Another payment in the white life tax to black America

Mark Jaws writes:

Sadly, here is yet another tragedy to befall yet another young black man with yet another robbery gone wrong.

Sixteen-year-old Jerome Hamilton appeared in a Wayne County court Tuesday, accused of murdering Catherine Solinski-Blain, 21, who was shot and killed outside the Rib Rack in Lathrup Village in October.

The story has a video of a TV news report in which you can see the stone-faced suspect and the fetchingly pretty 21 year old Catherine Solinski-Blain, the pregnant restaurant manager he is accused of shooting in the head as she was closing up and leaving the restaurant at 10:15 p.m. last October 15. The suspect’s father, who is interviewed, is well-spoken. He says his son is innocent.

From another story we learn that the victim was a newlywed and had just learned that she was pregnant.

Lathrup Village is in Wayne County, where Detroit is located.

Here is a story from the time of the arrest in November:

Teen is charged as adult in Lathrup Village slaying
By SHAUN BYRON
Of The Oakland Press

LATHRUP VILLAGE—Investigators are searching for additional suspects after charging a 15-year-old with the slaying of a Waterford Township woman outside of the restaurant where she worked.

Jerome Hamilton of Southfield was arrested Friday before being arraigned as an adult Saturday on charges of first-degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony. He is being held at Oakland County Children’s Village.

No bond information was available as of Monday evening.

Hamilton, police officials said, was the person who shot Catherine Solinski-Blain, 21, in the head late on Oct. 15 in the parking lot of the Rib Rack restaurant on Southfield Road.

“Nothing was missing from the victim’s vehicle or business, but robbery has not been ruled out as a motive,” said Lathrup Village Police Chief Robert Jones during a Monday afternoon press conference. “Through investigation and tips, it’s been established there were multiple participants in the crime.”

Jones wouldn’t comment on specific details about the case, saying it’s an ongoing investigation and detectives are confident more arrests will be made in the future.

“We felt it was necessary to advise the public about the arrest we have made,” he said.

“There will be more information forthcoming later. Right now, there are certain things we are not going to be commenting on so it doesn’t jeopardize the investigation.”

Aiding the police department in their investigation was the Oakland County Sheriff ‘s Office and the Southfield Police Department.

“I think it’s certainly gratifying,” Sheriff Michael Bouchard said of the arrest. “Obviously, the most important thing is to get these people off the street as quickly as possible.

“We have a family that will never be the same. There is a lot of anguish going on.”

Hamilton, Jones said, had no history of contact with their department and had been a student in the Southfield school district. His current status as a student at the school was unknown to law enforcement, though broadcast reports indicate he was a student at Southfield High School.

“I think it stuns all of us someone that age perpetrated this type of a crime,” Jones said.

Investigators have said Solinski-Blain, who was employed as a manager with the Rib Rack, was closing the restaurant between 10:30 and 10:40 p.m., and probably left the building at 10:45 p.m. She was found by a neighbor who heard a gunshot and saw the car running about 10:50 p.m. and called police.

A small memorial has since been placed in the parking lot where the homicide took place. Solinski-Blain had been married for less than a year and was expecting her first child at the time of her slaying. A manager at the Rib Rack restaurant declined to comment about the arrest.

Katy Pfahlert was friends with Solinski-Blain and says she was happy someone has been caught.

“Hopefully, they catch the others,” she said. “It’s always going to be hard. A good person passed on.”

Here is an article from this week about the father defending his son’s innocence:

Dad says teen is not a killer
Minnesota man defends ‘good kid’ after hearing in restaurant manager’s death; boy to stay at juvenile center.
Delores Flynn / The Detroit News

SOUTHFIELD—Family and friends are standing behind Jerome Adam Hamilton, saying he is a good kid and not the killer of a pregnant Lathrup Village restaurant manager.

“I’ve been praying for the family that lost their daughter. But I know for sure my son is definitely not a murderer. He’s a good kid,” the boy’s father, Jerome Hamilton Jr. of Minnesota, said after a court hearing Tuesday. He has been in town for two weeks.

“His characterization has been embellished greatly,” the father said.

Catherine Solinski-Blain, 21, was shot Oct. 15 outside Rib Rack in an alleged robbery attempt. She died from a single gunshot to the head and was found slumped over the steering wheel of her car in the rear parking lot of the restaurant.

Charges against Hamilton, 16, of Southfield were changed to open murder before 46th District Court Judge Sheila Johnson at Tuesday’s hearing. Assistant Prosecutor Robert Novy amended the charge of first-degree murder.

The Solinski family sat quietly in court and declined comment.

The change allows prosecutors to argue premeditated murder or first-degree felony murder, depending on how the evidence is laid out in the case.

Arnold Weiner, the teen’s attorney, entered a not-guilty plea on behalf of Hamilton, who stood with his hands cuffed in front of him. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

Weiner said there is no physical evidence linking Hamilton, who police allege was the shooter. Two men also were charged on Monday in connection with the case. Weiner said Hamilton has an alibi—he was at the home of an aunt in Southfield, where he had been living.

Deandre Sturges, 20, of Beverly Hills was charged Monday with first-degree murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Brandon Davis, 19, of Southfield was also charged with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and as an accessory.

Prosecutors failed in their motion to have Hamilton moved from Children’s Village to the county jail, claiming he is “a menace.” Novy noted the teen’s alleged Crips gang affiliation and disorderly conduct at a Southfield fireworks ceremony in June where 10, 32-caliber bullets were found in his pocket.

He also had a run-in with Detroit Police on Nov. 20, when he allegedly threw several bags of marijuana on the ground before fleeing.

Johnson denied the request because of Hamilton’s good behavior since his arrest, including leading a Bible study in Children’s Village. His preliminary exam will be scheduled Friday.

You can reach Delores Flynn at (248) 647-7225 or dflynn@detnews.com.

- end of initial entry -

David B. writes:

I have read your post on the murder in Michigan. The authorities haven’t told what their evidence is as yet. They have arrested two more suspects. If there is no DNA or fingerprints, someone talked. The restaurant may have had a surveillance camera outside. We don’t know yet. One article I read said that the preliminary hearing is tomorrow (Friday).

This could be a gang crime of a sort. The idea may have been to go out and kill a white person. The preliminary is supposed to determine if there is enough evidence to hold the suspects for trial.

LA replies:

I also was struck that the police arrested him and didn’t give, or even hint at, their reasons.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at January 08, 2009 02:34 PM | Send