Rise Magazine has included the murder of 17-year-old high school football star Jamiel Shaw II in its list of top high school sports stories of 2007-2008.  The list was also published today on the magazine’s Web site, RiseMag.com.

In beginning its overview of the Shaw case, Rise Magazine writes:

It seems obvious to label the murder of a teenager tragic or senseless, but in the case of Jamiel Shaw, there’s no other way to put it. Shaw was truly one of the best and brightest.

Rise Magazine calls itself “the nation’s leading sports and active lifestyle magazine for teens.”

Jamiel Shaw II was gunned down March 2 as he walked towards his Los Angeles home.  He was speaking to his girlfriend on his cell phone and was so close to making it home that his father heard the sound of the gunshots.

Investigators arrested 19-year-old Pedro Espinoza.  Shaw’s parents say their son was targeted because he was black.

Espinoza, an illegal immigrant, had been released from jail just 28-hours prior to Shaw’s murder.

At the time of her son’s murder, Shaw’s mother was serving her country in Iraq.

Beyond90Seconds.com has followed the Jamiel Shaw II case from the beginning.  To read the entire archive, please click this link.  The most recent article will appear at the top of the page.

Finally, the video below features the March 11 news conference announcing the arrest of Shaw’s alleged killer.  It had already been a very emotional day as a funeral service for Shaw had been held just hours earlier. Many of the people appearing at the news conference had also attended the funeral service.

This video is the unedited footage that had been featured live on KNBC.com’s “News Raw“  web page.

(Total run time is 10:52.  Video may take several seconds to load.)

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UPDATE: August 11, 2009: Breaking News: Tina Davila murder suspect arrested

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(July 2, 2008) Heart-wrenching.  That may best describe this morning’s Today Show live interview with two children and the ex-husband of Tina Davila (please see video below).

Davila’s teenage children struggled to find the right words. At times, no words came out.  But these were moments that told so much about the pain still fresh on this family’s doorstep.

Host Meredith Vieira even seemed to have difficulty holding back tears near the end of the interview.

Who can blame her?

Tina Davila was murdered as she walked up to a Houston-area cell phone store to pay her bill.  Someone wanted her car.

But Davila’s 4-month-old baby was inside that car.

And as surveillance video featured in the Today Show story clearly demonstrates, Davila fought and died while protecting her child.

The man suspected of stabbing Davila to death has yet to be found.  A spokesperson for the Harris County Sheriff’s Department says 24-year-old Timoteo Rios might be in Mexico.

Investigators say Rios is an illegal immigrant with a criminal record.

Anyone with information about this case can call Crime Stoppers of Houston at 713-222-TIPS.

More could be said here, but no words written by this blogger could approach the compelling story told in the video below; nor express the reasons why a murder suspect must be caught.

(Please allow a few seconds for the video to load.)

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Update (October 3, 6:08pm PST):  “2 years in prison for man whose infant son died in fire pit” (Seattle Times)

Attorneys had said that Rios could be deported after his sentencing or could be made to serve his sentence first. Rios, who has used different aliases and birth dates in the past, already has been deported to Mexico three times — in 1994, 1996 and 2001, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said. He also has several prior drug-related convictions, according to court documents. (Seattle Times)

Update (August 21, 7:59am PST): “Father pleads guilty in baby son’s fire pit death” (Seattle Times)

Choked with emotion, Alberto Rios, 41, mumbled “guilty” when asked his plea to the single count of second-degree manslaughter filed against him in the June 22 death of his 7-month-old son, Diego. (Seattle Times)

Update (June 27, 4:45 PST):  “Father of baby burned in fire pit charged with second degree manslaughter”    (Seattle Times)

COMMENTARY

(Federal Way, Washington) According to a story in today’s Seattle Times, Alberto Rios uses three aliases and three birth dates, has established a history of drug and alcohol-related arrests, and has been deported to his native Mexico three times.

Now, Rios is back behind bars, shackled with a $1 million bail.  He must also cope with the  unimaginable loss of his 7-month-old son, Diego, found dead in a backyard bonfire where Rios had reportedly “fallen asleep” a few feet away.

The horrific scene unfolded last weekend in this Seattle suburb where Rios reportedly told investigators people had gathered to celebrate the completion of a construction job.

The Seattle Times article states:

…(Rios) is in the U.S. illegally and has been deported to his native Mexico three times — in 1994, 1996 and in 2001, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.

No doubt that excerpt (above) will resonate with many readers.  But another string of sentences within the newspaper article is even more disturbing, provoking a reluctant mind to imagine the final seconds of a little boy’s life:

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office said Wednesday that Diego died of smoke inhalation and burns to his entire body. Court documents said the autopsy also revealed Diego had soot in his esophagus, indicating he was alive when he fell into the fire pit.

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*For more on this story, please read reporter Leslie Anne Jones’ excellent article in today’s Seattle Times. Videos are also provided below:

June 26, 2008: “$1 million bail for father in death of baby son” (KOMO-TV)

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June 24, 2008: “Dad Held after Son Dies in Backyard Fire Pit,”  (ABC News)

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Long before an illegal immigrant was charged with murdering a star high school athlete named Jamiel Shaw II earlier this year, Los Angeles resident Harold Sturgeon had filed a lawsuit aimed at repealing LAPD’s Special Order 40.   Today, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge threw out the lawsuit.

Special Order 40 took effect in 1979 and, among other things, says “officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person.”

Sturgeon, who filed his lawsuit in 2006, contended that Special Order 40 conflicted with state and federal laws.

The debate surrounding Special Order 40 intensified this past March after Shaw was shot and killed.  Turned out the suspect, 19-year-old Pedro Espinoza, was an illegal immigrant.  And Espinoza had been released from jail just 28-hours prior to Shaw’s murder.

Beyond90Seconds.com has followed the Jamiel Shaw II story from the beginning.  You can read all of the articles that have appeared on this blog by clicking here (the most recent stories will appear at top of page.  Please scroll down to read earlier stories).

At the following links, you can read more about a judge’s decision Wednesday to throw-out the lawsuit that had challenged Special Order 40:

“Judge throws out lawsuit challenging Special Order 40″ -LA Times

“Judge Rejects Bid to Let Police Check Immigration Status” -NY Times

“Lawsuit Dismissed in LAPD Immigration Status Questions Case” -KNBC (includes video)

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The Los Angeles murder story that continues to fuel heated political debate concerning illegal immigration is now the focus of a new documentary produced by the alternative news source Full Disclosure Network. The documentary provides an in-depth interview with the parents of the late Jamiel Shaw II.

Police say Jamiel Shaw II, 17, was walking home and speaking with his girlfriend on a cell phone March 2 when a gang member approached him, then shot and killed him.

It’s a case Beyond90Seconds.com has closely followed from the beginning.

Investigators have charged a 19-year-old Pedro Espinoza with the murder. Espinoza, who is an illegal immigrant, had been released from jail just 28-hours prior to Shaw II’s murder.

Police do not believe the victim knew his killer. The victim’s parents believe their son was killed because he was black. In the new documentary, Shaw’s parents claim that some city leaders refuse to acknowledge this alleged motive because doing so would be politically unpopular.

The Jamiel Shaw II case has prompted one mayoral candidate to propose Jamiel’s Law, an effort to amend the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Order 40.

Proponents of Jamiel’s Law argue that police should be allowed to make inquiries concerning an arrested person’s immigration status if that person is believed to be a gang member.

Presently, Special Order 40 dictates that “officers shall not initiate police action with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person.”

Shaw’s parents have also blasted people who’ve claimed that their son had gang ties, suggesting that the claim is part of a smear campaign aimed at dissuading voters from supporting Jamiel’s Law.

According to the Web site fulldisclosure.net, the person who produced its new documentary is Leslie Dutton. The Web site provides the following information concerning Dutton’s background:

For more than a decade, Emmy Award winning producer-host Leslie Dutton has provided an alternative news source with Full Disclosure Network®. More than mere investigative journalism, Leslie has exposed political corruption, voter fraud, malfunctioning state courts, and errant police policy where it compromised the Rule of Law.

From the judicial system to the Presidency, she has interviewed prosecutors, police chiefs, & attorneys general, pursuing government accountability in issues including Iran Contra, Watergate, Whitewater, immigration policy (See Special Order 40), border security, and its effect on the War on Terrorism.

A nearly 10-minute long excerpt of the Full Disclosure documentary recently appeared on youtube. The excerpt also appears on the Full Disclosture Web site beneath the headline, “Is LA soft on criminal alien gangs?”

You can also watch the video here:

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It’s an extremely sensitive claim not addressed–to my knowledge–in the mainstream media. But it’s been rumbling on the Web for more than two months now.

Some suspect it’s politically motivated and aimed at protecting illegal immigrants by diffusing support for a proposed amendment to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Special Order 40.

The allegation is that murder victim Jamiel Shaw II was involved in a gang (it’s an assertion that’s also been made by some readers of this blog in a comment section concerning one of my past stories on this case).

It’s a notion that runs severely to the contrary of the media’s account of the high-profile shooting that unfolded in Los Angeles March 2, 2008.

The well-chronicled storyline concerning Jamiel Shaw II goes something like this: Great kid, just 17. Football star. Had stayed true to his father’s “18 year plan.” When shot and killed on the way home from the mall, his mother was overseas fighting in Iraq. Suspect Pedro Espinoza turns out to be an illegal immigrant and is alleged to be a member of the 18th Street Gang. Espinoza had been released from jail just 28-hours prior to Shaw’s murder.

Four days ago, the claim that Jamiel Shaw II had gang ties grew even louder and appears to be largely based on a myspace page. The argument for the claim is outlined in a May 9, 2008 streetgangs.com article appearing beneath the headline Jamiel Shaw’s gang association made him a target for murder, not race.

Here is an excerpt from the streetgangs.com article written by Alex Alonso:

Jamiel wasn’t a bad kid, but he did have relationships with gang members in his community that led to Espinoza’s fatal assault on him. Jamiel lived in a community occupied by Bloods that have been at war with 18th Street for 12 years.

In response to the claim made by Alex Alonso and others, Jamiel Shaw Sr. recently came out swinging.

In a letter that appeared yesterday on LA mayoral candidate Walter Moore’s Web site, Mr. Shaw insists that his son was never a gang member, doesn’t appear in any police department’s gang database, and was never even arrested for a single crime.

Mr. Shaw also questions the motive of people claiming his son was connected to a gang, asking, “Why are people trying so hard to make my son a gang banger? This is an important question.”

Here is the entire text of Mr. Shaw’s letter:

To the Person or Persons trying to smear my son:

My son Jamiel A. Shaw, II, (Jas) was a SuperStar Destined for Greatness! The Mayor of Los Angeles spoke these exact words at his last State of the City speech. He was right! My Son was destined for greatness and he is, “A SuperStar”!

It’s a shame, that an American Citizen youth, can be gunned down by an illegal alien gang banger, while his mother is fighting a war to defend all of us, and some people have the nerve to try and destroy my son? This makes me angry. My son is the victim! For every person that want to label my son as a hard core gang banger, I can get 100 more that will show that he was not.

Why would some people want to label my son as a gang banger? Why are some people willing to do almost anything to bring my son down? Where is the evidence to support that my son is a gang banger? Michelle Hansee didn’t have evidence to prove that he was a gang banger. A spiderman back pack and a belt? I’m not even a lawyer and I know you need more then this.

So where is the evidence?! A Myspace page? I see a picture of my son on myspace making the peace sign…and some words that you say…he said? Please, give me a damn break. Now my son is a hardcore gang banger? Because of a myspace page? Are you kidding me? This is similar to the picture when Obama was oversees and had on a certain garment. Some people tried to label him as a Muslim. Some people are protecting illegal alien gang bangers and they need my son to be a gang member in order to help their case. But he wasn’t! He was and is, innocent!

The person arrested for killing my son is an illegal alien gang banger. A Documented illegal alien, and a documented gang banger. So where is the evidence? Well let’s see, “he was release from jail on March 1, 2008 on gun charges. He had prior arrests before March 1, 2008. It is a known fact that he was not born in the United States and he’s in the gang database”. We all know he wasn’t a boy scout. Why doesn’t this make you angry? Why would this make you want to smear my son? Are you out killing people too? Are you an illegal alien gang banger? What’s up with you?

Twenty eight hours after Pedro Espinoza was released from jail, he’s seen in my neighborhood and now my son is dead. Even if my son wrote the words on myspace, where is the proof that Pedro Espinosa saw this? All he saw was a black kid walking. I continue to repeat, why are you trying to convict my son? Why are you defending illegal alien gang bangers? Could it be that you are illegal. Could it be that you are trying to smear my son because you support Special Order 40? Could it be that you are trying to smear my son because you don’t want to see Jamiel’s law passed? Could it be that you are a gang banger or a gang banger wannabe?

There are people that want to classify all black kids as gang bangers. We’re not going to let this happen! The Community will not let this happen! To any parent reading this, if anyone tries to make your child out to be a gang banger and you know that they are not, please speak up! Don’t let the system or anyone else try and smear your child! Especially when you child is not able to defend themselves. We will always defend the honor of my beloved son, Jamiel Andre’ Shaw, II!

The fact is, my son was born at California Hospital. He was an American Citizen. He was raised in Los Angeles, California. He went to school in the neighborhood. He played sports all over the State. He is a documented athlete. His mother was in the Army fighting a war! I was home taking care of him. His brother loves him very much! His family love and miss him dearly! He was loved by many! My son was gunned down and shot to death! He is an INNOCENT VICTIM. He was gunned down three doors from home. He played on the very street where an illegal gang banger killed him. He was murdered!

This was a HATE CRIME! Anyone trying to bring my son down is someone that is not ready for the facts or the truth. The evidence will prove this and the facts will come out.

There are people that support Special Order 40 and some people don’t want Jamiel’s Law to pass. Is this why they want to discredit my son? Could this be why they attacked Walter Moore and Michael Higby and all of the other people that speak out against illegal immigration? Why are people trying so hard to make my son a gang banger? This is an important question.

Whoever want’s to find evidence on my son should talk with the Gang Intervention Unit at LAPD. You should talk with Gang Intervention Specialists. My son was not in a gang database. My son was never arrested. My son was killed while he was on his way home. He was walking and talking on the telephone. He is innocent!

If you have the evidence to prove that my son was a gang banger, then call Pedro Espinoza’s defense team and see if they will hire you. Until then, shut the hell up!

Jamiel Sr.

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New Developments:

• Los Angeles Times, LAPD chief vows to clarify policy on immigrants, April 17

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton said Wednesday that the department’s controversial policy on dealing with illegal immigrants was widely misunderstood by the public and some of his own officers, and he would clarify the rule in the next couple of weeks. -Los Angeles Times

• Los Angeles Times, Zine wants to amend LAPD policy on immigrants, April 11

• mayorsam.blogspot.com, Jamiel’s Dad talks with Mayor Sam, April 10

• KNBC, 19-year-old pleads not guilty in Jamiel Shaw, Jr. homicide case, April 9

• Houston Chronicle (AP), Alleged gang member pleads not guilty in slaying, April 9

• Los Angeles Times, Explaining Special Order 40 (opinion), April 9

• Los Angeles Times, Ask and deport, family urges, April 9

• cbs2.com, Shaw’s family proposes law to help curb violence (VIDEO), April 8

• FOX News, “Jamiel’s Law” targets illegal immigrant gang members, April 8

• MyFoxla.com, Jamiel Shaw’s parents meet with city leaders, April 8

• Los Angeles Times, Grieving father feels failed by 18-year plan, April 8

• The Daily Collegian (Penn State University) Cities bleed with ‘death by percentages, April 8

• FinalCall.com, Fear of a Black-Brown race war in Los Angeles, April 3

• Independent Weekly (North Carolina), For Eve and Jamiel, and everyone else (commentary), April 2

• mayorsam.blogspot.com, Family of Jamiel Shaw to voice support for “Jamiel’s Law” on Doug McIntyre tomorrow morning (posted April 1) *note: Doug McIntyre is a radio host on KABC (Los Angeles). You can listen to his program here.

• Pedro Espinoza mug shot and booking sheet
  

• Daily News (Los Angeles), Barbarians are within the gate, March 30:
  

  The latest atrocity was the slaughter of 17-year-old Jamiel Shaw Jr., a star footballer who caught the eye of top college recruiters. Tragically, he also caught the eye of an illegal-alien gangbanger who gunned him down while Jamiel’s mother served in Iraq.

  You can’t make this up. The irony of fighting a war against terrorism half a world away while a generation of Angelenos is shot to pieces by local terrorists, while your own son is cut down at home…. Wow.

• CNN, Dad faces son’s alleged killer; sees ‘normal’ youngster, March 26
  

• Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas), “A horrible waste,” March 25
  

  Jamiel Shaw Jr., a teenager on the verge of living out an American dream, was gunned down by someone who authorities believe had no business still living in America. -Times Record News

• MyFoxLA, Arraigment postponed in Jamiel Shaw case, March 25

• KABC-TV, Man accused of killing teen heads to court, March 25

• Suspect in Jamiel Shaw Jr. murder case may be in US illegally, March 22

UPDATES :

Mayor: Suspect “is a member of one of our most notorious gangs.”
Police chief: Espinoza is “a documented 18th Street” gang member released from jail “one day” before the shooting.

KNBC reports arraignment for suspect Pedro Espinoza postponed to March 25.

***

Just as friends and family of Jamiel Shaw Jr. are gathering for the teenager’s funeral, reports out of Los Angeles state that an arrest has been made in the case.

Reports out of Los Angles state that suspect Pedro Espinoza, 19, is believed to be a gang member. KABC quotes a source that claims Espinoza was “an active participant in a criminal street gang and the murder was carried out to further the activities of the criminal street gang.”

The state of California must still determine if this is a death penalty case.

Your thoughts about the Jamiel Shaw Jr. murder investigation are welcome here. Please feel free to comment.

-Los Angeles Times photo gallery of Jamiel Shaw Jr. funeral