Man beaten to death fo' breaking into church

[Tyrone N. Butts]

54

Church Burglar Beaten to Death

A peaceful place for prayer turned into a deadly scene early Thursday morning. Police said Donald Middleton, 46, was beaten to death in the parking lot of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.

Lillie Bell has been Middleton's neighbor for 35 years. "When I heard what was going on," she says," it was a big shock to me that someone would run a young man down like that and take his life."

Police said a group of men across the street saw Middleton trying to break into the church.

The Rev. Arthur Sutton said the men tried to stop Middleton, but went too far.

"My thing about it is if they saw something being done to the church the proper authorities should've been called,"

Sutton said. "I think they were trying to do a good deed, but it went too far."

The coroner said Middleton died o
f severe head trauma.

This is not the first time Middleton has been accused of doing wrong. His arrest record dates back to 1984. Charges include, auto theft, burglary, grand larceny, disorderly conduct, bank robbery and possession of crack cocaine. Despite the long rap sheet, neighbors said Middleton did not deserve to die.

Bell said, "I remember Donald as a good boy, a good young man."

There have been no arrests in this case. Jackson Mayor Frank Melton said witnesses are working with police.

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There's no doubt in my mind, but I'll leave this hear until the perps are caught, then it goes to the Edgar Ray Killen folder.

T.N.B.

 

[Tyrone N. Butts]

54

3 Jackson men charged with murder in beating

The three photos at link confirm negritude in the first degree.

Three Jackson men were charged with murder Thursday for allegedly using their hands and feet to assault a man trying to break into a church last week, police said.

Hearing two of the men had turned themselves in was a relief to Arthur Sutton, pastor of Progressive Baptist Church. "They did the right thing," Sutton said.

George Smith, 20, and Harry Wilson, 27, surrendered to police. Rickie D. Lee, 34, was arrested at a west Jackson home.

Witnesses told police three men at the Woodrow Wilson Shell gas station tried to dissuade Donald Middleton from t

rying to burglarize the church at 2323 Powers Ave. around 4 a.m. Aug. 1
1. But when he did not stop, the men ran across an open field and assaulted Middleton. The men fled in a maroon vehicle, police said. Middleton's body was found lying in a field.

Middleton, 46, of Horton Avenue is the city's 23rd homicide of the year. An autopsy found he suffered heart failure during the attack and died of sudden cardiac death, Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said. Middleton had heart disease, she said.

"There were no injuries on his body that led us to believe a weapon was used," Sgt. Joseph Wade said.

Wade would not say how police identified Smith, Wilson and Lee as the attackers.

Assistant Chief Roy Sandefer said the three men were attempting to do something positive that went awry.

"In their perception, they were doing a community service," he said. "But taking the law into your own hands --we don't want that. It was a hei
nous
crime."

Smith of 1595 W. Highland Drive, Apt. W-107, called police around 2:30 p.m. from a room at the Sup
er 8 Motel, 6058 I-55 North, to surrender, Wade said. Wilson of 210 Forest Dale Drive surrendered at police headquarters around 11:15 a.m. Lee of 226 Gunter St. was arrested around 1:25 p.m. at a residence at South Prentiss Street.

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes held a meeting at the church last week to address community concerns over Middleton's death. Robert Carroll, who has lived next door to the church for 13 years, attended.

"I feel good about them (police) trying to find out who did it, but I feel bad about the crime," he said. "We never had nothing [sic] like that happen over here. I feel safer now, but police need to ride through here more."

Bernice Jones, who also lives across from the church, questions if the three men actually were trying to stop Middleton from committing a crime.

"I didn
't t
hink he was trying to break in," she said. "Maybe they were trying to rob him. I am glad they did catch them."

Smith, Wilson and Lee have prior arrests but n
o convictions, records show.

Smith has been arrested for possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. Wilson has been arrested for possession of marijuana, auto theft, disorderly conduct and traffic violations. Lee has been arrested for possession of marijuana, house burglary and carjacking, records show.

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I knew it, I knew it! Wake up America and smell the nigger.

T.N.B.