Four black teens charged with capital murder of WWII veteran who died after mugging
Curiously, the headline here ("Four black teens") did not appear on this story in the New York Daily News -- an attempt to mask the fact that the "alleged" attackers, all black, murdered an 87-year-old white World War II veteran. This was added by Blogmaster Verne Strickland after spotting the censorship.
Lawrence E. 'Shine' Thornton, who was known for running his home business Maria's Famous Hot Tamales, was violently attacked on his driveway on Oct. 18. The four thieves, who were black, took his wallet, along with his life, and are being held on bail for as much as $3 million.
By Nina Golgowski / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Sunday, October 27, 2013, 11:35 AM
Delta Hot Tamale Festival via Facebook
Lawrence E. ‘Shine’ Thornton, a beloved World War II veteran and pillar
of his local community, was killed in a mugging by four teens just
after recognized as king of the second annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival.
Greenville, MS -- Four teens have been charged in the fatal mugging of an 87-year-old
World War II veteran who died two days after the attack on his own
driveway , according to police in Mississippi.
The teens, ages of 18 and 19, were all charged with capital murder after Lawrence E. "Shine" Thornton, a beloved member of his Greenville community, was fatally attacked on Oct. 18.
Greenville police tell the Delta Democrat Times that the teens, all from Greenville, "pushed him down and stole his wallet" around 5:30 p.m.
RELATED: CROWD OF VETERANS, SUPPORTERS STORM WWII MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON
The WWII widower was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson where he later died.
Terrance Morgan, 19, Edward Johnson, 19, Geblonski Murray, 18, and Leslie Litt, 18, were arrested Monday and charged with capital murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit a robbery after Thornton's community launched a reward for the arrest of the culprits responsible for his attack.
Morgan was the sole teen denied bond by a municipal judge Wednesday, the Times reports. Johnson and Geblonski had bond set at $3 million, while bond for Litt was set at $2.5 million.
RELATED: COPS FIND TEENS’ FINGERPRINTS ON MURDERED WWII VETERAN’S CAR
Just hours before the brutal attack, Thornton, who in recent years
became a hot tamale entrepreneur, was honored for the second year as
king at the local Delta Hot Tamale Festival.
In an article with the Southern Foodways Alliance, Thornton was remembered as not only a skilled hot tamale entrepreneur, but also the owner of a liquor store who ran the shop while working 37 years for the Delta Electric Co.
Prior to this, he served two years as a fireman first class aboard minesweeper the USS Herald, according to his obituary.
RELATED: COPS HUNT SECOND SUSPECT IN WWII-VET BEATING DEATH
After losing his job with the electric company in 1984, the Shaw native focused on his a liquor store he had kept on the side to support his family.
That same year he also started to work in the hot tamale business, where he would craft his moneymaking recipe.
That recipe soon blossomed into Maria's Famous Hot Tamales, which was named after his Sicilian wife, Mary, and was housed in a backyard kitchen.
RELATED: WAR VETERANS TO HONOR WWII AIRMAN WHEN HIS REMAINS RETURN UPSTATE NEW YORK HOME
The Delta Hot Tamale Festival, which celebrated its second anniversary Oct. 17-19, memorialized its late king on its Facebook page with a photo of him seated proudly at his throne.
"Our love and prayers go out to your family. And you will forever be our King Shine," it said.
At least a dozen commenters mourning his loss chimed similar sentiment.
"Our Prayers go out to his Sons and his beloved Grandchildren. A Fine Southern Gentleman. So Sad," wrote Facebook user Ruth Perkins.
ngolgowski@nydailynews.com
On a mobile device? Watch the video here
The teens, ages of 18 and 19, were all charged with capital murder after Lawrence E. "Shine" Thornton, a beloved member of his Greenville community, was fatally attacked on Oct. 18.
Greenville police tell the Delta Democrat Times that the teens, all from Greenville, "pushed him down and stole his wallet" around 5:30 p.m.
RELATED: CROWD OF VETERANS, SUPPORTERS STORM WWII MEMORIAL IN WASHINGTON
The WWII widower was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson where he later died.
Terrance Morgan, 19, Edward Johnson, 19, Geblonski Murray, 18, and Leslie Litt, 18, were arrested Monday and charged with capital murder, robbery and conspiracy to commit a robbery after Thornton's community launched a reward for the arrest of the culprits responsible for his attack.
Morgan was the sole teen denied bond by a municipal judge Wednesday, the Times reports. Johnson and Geblonski had bond set at $3 million, while bond for Litt was set at $2.5 million.
RELATED: COPS FIND TEENS’ FINGERPRINTS ON MURDERED WWII VETERAN’S CAR
In an article with the Southern Foodways Alliance, Thornton was remembered as not only a skilled hot tamale entrepreneur, but also the owner of a liquor store who ran the shop while working 37 years for the Delta Electric Co.
Prior to this, he served two years as a fireman first class aboard minesweeper the USS Herald, according to his obituary.
RELATED: COPS HUNT SECOND SUSPECT IN WWII-VET BEATING DEATH
After losing his job with the electric company in 1984, the Shaw native focused on his a liquor store he had kept on the side to support his family.
That same year he also started to work in the hot tamale business, where he would craft his moneymaking recipe.
That recipe soon blossomed into Maria's Famous Hot Tamales, which was named after his Sicilian wife, Mary, and was housed in a backyard kitchen.
RELATED: WAR VETERANS TO HONOR WWII AIRMAN WHEN HIS REMAINS RETURN UPSTATE NEW YORK HOME
The Delta Hot Tamale Festival, which celebrated its second anniversary Oct. 17-19, memorialized its late king on its Facebook page with a photo of him seated proudly at his throne.
"Our love and prayers go out to your family. And you will forever be our King Shine," it said.
At least a dozen commenters mourning his loss chimed similar sentiment.
"Our Prayers go out to his Sons and his beloved Grandchildren. A Fine Southern Gentleman. So Sad," wrote Facebook user Ruth Perkins.
ngolgowski@nydailynews.com
On a mobile device? Watch the video here
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