. of course fleming and his gang was wrong and they all deserve to spend time in jail for it but IF it was an accident maybe the courts should consider that along with his mental instability and instead of taking another life by giving him the death penelity maybe they should give him the medical attention he fully and clearly needs
With all due respect Mrs Tyler, he was a mugger and he killed a woman. He was a bad man and a bad influence on his friends. He's better off dead.
I am the sister and cousin of three of the boys who murdered Ms. DuFresne and I am extremely shocked by the incident. It took a long time for me to get through a day without crying. I am not going to make any excuses for what they did because I strongly believe they should be punished for what they did. It was cruel, uncalled for and down-right stupid.
About my parents, if you want to blame them you can, because they allowed them to go wherever they wanted and do whatever they wanted, but know this: I was raised in the same household and did not steal or rob anyone because I know it is wrong. I have a bachelor's degree and am currently attending college for my master's degree. I am married with 2 children and I served 4 years in the Navy. We all had choices growing up and they chose to live on the streets. Can you really blame my parents? The answer is Yes and No. Yes because they let them do whatever they want and No because they had choices and knew right from wrong.
I am the sister and cousin of three of the boys who murdered Ms. DuFresne and I am extremely shocked by the incident. It took a long time for me to get through a day without crying. I am not going to make any excuses for what they did because I strongly believe they should be punished for what they did. It was cruel, uncalled for and down-right stupid.
About my parents, if you want to blame them you can, because they allowed them to go wherever they wanted and do whatever they wanted, but know this: I was raised in the same household and did not steal or rob anyone because I know it is wrong. I have a bachelor's degree and am currently attending college for my master's degree. I am married with 2 children and I served 4 years in the Navy.
We all had choices growing up and they chose to live on the streets. Can you really blame my parents? The answer is Yes and No. Yes because they let them do whatever they want and No because they had choices and knew right from wrong.
How you look at it depends on the type of person you are. As for the victims, I can truly understand them wanting justice because they deserve it. I'm sorry they had to go through what they did, especially Mr. Sparks. No one deserves to be treated that way. To everyone else, don't be quick to judge the victims or the criminals. You don't know what they went through in life.
I read in one article that Ms. DuFresne was 'wrong for pushing a mugger with a gun' are you serious? She shouldn't have been mugged in the first place.
I feel 'if you can do the crime, you can certainly do the time.' I'm sorry for rambling on...
I was completely shocked to discover that her killer was an African-American. I mean, the media blows out of proportion the ratio of crime in the black community--there must be some mistake here!