This story has probably already been through here, but this story is too good to pass up.
One note... In Rhode Island, CCW (CHP) permits are issued by the State Attorney General. The current RI-AG has stipulated that he will not issue any new, nor renew any old CCW (CHP) permits. It is impossible to obtain a pistol permit in Rhode Island.
Boston Herald story
Police: They killed 'for fun'
by Tom Farmer
Tuesday, June 13, 2000
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Five Providence men were ``predators'' looking to rob and
kill ``for fun'' when they carjacked and tormented two college students early
Friday before executing them, authorities said yesterday.
``They did this for fun. This was their idea of a good time,'' said one investigator
who is probing the shocking murders of Jason Burgeson, 20, and 21-year-old
Amy Shute.
``They were out looking for someone to rob, and
they wanted a car. They were predators. This
was enjoyment for them, but things got out of
control.''
Gregory J. Floyd, 19, Sammie Sanchez, 20,
Raymond Anderson, 19, Kenneth Day, 21, and
Harry Burdick, 21, were ordered held without bail
yesterday after being arraigned in Sixth Division
District Court on two counts of murder, two
counts of kidnapping, one count of carjacking and
one count of conspiracy.
They will return to court June 26 for a bail hearing
at which time the case will be transferred to Superior Court for prosecution by the
state attorney general's office.
Burgeson's father, Ernest, made it clear yesterday he wants his son's alleged
killers executed.
``I wanted to jump up and hit every one of them,'' he said after the men were
arraigned. ``I hope I live long enough to see them put to death.''
Burgeson met briefly yesterday with Shute's father, Gary. Gary Shute declined
comment.
Since Rhode Island does not have the death penalty, relatives of the victims have
urged state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse to have U.S. Attorney General
Janet Reno prosecute the men under a federal carjacking statute that allows for
capital punishment if a murder has occurred.
Reno would have to be convinced to pursue the case and present it to a federal
grand jury, said Tom Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Rhode
Island.
Local prosecutors warned yesterday that the case has to proceed to Superior
Court before federal officials can consider whether to pursue the death penalty
under federal statutes. The case is being monitored by a federal prosecutor and an
FBI agent, authorities said.
According to court documents, Floyd made a video-taped confession admitting
he shot Burgeson twice and Shute once after he and the other four defendants had
forced them at gunpoint into Burgeson's Ford Explorer early Friday in downtown
Providence.
Burgeson, of Lakeville, Mass., and Shute, of Coventry, R.I., had recently begun
dating, according to relatives and police, and had gone dancing Thursday night
with friends at Bootleggers nightclub in Providence.
After leaving, they were standing outside Burgeson's truck in front of the Arcade
about 2 a.m. Friday when they were accosted and driven to the Button Hole Golf
Course in Johnston, just over the Providence line, police said.
Once there, Burgeson and Shute were hauled out of the car and ordered to sit on
the ground.
As they huddled together - with Shute clinging to Burgeson from behind - the
suspects argued whether to kill them and tormented them by making them beg for
their lives, police said.
Floyd then allegedly shot them in the head, police said.
The defendants robbed the couple of $18, some of Shute's jewelry, and fled in
Burgeson's Explorer and another vehicle, according to investigators.
Shute was found clutching an engagement ring that her mother, Carol, gave her 12
years ago after her parents divorced.
``(The defendants) got out there and realized they had these two people and knew
they were jammed up,'' said one investigator. ``It was like the movie the `Onion
Field,' they decided to get rid of their problem.
``These kids (the victims) were totally innocent. They had been standing outside
the Arcade talking and playing kissy-face when this group spotted them. They
were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This could have happened to anyone.
It could have been you and your wife coming home from a restaurant.''
About eight hours after the bodies were discovered by two golf course workers at
1 p.m. Friday, Floyd was spotted driving Burgeson's truck in Providence and
arrested.
According to an affidavit filed by Johnston Police Detective Carl Tirocci, Floyd
said ``a female'' had brought him to the truck and offered to sell it. Under further
questioning, Floyd admitted to the carjacking with the other defendants but said
Sanchez was the gunman, Tirocci said.
The affidavit states after the other defendants were arrested, at least two of them
gave incriminating statements to police about the murders.
Police recovered a .40-caliber, semiautomatic handgun believed to be the murder
weapon at Floyd's apartment.
They are investigating whether the gun belonged to a Providence freelance
photographer named Ira Nasberg, Police Capt. Dennis Gerstmeyer said.
Nasberg had reported a gun he owned of the same make stolen before the
shooting. Nasberg, reached at home by the Associated Press, would not
comment.
Floyd's cousin, Dave Chappelle, 26, of Philadelphia, said he was with his cousin in
the stolen truck Friday when they heard news of the murders on the radio.
Chappelle said Floyd gave no indication he was involved in the crime.
``I said, `That's horrible,' and he said, `Yeah, that's horrible.' He never gave me
any inclination he was involved.''
Shute was planning to return to the University of Rhode Island in the fall where
she was working toward a psychology degree.
Burgeson was home for the summer from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
He wanted to be a disc jockey.
A funeral for Burgeson is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the
Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home in Lakeville. Shute's funeral is scheduled for
10 a.m. Thursday at St. James Church in West Warwick.
------------------
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
~USP
"... I rejoice that America has resisted [The Stamp Act]. Three millions of people, so dead to all feelings of liberty as to voluntarily submit to being slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of the rest of us." -- William Pitt, British Parliament, December 1765
One note... In Rhode Island, CCW (CHP) permits are issued by the State Attorney General. The current RI-AG has stipulated that he will not issue any new, nor renew any old CCW (CHP) permits. It is impossible to obtain a pistol permit in Rhode Island.
Boston Herald story
Police: They killed 'for fun'
by Tom Farmer
Tuesday, June 13, 2000
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Five Providence men were ``predators'' looking to rob and
kill ``for fun'' when they carjacked and tormented two college students early
Friday before executing them, authorities said yesterday.
``They did this for fun. This was their idea of a good time,'' said one investigator
who is probing the shocking murders of Jason Burgeson, 20, and 21-year-old
Amy Shute.
``They were out looking for someone to rob, and
they wanted a car. They were predators. This
was enjoyment for them, but things got out of
control.''
Gregory J. Floyd, 19, Sammie Sanchez, 20,
Raymond Anderson, 19, Kenneth Day, 21, and
Harry Burdick, 21, were ordered held without bail
yesterday after being arraigned in Sixth Division
District Court on two counts of murder, two
counts of kidnapping, one count of carjacking and
one count of conspiracy.
They will return to court June 26 for a bail hearing
at which time the case will be transferred to Superior Court for prosecution by the
state attorney general's office.
Burgeson's father, Ernest, made it clear yesterday he wants his son's alleged
killers executed.
``I wanted to jump up and hit every one of them,'' he said after the men were
arraigned. ``I hope I live long enough to see them put to death.''
Burgeson met briefly yesterday with Shute's father, Gary. Gary Shute declined
comment.
Since Rhode Island does not have the death penalty, relatives of the victims have
urged state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse to have U.S. Attorney General
Janet Reno prosecute the men under a federal carjacking statute that allows for
capital punishment if a murder has occurred.
Reno would have to be convinced to pursue the case and present it to a federal
grand jury, said Tom Connell, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Rhode
Island.
Local prosecutors warned yesterday that the case has to proceed to Superior
Court before federal officials can consider whether to pursue the death penalty
under federal statutes. The case is being monitored by a federal prosecutor and an
FBI agent, authorities said.
According to court documents, Floyd made a video-taped confession admitting
he shot Burgeson twice and Shute once after he and the other four defendants had
forced them at gunpoint into Burgeson's Ford Explorer early Friday in downtown
Providence.
Burgeson, of Lakeville, Mass., and Shute, of Coventry, R.I., had recently begun
dating, according to relatives and police, and had gone dancing Thursday night
with friends at Bootleggers nightclub in Providence.
After leaving, they were standing outside Burgeson's truck in front of the Arcade
about 2 a.m. Friday when they were accosted and driven to the Button Hole Golf
Course in Johnston, just over the Providence line, police said.
Once there, Burgeson and Shute were hauled out of the car and ordered to sit on
the ground.
As they huddled together - with Shute clinging to Burgeson from behind - the
suspects argued whether to kill them and tormented them by making them beg for
their lives, police said.
Floyd then allegedly shot them in the head, police said.
The defendants robbed the couple of $18, some of Shute's jewelry, and fled in
Burgeson's Explorer and another vehicle, according to investigators.
Shute was found clutching an engagement ring that her mother, Carol, gave her 12
years ago after her parents divorced.
``(The defendants) got out there and realized they had these two people and knew
they were jammed up,'' said one investigator. ``It was like the movie the `Onion
Field,' they decided to get rid of their problem.
``These kids (the victims) were totally innocent. They had been standing outside
the Arcade talking and playing kissy-face when this group spotted them. They
were in the wrong place at the wrong time. This could have happened to anyone.
It could have been you and your wife coming home from a restaurant.''
About eight hours after the bodies were discovered by two golf course workers at
1 p.m. Friday, Floyd was spotted driving Burgeson's truck in Providence and
arrested.
According to an affidavit filed by Johnston Police Detective Carl Tirocci, Floyd
said ``a female'' had brought him to the truck and offered to sell it. Under further
questioning, Floyd admitted to the carjacking with the other defendants but said
Sanchez was the gunman, Tirocci said.
The affidavit states after the other defendants were arrested, at least two of them
gave incriminating statements to police about the murders.
Police recovered a .40-caliber, semiautomatic handgun believed to be the murder
weapon at Floyd's apartment.
They are investigating whether the gun belonged to a Providence freelance
photographer named Ira Nasberg, Police Capt. Dennis Gerstmeyer said.
Nasberg had reported a gun he owned of the same make stolen before the
shooting. Nasberg, reached at home by the Associated Press, would not
comment.
Floyd's cousin, Dave Chappelle, 26, of Philadelphia, said he was with his cousin in
the stolen truck Friday when they heard news of the murders on the radio.
Chappelle said Floyd gave no indication he was involved in the crime.
``I said, `That's horrible,' and he said, `Yeah, that's horrible.' He never gave me
any inclination he was involved.''
Shute was planning to return to the University of Rhode Island in the fall where
she was working toward a psychology degree.
Burgeson was home for the summer from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.
He wanted to be a disc jockey.
A funeral for Burgeson is scheduled for 10 a.m. tomorrow at the
Dahlborg-MacNevin Funeral Home in Lakeville. Shute's funeral is scheduled for
10 a.m. Thursday at St. James Church in West Warwick.
------------------
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
~USP
"... I rejoice that America has resisted [The Stamp Act]. Three millions of people, so dead to all feelings of liberty as to voluntarily submit to being slaves, would have been fit instruments to make slaves of the rest of us." -- William Pitt, British Parliament, December 1765
]