'Wolfpack leader' arrested in beating of 60-year-old

by Michaelangelo Conte
Tuesday September 04, 2007, 9:08 PM
The adult ring leader of a wolf pack of teens who brutally beat a 60-year-old Jersey City man was arrested Saturday and made his first appearance in court today, where he was slapped with a substantial bail, officials said.

"This is a serious offense and bail will be set at $250,000," said Judge Vincent Signorile of Jarrick Taylor, 18, of Harlem, who appeared in Central Judicial Processing Court via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.


Arrested Thursday in the Aug. 25 attack on Bramhall Avenue attack on Robert Wilkinson of Union Street, were three boys, 13, 16, and 17 years of age, as well as a 17-year-old girl.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday that his office is considering prosecuting at least some of the juveniles as adults.

All four are charged with aggravated assault and robbery in the beating that broke Wilkinson's left knee and several ribs, one of which punctured his lung and collapsed it. Conviction as an adult in a robbery resulting in serious bodily harm carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, DeFazio said.

"They are insane, must definitely be insane," Wilkinson said today from his bed at the Jersey City Medical Center of his attackers. Wilkinson is listed in stable condition.

"I love it. I love it. I hope they give him life," was Wilkinson's reaction to Taylor's arrest. He said he has undergone surgery on his lung and knee and must wear a back brace. He said he thinks he will be released tomorrow or Thursday.

Capt. Chet Major said a task force was formed to track down the alleged robbers and police went door to door in the neighborhood until one resident said he saw what he thought was a fight at the location of the attack.

Investigators then found people who gave descriptions of people in the area before and after, got street names, got partial addresses, combed through databases, and zeroed in on the suspects, Major said today. He said police are working to determine if those arrested were involved in similar incidents and are pursuing evidence found during the investigation.

"I'm proud of the effort put forth by the members of this department in this incident, as well as in several similar incidents that have concerned us recently," Police Chief Thomas Comey said today.

Taylor is originally from Jersey City, but had been living with his mother in Harlem for the past year, police said. He did not post bail.

Any chance of charging these "kids" as adults? Hopefully they will need to write more than a 500 word essay about their thoughts on the beatings.

f**k everyone! F**k em!

around the clock policework? isn't that what is expected all the time. lets not point out the obvious. yeah, they were doing around the clock policework, as they should always be doing, its their job. duh.

Wolfpack thug tried to snap attack pic four teens arrested, 5th suspect at large

Saturday, September 01, 2007
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Four juvenile thugs - one only 13 years old - have been arrested in the beating of a 60-year-old Jersey City man last Saturday morning, Jersey City police said yesterday.

One brazen teen even pulled out his cell phone camera to take a picture during the attack, according to the victim.

Eighteen-year-old Jerrick Taylor is also being sought in connection with the incident, police said.

The attack, at around 5:45 a.m. on Bramhall Avenue near Seidler Street, left Robert Wilkinson with a broken left knee and four cracked ribs, one of which punctured a lung, officials said.

From his hospital bed at the Jersey City Medical Center yesterday, Wilkinson applauded the arrests.

"I felt so good (about the arrests)," said Wilkinson, an unemployed Vietnam veteran. "It says to me someone must care. Someone must be doing what they ought to do."

The four accused - all Jersey City residents - were arrested Wednesday and Thursday, police said. In addition to the 13-year-old boy, two boys, 16 and 17, and a 17-year-old girl were also busted, police said.

All four have been charged with robbery and assault and are being held at the Hudson County Youth House in Secaucus, police said.

Having purchased cigarettes and coffee at a Communipaw Avenue gas station, Wilkinson said, he was on his way back to his Union Street apartment when he walked past five teens sitting on a Bramhall Avenue stoop.

"No words were exchanged," Wilkinson said. "I went past them 10 or 15 steps when I heard steps behind me, they were running

"They hit me and knocked me out. Once I hit the ground they did everything they could. It was mostly foot action."

The stompfest ceased for a moment and Wilkinson dragged himself across the street, he said, but the teens chased him and continued to treat him as a human soccer ball.

"I said 'I told you I ain't got no money,'" Wilkinson said he pleaded at one point. "One guy looked in my wallet and gave it back. Another guy tried to take pictures with his cell phone."

The teens finally relented and ran down Bramhall toward Ocean Avenue, Wilkinson said.

"I feel like there is a serious problem going on," Wilkinson said. "I think it really started when kids started having kids."

Wilkinson's left leg is in a full cast and his punctured lung has been plugged by a pen-sized tube, he said. He said he didn't know when he will be released.

Mayor Jerramiah Healy credited "around-the-clock" police work for the arrests.

Anyone with information about Taylor's whereabouts is asked to call the police tip line at (201) 547-JAIL.

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Good public statement to make, so what do you intend to do about it Mr Mayor?

Four teens busted, fifth sought, in 'wolfpack' beating, cops say
by The Jersey Journal
Friday August 31, 2007, 1:25 PM
Jersey City police say four teenagers, including a 13-year-old, have been arrested and an 18-year-old is being sought in the brutal beating of a 60-year-old man last week.

In addition to the 13-year-old boy, police say they have arrested a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy as well as a 17-year-old girl. The arrests happened Wednesday and yesterday and were reported by police today.

The fifth suspect, Jerrick Taylor, 18, is being sought and police say they are investigating whether the group may be linked to similar "wolf pack" incidents.

"While I commend the around-the-clock effort of our various police divisions that worked this case until these inexplicably violent street punks were caught, I have to admonish the family members and guardians of these juveniles who allow these kids to be out all night long and get into who knows what kind of trouble," Mayor Jerramiah Healy said in a written statement.

Man badly beaten by group of teens
Has broken ribs, a broken knee and a punctured lung

7Eyewitness News

(New Jersey - WABC, August 30, 2007) - A group of teens looking for trouble attacked a man walking home from the store in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Now, the victim speaks out to Eyewitness News reporter Tim Fleischer.

Robert Wilkerson is at the Jersey City Medical Center on Thursday night where he is recovering. But this sick, vicious attack is one that is just so hard to understand.

These teenagers didn't just beat Robert Wilkerson once, they went back and kicked and beat him again when he was down, according to officials.

"They was all over me .. hitting me and knocking me down ... and just stomping me," Robert said.

Savages did this to Robert Wilkerson -- breaking five of ribs, puncturing a lung and breaking his knee in two places. It was a vicious beating.

"I said I don't have no money and they got made because I didn't have any," he said.

Robert was approaching the corner of Bramhall and Seidler when five teenagers -- he thinks 14 to 18-years old -- jumped him from behind, beating and kicking him. They ran off but then came back.

"They took my wallet and he opened it up and seen there was no money in there so ... he kicked me about two or three more times ... he came back .... I was in such a bad condition that I couldn't go no where. I was almost crawling on the ground ... that's cold hearted," he said.

It's not good neighbors say. Chavelle Porter doesn't think the kids live in the neighborhood.

"I've never seen anything like that before. Never. I just hope that he gets better and everything like that," Chavelle said.

But back in his hospital room, Robert, working through his pain, is thinking clearly.

"Unless the community pulls together we lost anyway ... someone has to pull together to stop this madness out there," he said.

Police are now on the hunt for the group of teen suspects.

here's the real problem!

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The judge read them. I don't think that she was correcting for grammar, but she basically wanted to see if they met the 500 word requirement and addressed the question which I think was "What have I learned from this process?" or something like that.

That's a good question. I wonder if maybe different judges serve that up as a punishment.

Cops going door-to-door to find 'wolfpack'

by Michaelangelo Conte
Wednesday August 29, 2007, 5:29 PM

Jersey City police are going door-to-door in an all-out effort to find the teen "wolfpack'' who severely beat a 60-year-old man as he was walking home from shopping Saturday morning, cops told The Jersey Journal today.

"We hope with the resources we have here and the citizens coming aboard, we will come to a successful conclusion," Capt. Hugh Donaghue said of the push to catch the teens who put Robert Wilkinson in the hospital with broken bones and a collapsed lung.

As reported in today's edition, Wilkinson was walking home from a neighborhood store at 6:30 Saturday morning when he was attacked at Bramhall Avenue and Seidler Street by thugs believed to be as young as 14 who demanded money, then beat him when they found his wallet empty.

Wilkinson is in stable condition at the Jersey City Medical Center, a spokesman for the hospital said this evening.

Police saturated the area beginning yesterday and have been going door to door asking residents if they know anything that might help in tracking down the gang of five. Officers are also passing out fliers asking for help in the investigation and have implemented a zero tolerance policy in the area that has resulted in several drug arrests, Donaghue said.

Police brass met yesterday to develop a plan of attack and met again today for a report on the ongoing effort, Donaghue said.

"There is no excuse for what these punks did, and we know their behavior does not represent the typical young adult of Jersey City,'' Donaghue said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the police tipline at (201) 547-JAIL.

Click here for the Jersey Journal

Of course they're gang related, the city doesn't want to say it, but it obviously is.

I pose a question that I've been thinking about for some time...doesn't it seem that these senseless beatings are some gang related initiation or endorsed activity? I heard recently that the machete attacks are specific to the M13 gang. If the "wolfpack" senseless beatings are in fact gang inspired, isn't this issue much deeper than the speculations made in this thread so far?

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That is a bit ridiculous, is anyone reading them? Could we get copy of these through freedom of information? I'd be interested in seeing what they said.

What happened to good ol' community service? I had to do it when I got busted as a kid, it sucked, but I did it and learned my lesson.

HERO69 wrote:

""And the liberals say it is not their fault (the teens), it's society's fault, their parents....locking them up for 10 years is too harsh...it will ruin their life.""

WTF?

No one here is saying that, moron. No one.

Yer a f*cking liberal-obessed retard like Rush The Drug Addict, Hannity The Angry Leprechaun and Bill The Perv O'Lielly.


BTW, how's yer fellow conservative and restroom gay boy Sen. Craig doing today, Hero69?? Aren't you proud he ain't a LIB??

LOL!

I grew up here and over the years I have heard many different reasons for why people hang outside with their kids-from not having air conditioning to it being a cultural thing to many others. The one thing I do know is that all of the people I know (be they black, white., Latino, Asian, etc) who value a stable home life and education do not hang out with their children late at night outside especially in areas where drug-dealing and violence is rampant.

I think it has to do with the fact that a lot of these parents do not realize that their lives change when they become parents (even if they are young parents). They should not be out on the street late at night never mind with their children.

In my opinion I think just as much money should be put into parenting classes as anything else. Perhyaps money invested in that would cut down on violent attacks such as this one with 14 year olds involved.

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They are being exposed to things that I don't need to see at my age.

I also wonder if stoop sitting stems from not having air conditioning. I find at night my house is much warmer than outside if I don't turn the A/C on...

What is the curfew btw?

I went to court to fight a ticket and there were several kids there that were busted for curfew violations. They were asked to write a 500 word essay about the experience. I don't know if that's an effective punishment.

You should call the police and have them enforce the curfew.

It is a cultural thing but I don't see it as based upon race or nationality. It seems to be that some people no longer care about succeeding in the "mainstream" culture anymore. By mainstream I mean getting an education, holding down a steady job, being engaged in the community, etc.

It's sad to see small children outside late at night hanging out with their parents. Kids need their sleep and they are often being exposed to activities that they should not have to witness at their age.

More extra-curricular activities would probably help but that means the child must have parents involved and committed to their welfare and well-being who will make sure they attend etc. Sadly the parents of some of these kids just don't have a clue.

actually sully, regarding #2, i think there IS a curfew in this town... is it enforced? i don't think so. i think shootin' and stabbin' takes priority...

on our block - granted 99% are nice people, there are FREQUENTLY teens, kids, and TODDLERS on the stoops/streets up until (and after 3 am)....


i guess maybe it's a "cultural" thing. my white bread family had me do my homework and go to bed by dark...

1. how did the author of the article know the teens were between the ages of 14 and 17?
2. what teenager is out on the streets at 6:30 in the morning, if the parents didn't impose cerfew on these kids then the parents should be held financially lible for the actions of their kids.
3. if they do find these little pricks they should shame them by chaining them to a street corner with sandwich boards on stating what their crime was.

could be kind of cool to bring back the stocks that were used a public punishment, put them right next to the grove street path station to ensure lots of publicity

And the liberals say it is not their fault (the teens), it's society's fault, their parents....locking them up for 10 years is too harsh...it will ruin their life.

I say how about the lives of innocent people that these creeps are ruining. Lock those little bastards up. PERIOD!

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yes, you're totally right. It's happening everywhere.

it's not just this area... this kind of nonsense happens "everywhere".... there are now several websites out there that ONLY post videos of teens fighting/jumping people/attacking... and they are overflowing with submissions....


people suck. those of us who have nice family/friends are the lucky ones.

All of these attacks show a frightening lack of empathy (and personal responsibility) in these kids and their parents. It's like this area is a breeding ground for sociopathy.

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+1

DTG

right on jerseygirl. of course it's NEVER the parents/family's fault... it's the city's fault...


f*cking idiots. kill 'em all.

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Lack of organized activities or not - there has to be some basic education about morals...doing the right or wrong thing. What about taking responsibility for your own actions & not blaming the community or town services for the problem. This just disgusts me.

When do we as a society start to really hold the parents accountable for these kids? That said, do they even have control? I assume many of the kids 14-17 actually run the house and do what they please. If the parents can't tell them what to do then who will? These kids who are caught need to do mandatory community service with councilors that can put something positive into their minds. It's seems that could be a whole new job title and one that could actually bring about some change.

Teens break his bones
New wolfpack outrage said to fit pattern

Wednesday, August 29, 2007
By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A 60-year-old Jersey City man who was brutally beaten in a wolfpack attack Saturday is recovering from surgery and remains hospitalized with broken ribs, a collapsed lung and a broken knee.

"I pray he's going to be OK," said the sister of Robert Wilkinson, who underwent surgery Monday night for his broken knee cap. "I don't know what's going on in these streets, but I pray for them.

"Can't they put themselves in my brother's place? They have families," said the sister, who asked that her name not be used.

At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Union Street resident was walking home from a store when he passed five teens, ages 14 to 18, on Bramhall Avenue at Seidler Street, police reports say, based on the statement made by Wilkinson at the Jersey City Medical Center that morning.

"They came from behind him and started beating him," the reports said, adding that the band of thugs demanded money but Wilkinson said he had none.

One of the boys reached into his pocket and grabbed Wilkinson's wallet. Finding it empty, they "continued to beat him and demand money," as Wilkinson repeatedly told them he had none, cops said.

Eventually the robbers ran away and Wilkinson made it back to his building and dialed 911.

"We are still following up on this obviously very disturbing incident and we are coordinating resources from several different police divisions," Jersey City Police Acting Chief Hugh Donaghue said yesterday. "Simply put, it's a full court press to bring these punks to justice."

Yesterday Wilkinson's sister said the teens broke her brother's knee cap and five of his ribs. At least one rib pierced his lung and collapsed it. Doctors put a drain in his lung but she said worries about the possibility of pneumonia. He is recovering and was listed in good condition yesterday, said John McKeegan, spokesman for the Medical Center

"He's in pain all the time," Wilkinson's sister said when asked how her brother was doing when she visited after his surgery.

"These kids are running the streets till 1, 2, 3 o'clock in the morning," said a resident of Wilkinson's building, who identified herself only as Christine.

"They'll jump on anyone that's old or on crutches, in a wheelchair, disabled," said Kenny Britt, who also lives in Wilkinson's building.

"It's a problem from Bramhall (Avenue) to Forrest (Street). The streets of this city ain't safe for old folks. The streets ain't safe since Cunningham died," he said, referring to former Jersey City Mayor Glenn D. Cunningham, who died in office on May 25, 2004.

Many people in the area blame the brutal crime on a lack of organized activities for children. The Jersey City Police Department Juvenile Bureau is investigating the incident.