‘Bent on violence’
Williams was unmoved. After noting that Nicholas was “extremely intelligent” and that the letters submitted on his behalf illustrated some of his better attributes, Williams described him as “bent on violence and selfishness.” Williams recapped Nicholas’ criminal career which commenced at age 15 when he was adjudicated a juvenile delinquent based on a menacing charge before progressing to misdemeanor assault a short time later and, more recently, a conviction for gun possession. (In 2009, Nicholas was acquitted of participating in a gunpoint robbery with Bloods gang member Willie Pace. Pace was convicted). Williams added that he had, throughout all of the cases related to King’s murder, been deeply disturbed by the fact that the gang had ruthlessly snuffed out “the one man who had the courage to stand up” to their violent dominion over the streets of Midtown Kingston.
“This sentence will send a clear and resounding message to other individuals like yourself that this type of horrible, wanton disregard for human life will no longer be tolerated.”
Outside the courtroom, Nicholas’ grandmother, Susie Nicholas, cried as she accused Ulster County’s justice system of racism, contrasting her grandson’s fate with that of Lindsey LaTourette, who is white. In 2010, LaTourette pleaded guilty to of rape and involuntary manslaughter related to the death of a 15-year-old boy with whom she had a sexual relationship and who overdosed on methadone she provided to him. LaTourette was sentenced to one-and-a-half to four years in state prison.
“Jermain didn’t kill anyone and because of the company he was keeping he gets all that time?” asked Susie Nicholas. “This is just a redneck town.”
The argument that kids join gangs because of their environment or needing a sense of belonging is a cop-out. Organizations like church, Boys & Girls Clubs and all the many other “legal” organizations are options to these kids. They choose to join gangs and live a gang life style. A person who helps someone kill another person is as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger. This isn’t about race, its about gangs and gang violence. If the gangs don’t want the stiff penalties that come with criminal activity, they can leave Kingston anytime. This “redneck town” has had enough and it’s about time the criminals find that out. I want to see more of the same penalties handed out and for the gangs to get out.