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Scrutiny over the bar and restaurant, The Falls, and one of its bouncers, Darryl Littlejohn, in the murder of graduate student Imette St. Guillen continued, as police extensively searched his home. According to reports, police are trying to compare evidence from where St. Guillen's body was found as well as evidence from The Falls, which included cat hairs (some other hairs were found on the comforter St. Guillen's body was wrapped in). Some of the interesting things mentioned (from media "sources") so far:
- The Falls co-owner, Michael Dorrian, apparently told Littlejohn to remove St. Guillen from the bar because she was so drunk
- St. Guillen may have been talking wtih Littlejohn, who was in his van, outside the bar
- Littlejohn's cellphone records indicate he went home to Queens later
- His records also show he was in the vinicity of where St. Guillen's body was found in Brooklyn around 6PM Saturday
- St. Guillen's fingernails were partially torn off; Littlejohn showed pu to work on Saturday night with a scratch
- The Post essentially vilifies The Falls' owner and bartender for taking so long to "come clean over what they saw" the night St. Guillen disappeared. The Daily News says that Littlejohn was the only Falls employee not to give the police a DNA sample - but his DNA is already in the system from prior stints in jail. His aunt, Addie Harris, said, "I pray that it wasn't him. The young lady was somebody's daughter, somebody's sister."
Littlejohn has not been charged yet, but he did ask for a lawyer yesterday afternoon; the police have been holding him for parole violation. The media is so focused on Littlejohn (especially the tabloids' penchant for excess), and his extensive rap sheet and use of aliases doesn't help matters. Gothamist just hopes that if he is innocent, the media will just as widely publicize that. And one more thing - we are guessing that Littlejohn's name is being used pretty widely because he did call the Daily News before being questioned, essentially outing himself as a suspect, but WNBC made a point of saying this morning they would not use his name in their coverage (because he wasn't charged or arrested yet?). Does anyone with a legal or journalism background know why that may be? Or could it be just a station decision?
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They should make newspapers like the Post and the News apologize to people who they drag through the mud when looking for sensationalistic news stories. Even if this guy is innocent, he's branded for life now because the Post went hysterical.
guilty or not, in two weeks everyone not involved with this case will have forgotten his name. dont get me wrong – i think these tabloid writers should burn in hell for a whole host of reasons, but if he's not guilty, he'll go back to his worthless life in no time.
Possibly he'll be branded for life for being a repeat criminal and not because of the Post? Besides he'll just use another alias and nobody will know he's branded, right?
MT: The Post going hysterical? Who would have thought that would happen? It is a shock, since it is a shining example of quality journalism.
We don't even know this loser's real name!
We don't even know this loser's real name!
That Post article, plus the headline "IMETTE'S LAST SCREAM!!!!!!!!1111" is f*cking shameful journalism. I really want the Post to die -- NOW.
I'm pretty familiar with The Falls and don't recall any "side door" that leads outside, although I imagine there probably must be one for firecode purposes. It seems strange that a bouncer would want to lead someone out a side door instead of the front door, unless it was extremely crowded. And someone would have to be really really drunk for her to get thrown out of there, i.e. making a scene or puking on the bar. This whole thing is a fiasco in addition to a tragedy.
Dave, the reports say that it was after last call and it was finish your drink and go time. They had already lowered the security gate in the front.
The Post has essentially falsified facts. By using evasive language such as "Investigators probably think that the bouncer definitely could have possibly murdered her."
Something about this guy doesn't fit with this crime. The way she was murdered, it was done by a seriously sexually sadistic sociopath (how's that for alliteration?). This guy has no history of that -- money has been the motivation for all of his crimes, not abuse or torture. I think the most likely scenario is that he was involved in the disposal of her body and that an ex-con acquaintance of his committed the actual murder.
Thanks janine, I didn't notice that. According to the Daily News:
The witness now says Littlejohn was ordered to escort the student outside as the gate was being pulled down at closing time. The two were seen talking outside the bar as Littlejohn sat in a van, sources said.
If they're pulling down the gate, I imagine nobody but staff, friends of staff, or super-regulars would be allowed to remain inside. Any off-the-street people would definitely be booted before the gate came down and wouldn't need to exit a side entrance. And if it was a standard too-drunk "get her out of here" situation, that would seem to contradict the statement that she was being asked to leave 'cause the bar was closing. There seem to be too many inconsitencies with everyone's stories.
I have, with my friends, been in some pretty drunk/last call situations. Both could be true. It could be a combination of this patron's pretty drunk and has been quiet and all, but it's last call and she's resisting leaving. That's consistent with the idea that she was waiting for sombody (who possibly stood her up?).
Anybody think there might be a connection to the woman whose body was found in a trunk on the Lower East Side a few years ago? I know I'm jumping to conclusions, but the bouncer just doesn't sound right.
Despite what some may think about the Post and News, the News is not in the wrong for printing his name. From what I understand, the News reporter gave him a card. He called her, which made him open to being named. Frankly, the only reason some of these organizations aren't naming him are probably because 1) he hasn't been charged with any crime at this point in connection to this and 2) they may not be sure that's his real name based on his use of aliases. I don't think there is any law saying they can't name him, I think they're just trying to avoid a Richard Jewell type case.
So, to summarize what we know from the media stories:
1- She went out drinking with friend
2- Friend wanted to go home, but she wanted to keep drinking
3- Gets into argument with friend about it
4- Friend leaves, then she goes outto another bar to keep drinking
5- Friend calls to check up on her, she says she's fine
6- She downs more alcohol at new bar
7- She got so drunk in the new bar that the bouncer had to throw her out. She had already argued with her *friend* earlier, and probably drunkenly argued with him too (what's this lowly bouncer doing trying to throw me out?)
8 - ???
The bouncer was right to get a lawyer. Doesn't make sense at all. Bouncers at popular bars deal with drunk girls every night of the week. Why would this dude even care about yet another drunk girl and suddenly focus on her? And then suddenly perpetrate this methodical uber-omg-rage crime on the spur of the moment, after what was probably a long, crappy night of keeping drunks in line?
My bet is still one of her forensic criminal justice CSI wanna-be classmates did this.
What ever happened with that murder in Inwood last year? Did they find that woman's murderer?
here's what gonna happen in the next few days if it hasn't happened already: (just speculation at this point)
1. the police will possibly match the bouncer's footprints from his home to the ones at the crime scene and his boots/sneakers
2. they will match the dna from his semen and the scratch on his neck
3. they will match hair samples from the blanket to the cats in the falls basement and quite possibly his hair.
i can also guess from earlier reports that she was quite possibly ganged by a group of men possibly the bouncer and a friend or several.
if a forensic student friend did this wouldn't he take extra steps to conceal bodily fluids, hair, prints, and use all new bought-in-another-state tape, blankets, and wire?
as per janine i may be an assholee if this man is found guilty, but in the mean time according to NYPD, he's guilty of parole violation — the bouncer is guilty...
the law, i believe says suspects cannot be named unless, they voluntarily give their name, littlejohn wasn't forced to call the newspaper, but traditionally, names are not printed until they're charged with a crime.
the post and the daily news are shameful papers, they're disgusting. they're sensational for a reason, people in this country love violence, it's in newsweek and time it's on tv, law and order, 24, csi, etc . to name a few more sensatioalists: CNN, FOX, CBS, ABC, NBC, etc.... if you don't like it, read or watch something else and stop bitching.
It's pretty obvious from all this evidence that Littlejohn had a hand in this ghastly crime. However, regardless if he's arrested and tried, The Falls should be swiftly shut down, have its license revoked and be sued so hard that the owners eyes pop out.
How the fuck can you have people like that working for you?
Let's also not forget that the owner of the bar did not tell the cops the truth about kicking the poor girl out at last call, until a week after her brutal rape/murder - what the hell?? When first questioned by the cops, bar owner(s?) said she left quietly and alone, by her own accord. They only changed their story this past weekend, after hiring a lawyer. Nice way to throw a wrench into a murder investigation.
the owners of these kinds of establishments aren't, and never have been, exactly known for their integrity. this is bad even by their sh*tty standards. if i was imette's brother i'd lie in wait for this michael dorian character. he better have protection.