Suspect Charged in Corktown Beating/Dragging

[Huggybear]

Perhaps St. Peter's could take a cue from the Franciscans on Washington Boulevard - they manage to serve the poor and actually do some vocational work without riling up everyone in the neighborhood.

By contrast, it doesn't sound like St. Peter's has really progressed in this regard in the 20 years since I volunteered there. People were relieving themselves in the area around the church, regardless of the weather, back then too. When things closed down for the day, you could also watch them in the gravel lot making themselves doggy bags of food that they removed from the dining area, for consumption [[and presumably elimination) offsite. When Jeff DeBruyn [[a person helping run Manna) acknowledges that Manna clients are defecating everywhere [[Detroit News, 1/3/2011), the problem is pretty bad. You can't take on the sterile and glamorous [[palatable?) job of making trays of sandwiches and vats of soup and then externalize the consequences onto the neighborhood. It's almost pharasaic.

Violence against the homeless in inexcusable, but I would lay much of Corktown's simmering resentment of homeless people at the feet of the people who - however well intentioned - manage to alienate the middle class from the homeless. And that works two ways: failing to effectively advocate charity to the middle class and exposing it to homeless people in a way that permanently turns it off to the ideas of "restorative justice." This, I think, is a far greater disservice than passivity, because it destroys future opportunities as well.

So if the 2011 resolution for Corktown residents is to keep an open mind with regard to the homeless, maybe the resolution for St. Peter's should be to comprehend that adding to feelings of embattlement in a struggling neighborhood does not advance the ball in encouraging the fortunate to help the less so. Not everyone in Corktown is a Cooley, but if St. Peter's had played its cards right, the Cooleys might have built Manna its bathrooms.

http://metrotimes.com/news/looking-f...tice-1.1074246

In case people hadn't already seen this article by the pastor of St. Peter's. Needless to say, he and I don't see eye-to-eye on much.

[Toolbox]

Perhaps St. Peter's could take a cue from the Franciscans on Washington Boulevard - they manage to serve the poor and actually do some vocational work without riling up everyone in the neighborhood.

By contrast, it doesn't sound like St. Peter's has really progressed in this regard in the 20 years since I volunteered there.

The issue is presented like it is a new issue, it is not. This has been simmering for at least 15 years that i can remember. You do not have to be wealthy to get pissed off when one of Manna's derilict "guests" shits on your property.

When Jeff DeBruyn [[a person helping run Manna) acknowledges that Manna clients are defecating everywhere [[Detroit News, 1/3/2011), the problem is pretty bad. You can't take on the sterile and glamorous [[palatable?) job of making trays of sandwiches and vats of soup and then externalize the consequences onto the neighborhood. It's almost pharasaic.

The church in the unsustainable suburb next to my unsistainable suburb has installed porta-johns for the homless population.

So if the 2011 resolution for Corktown residents is to keep an open mind with regard to the homeless, maybe the resolution for St. Peter's should be to comprehend that adding to feelings of embattlement in a struggling neighborhood does not advance the ball in encouraging the fortunate to help the less so. Not everyone in Corktown is a Cooley, but if St. Peter's had played its cards right, the Cooleys might have built Manna its bathrooms.

The old saying "you can attract more flys with honey than vinegar" comes to mind.

[Pam]

The church in the unsustainable suburb next to my unsistainable suburb has installed porta-johns for the homless population.

I was wondering why the Corktown church didn't do that. I think the porta john company cleans them, so they wouldn't even have to worry about that.

[SWMAP]

And why is Fr. Koehler, pastor of Most Holy Trinity and owner of the school where the homeless person was sleeping, so silent on the event?

[gdogslim]

He'll get quite a few years to life.
Remember when that sick F in Wyoming dragged a homosexual behind in his car to death a long time ago and it made media for months, not much media attention here.

This is Johnson's Great Society, where the government will take care of you. Isn't it wonderful.

[NorthofNormal]

Remember when that sick F in Wyoming dragged a homosexual behind in his car to death a long time ago and it made media for months, not much media attention here.

This is Johnson's Great Society, where the government will take care of you. Isn't it wonderful.

A) You are conflating two different events: Matthew Shepard was beaten to death by two guys in Laramie, Wyoming. James Byrd, Jr., was dragged to death in Texas by three guys.

B) I'm confused by your sneering reference to "Johnson's Great Society." I thought not being beaten by random ragewads was a benefit of having, you know, a regular old civilized society. I didn't realize basic safety was some crazy socialist special entitlement.

[Gilcrest]

[quote=begingri;211858]

As the area revives, poor say they are being pushed out

George Hunter / The Detroit News

Detroit— Delbert Stinson has lived in Corktown for 15 years without a home. When it's cold, he sleeps in shelters. On summer nights, he sometimes crashed on a bench in Dean Savage Memorial Park — until this year, when vandals ripped out its benches. Gone, too, are nearby tree branches that used to provide Stinson and his companions with shade; someone sawed them off.

"Some people don't like having us around," said Stinson, 46.

And some blame newcomers.

As Detroit's oldest neighborhood has suddenly become chic again with new restaurants and developments, some fear there's a concentrated effort to drive away the homeless. Such tensions aren't uncommon in neighborhoods in transition — the Cass Corridor experienced similar issues in the late 1990s.

But they're magnified in Corktown after a homeless man was beaten with a baseball bat and dragged behind a pickup truck on Oct. 6. The accused assailant, Steve J. Diponio, allegedly told police he was tired of homeless people sleeping near his house. He pleaded not guilty Dec. 3 to the attack on Charles Duncan, 42.

"There's an effort by some developers and residents to get rid of the homeless people in Corktown," said Jeff DeBruyn, who helps run the Manna Community Meal soup kitchen at St. Peter's Episcopal Church on Trumbull. "We've definitely seen an increase in hostility toward them."

Concern is so great that 40 neighborhood residents recently met to discuss their concerns. Some of the homeless, including Paul Gibson, blame Philip Cooley, the co-owner of Slows Bar BQ, who has gained national attention for his efforts to redevelop Corktown.

"It's a culture clash," said Gibson, 50. "This neighborhood has a lot of [[social service) agencies; that's why there's a lot of homeless people. It's been like that for a long time, but some people want to get us out of here."

Cooley acknowledged he's heard the accusations but said he's baffled by them.

"This is coming from a bunch of crazy people who just like to complain," said Cooley, who also is co-owner of O'Connor Development.

"Look at my track record: A homeless guy lived with me for eight months. I hired a homeless man for the restaurant, but I had to fire him when I caught him shooting heroin in the bathroom. I hired another homeless guy [[for his construction firm), but he stole all my tools. When I caught him, I didn't beat him up — I tried to get him help."

Here what Phil Cooley wrote on the same subject a while bak....
Mr. Cooley, however, does sound like he's a nice guy, who's done a lot for the homeless and hopefully this can all end well.

"To Whom It May Concern,

"My name is Phillip Cooley and I am one of the four owners of Slows Bar B Q.
I also work with my brother, Ryan Cooley, at O'Connor Development as a
general contractor. I attended the Corkboard meeting and received the
follow up e-mail that has upset many community members. Meghan McEwen, the
author of the letter is my sister in law. We are all deeply sorry that this
letter has been misunderstood. I would like to clarify our intentions in
hopes that everyone can judge us in a context and tone that we feel
represents our feelings for this community and this situation.

"The Corkboard was formed by Meghan due to her concern with the lack of
activism by many of our younger community members. I jokingly brought up
the title of conquistador when the question of organization [[president, vice
president, secretary, etc.) came up during the first meeting. As many of
you may know this word means explorer, adventurer, and conqueror, which is
what was implied by my comment and Meghan's later. By no means did we
associate ourselves with a group from the 16th century that invaded South,
Central, and North America along with parts of Asia.

"In regards to the Bermuda Triangle comment, I wish to clarify our stance on
this as well. We are by no means anti-homeless, we are anti-homelessness.
Last winter I arranged a group that tore down a fire bombed home in
Brightmoor and recycled the material from the deconstruction to build a
homeless shelter. Due to poor weather and long hours going into the night I
got frost bite from the experience. The shelter was built at MOCAD and then
moved to it's permanent location in the spring. Along with the structure I
hosted a lecture on homelessness at MOCAD with The Salvation Army and The
Veterans Foundation. During all of this a homeless man lived in my
apartment for 8 months.

"During our meeting with Manna Meals we thanked them repeatedly for all the
good that they have done and will continue to do. These are difficult times
for many and they feed hungry families and many folks that just need a
little help. Our concern is with the five percent that they continue to
feed that bounce from free meal to free meal to free bed and defecate,
steal, and liter. These people are not bad people, but they need a
different kind of help. They need drug counseling or mental facilities. We
have an amazing multi-million dollar Salvation Army in our neighborhood that
is set up to do more for these people. If we can not get them to enter
their program, then we must bring more options to them. All of this was
discussed when we met with Manna Meals and everyone from Corkboard left with
a sense of hope and camaraderie. We left with a commitment to work together
as neighbors and friends.

"The Bagley Trumbull Market isn't the same market that some of you may be
remembering. The Farmosas sold the market to an absentee suburban landlord
that has destroyed other historic buildings in the neighborhood. At our
meeting with Manna Meals it was their group who brought the issue regarding
the market up first. Bagley Trumbull has turned from a family owned local
market to a place for crack sales and prostitution. All community members
active in the immediate area are aware and concerned with the situation
there. Our intentions were to raise funds at events like the garage sale
and music festival to help set up a co-op to show case local gems like Hope
Takes Root or The Capuchins. We also talked about giving the funds to
someone like Matt Casadonte who has been trying to open a bookstore and has
lived in Corktown for many years, but has had no luck because too many
speculators, who don't live in this neighborhood, think they can hold on to
their neglected properties a bit longer and make another buck regardless of
how it affects this city.

"Finally I wish to address the secretive part of the e-mail that many
speculated was some other racist plot so gross that we wouldn't speak of it.
I take credit for none of these acts, but sometimes homes that are burnt and
falling over onto an abandoned home next door with an absentee owner need to
be painted orange to get the city to act. Sometimes blue fabric needs to be
hung from every window of the train station to show people that there is
still life and hope and that as a whole we can take on any selfish
billionaire regardless of who's in his back pocket. Someday maybe a bike
lane will magically appear on a nine lane super highway reminding people to
slow down and look around.

"The e-mail was easily misinterpreted and was never meant for the public.
It was only to be shared with explanation. This was purposefully sent out
without explanation to hurt.

"I hope this clears things up and please feel free to contact me to discuss
any of this further. We have nothing to hide and will continue to strive to
be a positive influence on this community. Slows Bar B Q employs 50 people,
90 percent of which live in this city along with all four owners [[three in
Corktown and one in Mexican town). Slows, myself and my family have all
donated thousands of dollars to local community groups and non-profits and
will continue to do so regardless of the outcome of this event. My mother
and father moved down here and my brother and sister in law are raising
their eighteen month old in the neighborhood.

"Hate mail and personal attacks towards my family are unwarranted and
disappointing. I hope we have all learned from this. I hope that I will
now talk to my neighbors and let them explain their actions before jumping
to any conclusions.

"Sincerely,
"Phillip Cooley

[DetroitPole]

To me, "pastor's" hit-and-run post was pretty telling. Going to sucker punch you and run away. Not answerable to anybody but G-d, I guess.

[Detroitej72]

This is Johnson's Great Society, where the government will take care of you. Isn't it wonderful.

Not quite sure what that has to do with this thread, other than for you to inject more of your warped right wing propaganda, causing one to think that perhaps you are a troll.

Besides, any person of intelligence knows that the Engler cuts, by closing down all the mental health facilities have caused an explosion in the homeless population in recent years.

[Detroitriseup]

There are homeless in the city of Detroit... right? We can all agree on that one, there will be homeless people in the city, for at least the for see able future right?

Can we all agree that since there will be homeless in Detroit, they have to sleep and exist somewhere right? Now maybe, they should have bathrooms, but generally the homeless do have to piss and shit outside, they are with out a home... Its irritating but,THEY ARE HOMELESS!! Seriously, shit is irritating not life threatening, being homeless will eventually kill you, living on the street is fatal. I can under stand frustration by the long term residents who have to deal with poverty and the homeless without any help from the city... however recent residents know what they are getting into, its the homeless' neighborhood more than recent residents and developers. Its like people who move to country and complain about the smell of cowshit... Its the city, full of misery and suffering, its not some trendy place gracing the pages of vice magazine.

If I move into corktown, I will be very careful NOT to be lumped in with these recent visitors [[and I call them that because I do not feel most of them will continue to live in these areas as they slowly learn and experience the problems that old residents have had to face everyday). If I move into an area, i'm not there to change it to what I want it to be, I'm happy to work with residents including the homless on their concerns, but it will be long before i start proposing anything, not until i'm actually apart of the community and not just a transplant.

I guess I'm not sure of the real argument here, people have gotten ridiculous with all this blame the victum crap. If there are going to homeless in the city of Detroit, they have to exist somewhere. NO ONE wants to see desperate and sometime aggressive or awkward homeless people, and its sad that people who are often barely above homelessness are left to drain their meager resources to help them, deal with them, and they are the ones who have to deal with all of the problems that result from homelessness.

The problem is however, that its also not the fault of the homeless, many are the result of Engler closing the mental institutions, Vets, or those that fell on hard times... most homeless I have talked to became alcoholics or drug addicts after they were lost their home.

I mean the real question is why everyone homeless to the middle class is broke as shit... and why wealthy people keep getting tax breaks, and stimulus money.

The same goes for "development" in the city. It has more often than not was done in the worst way it could have been done, in regards to the citizens involved. Black Bottom, Paradise Valley, the black section of Hamtramck, the handing over of the DMC, brimming full of recent tax money, over to private investors. I can completely understand the pastors' gripes. Neighborhood revitalization has never ever been done with the neighborhood in mind. Its always to get rid of an eyesore or problem area and shift it to somewhere less noticeable, in no way addressing the problem, and in no way a solution. Detroiters who know history, have every reason to be mistrustful and weary of development in the city, it has always made things worse. Its why the city is where it is, because developers and large companies, crooked bureaucracies and every mayor has raped the city, and left it for dead.

[Huggybear]

If I move into corktown, I will be very careful NOT to be lumped in with these recent visitors [[and I call them that because I do not feel most of them will continue to live in these areas as they slowly learn and experience the problems that old residents have had to face everyday). If I move into an area, i'm not there to change it to what I want it to be, I'm happy to work with residents including the homless on their concerns, but it will be long before i start proposing anything, not until i'm actually apart of the community and not just a transplant.

It's good to see that no matter how balkanized Detroit manages to get, people can still find ways to fragment it more - this time, calling people who have long been turning around a once-moribund neighborhood "transplants." Your idea of being a "part of the community" in a neighborhood [[as opposed to a "transplant" or a "visitor") can really only be objectively satisfied by your dying there [[you obviously weren't born there). After all, there is some chance that you, too, will leave on "slowly learn[ing] and experienc[ing] the problems that old residents have had to face everyday." And what if the true character of Corktown [[among non-"transplants," whoever they are) is to be against homeless people? Are you going to fight your way into the neighborhood as a different type of transplant?

[Detroitriseup]

I'm not fragmenting anything, i don't think words and bullshit online does anything to the actual city... it is already fragmented... there are very different realities that exist for recent people and long term residents. If you don't recognized this, than we will remain fragmented because the issues are not addressed.

I grew up in Detroit and Hamtramck and left, then came back, then left again, now i'm looking for a house... so i've been on both sides of the track.

However I have seen an incredibly amount of disrespect and callousness towards those who've been dealing with the city for their whole lives and to those that just got here. The realty isn't the same. Like unions, I believe there is a certainly amount senority that exists.

Most of the development in the city, does absolutely nothing to address the concerns of those already here, its to draw the middle class from the suburbs.

Because of this the middle class then has to deal with all the problems of living in a working class city. So usually these middle class people succumb to the pressure of being put in a spot, and turn their anger on the homeless, poorer residents etc. rather on the officials who cause the problem. In fact they are the MOST likey to support Bing, or Rob Bob who is going to FUCK the city up. They are gonna carve it up, like Cerberus carved up Chrysler.

There has ALWAYS been a divide, just because i'm TALKING about it, rather than pretending or IGNORING it, does mean i'm causing it, in fact ignoring it allows it to fester and become an explosive abscess .

[Meddle]

New Freep article......

http://www.freep.com/article/2011013...text|FRONTPAGE

[DetroitPole]

The racial tone this case is taking on was kind of inevitable, but I do think a little misguided.

I knew Steve DiPonio, and yes, he tended to be racist, but in a way that most people, black and white are. There was a level of racial distrust with him, and he would give voice to it [[and virtually anything that came into his mind) but not in any way that makes him unique. I'm not condoning it, but I'm saying in that respect he was little different than virtually everyone you encounter on a day-to-day basis.

I don't think the crime was racially motivated nor is there anything from the reports to indicate that.

I think it sets a dangerous precedent that if you're a white person who commits a crime in the city against a black person, the justice system in the city begins to turn it into a hate crime. That really slants the justice system against you, if you're white.

After all, if you're a white person committing crimes in the city it will likely be against a black person, given that African-Americans make up the overwhelming majority of the population of the city. That doesn't make it racially motivated.

The crime was certainly unspeakably heinous, and he should be locked up possibly for the rest of his life, but I'm pretty sure he was going to do that to whoever was sleeping there, regardless of race.

[NorthEndere]

How often has race been brought up concerning this case? As far as I've been able to tell, it's been very little [[particularly here) until you did it. Most people talking about this, white, black, or otherwise, seem to be as shocked and confused as anyone else about the unique level of brutality.

[SWMAP]

Is there any update on this issue? I understand that there was a court date and it was going to be decided on the exact charge that DiPonio would be charged with. Any news?

[DetroitDad]

Maybe I'm getting a little calloused, but come on, the city is not just for poor people. The only reason they are there is by default. They got the land that nobody else wanted. The problem with that is that that is some of the most valuable land, in the city center.

Now, I am all for helping the homeless. I look forward to a city of mixed incomes. However, not everyone has that exact view. It is what it is. If they [[the homeless) want to keep these prime locations, they are going to have to learn to work very hard for them, or else lose them.