Finally Some Hope To A Tragic Ending By Chalisa Anderson
Finally Some Hope to Tragic Ending
By: Chalisa Anderson
Earl “Bay Bay” Freeman
(Www.myfoxtwincities.com)
Sunday April 22nd 2007 was a tragic day for friends and family, when 17-year-old Earl Freeman, Known to everyone as Bay Bay, was shot and killed on a metro-transit bus just outside 5th Street and Sibley. The gunman was then 17-year-old Jerome, “Tiny-A” Cross, who pleaded guilty to intentional murder in the 2nd degree. Jerome could spend 32 years in prison for the shooting.
The Shooting is a result of an ongoing feud with 2 gangs. Which Cross and Freeman were affiliated with. There was little to no violence with the two gangs before April 22nd, but the feud heated up after freeman was shot. Incidents like Cross’ people showing up at freeman’s funeral and causing drama with freeman’s friends and fighting after cross’ sentencing trail is what keeps this feud alive and well.
In court on Tuesday November 13th Cross stated, “he brought a gun on the bus last April to shoot someone who he thought had threatened him in the past,” (myfoxtwincities.com) but instead of shooting who he was going to, he shot and killed Bay Bay. The police said Bay Bay was sitting next to the intended victim. Cross has agreed to the 32-year sentence and was tried as an adult. A sentencing hearing is set for January 2008.
When asking Johnson students who knew Bay Bay how they felt about Jerome’s sentencing, (two of which who wanted to stay unnamed) stated that, “I feel happy and he should of got what he got”, and “He should of got what he deserved. I also asked the same 2 students if they thought he deserves more punishment. One of the students said, “Yes and he deserves life in prison”, and the other stated, “32 years is better than him getting out in a couple months”.
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