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CNN Live Today

In Chicago, Bond Hearing Scheduled For Seventh Man Charged in Fatal Mob Attack

Aired August 05, 2002 - 10:33   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Chicago, a bond hearing is scheduled today for the seventh man charged in the fatal mob attack on two motorists who were involved in a traffic accident. The previous six defendants were all denied bond. They're all charged with first- degree murder. Police say the men ripped the victims from their van after it jumped a curb and struck a group of people sitting on a door stoop.

Reporter Julian Crews of CNN Chicago affiliate WGN has more details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody can understand the courage it took.

JULIAN CREWS, WGN REPORTER (voice-over): Community activist Bomani Obadelli (ph) says there was a lot of fear in the Oakland neighborhood about talking to police about the attacks. Detectives say the accused members of the mob were known gang members, with extensive criminal records, intimidating many in the neighborhood for some time after the killings, and making people afraid to talk.

But in the end, peaceful law abiding residents of Oakland came forward, community leaders said, and did the right thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I commend the neighbors who were courageous and stepped forward, and were courageous and stood up, and said, that, you know, we don't agree with what happened, and these are the people who did this.

CREWS: Before Tuesday's terrible attack, the Oakland neighborhood was a community known for making great strides with new construction-raising property values, and hard-working families settling in and making it home.

Tonight, Mayor Richard Daley and other city leaders defended the people of Oakland, arguing, despite the terrible tragedy, it's not fair or accurate to judge entire community on the action of a few.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's instances in every city like this. In different ways. So no, it doesn't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cannot blame that entire community for the acts of a very few. That community is made up of probably anywhere between 10,000-12,000 people.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Our thanks to reporter Julian Crews of our affiliate from Chicago, WGN, for filing that report, with those updates there.

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