Saturday, May 16, 2020

The Murders of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover

On Jan. 9, 2014, Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins were invited to a home on North Hickory Street in Joliet, Illinois where Alisa Massaro, Bethany McKee, Joshua Miner and Adam Landerman were having a party. Glover and Rankins were killed and robbed of $120. Here are the fact surrounding the double-murder case. Adam Landerman Found Guilty June 15, 2015 - The fourth defendant charged with luring two black men to a house in Joliet, Illinois to rob and murder them has been found guilty. Adam Landerman, son of a Joliet police officer, was found guilty of the 2013 deaths of Terrance Ranking and Eric Glover. Testimony at his jury trial showed that Landerman strangled Glover while co-defendant Joshua Miner strangled Rankins. Landerman admitted to police that he took part in the plan to rob the two alleged marijuana dealers. Joshua Minor was the mastermind behind the plan to rob the two men. Landerman told police that he told Minor that he did not want to be involved in the robbery, but if a scuffle ensued, he would have Minors back. When sentenced, Landerman will face a mandatory life sentence. Minor and Bethany McKee both received life sentences after being found guilty last year in bench trials. The fourth defendant, Alisa Massaro, received a 10-year sentence in a plea deal in which she agreed to testify against the others. However, she only testified in McKees trial. The crime took place at Massaros home. Joshua Minor Found Guilty Oct. 8, 2014 - A judge has found another defendant guilty in the case known as the Nightmare on Hickory Street. Joshua Miner was found guilty of the murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins after he declined a trial by jury. Will County Judge Gerald Kinney found Minor guilty of six counts of first-degree murder. The evidence presented at trial leaves little, if any, doubt that this defendant caused the death of Terrance Rankins, Judge Kinney said. The defendant admits that he planned to rob the individuals. He faces a mandatory life sentence. Joshua Miner Waves Jury Trial Sept. 22, 2014 - The alleged mastermind of a plot to lure two men to a party at a home in Joliet, Illinois so that they could be killed and robbed is facing a bench trial this week for the murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins. As jury selection was about to begin Monday, Joshua Miner waved his right to a trial by jury and is being tried before the same judge that found co-defendant Bethany McKee guilty in an earlier bench trial. In early testimony, police officers said that when they arrived at the scene, Miner told them he killed one of the victims and co-defendant Adam Landerman killed the other. Alisa Massaro, who accepted a plea deal for a lesser charge, is expected to testify in Miners trial, which is expected to last one week. Bethany McKee Guilty of Murder Aug. 29, 2014 - A 20-year-old Illinois woman has been found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder for her part in the deaths of two 22-year-old black men. Will County Judge Gerald Kinney found Bethany McKee guilty in the deaths of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins in a house in Joliet. Judge Kinney said McKee played a key role in luring the two men to the house so that they could be killed and robbed. Closing arguments were presented in McKees bench trial on August 12. Judge Kinney said at the time he would issue a verdict on Aug. 29. A review of those facts shows a stunning lack of respect for human life as well as a stunning lack of concern for the consequences of taking two human lives, Kinney said. In this ruling, Kinney said McKee had many opportunities to back out of the plot, but instead talked with co-defendants about getting rid of the bodies and spent her share of the money stolen from the victims. The defense had argued that McKee wasnt in the room when the two were killed. Defense attorney Chuck Bretz said McKee made poor decisions after the murders, but she was not guilty of murder. Two other defendants - Joshua Miner, 26, and Adam Landerman, 21 - still face trial. They are accused of actually strangling the two men. A fourth defendant, Alisa Massaro, pleaded guilty to lesser charges after agreeing to testify against the others. When McKee is sentenced Oct. 16, she will face a mandatory life-without-parole sentence under Illinois law. Trial Set for Bethany McKee Aug. 5, 2014 - Trial will begin next week for 20-year-old Bethany McKee, one of four suspects accused of the murder and robbery of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins, who were killed in Joliet, Illinois last year. McKee was arrested along with Joshua Miner, 26, Adam Landerman, 21, and Alisa Massaro, 22, for the murders of the two black men, which took place at Massaros home. McKee claims she left the party before the murders took place and that Glover and Rankins were still alive when she left. Alisa Massaro pleaded guilty in May to robbery and concealment of a homicide in a deal that gave her a 10-year sentence. She is expected to testify in McKees trial next week. Miners Statements Ruled Admissible June 19, 2014 - Statements made to police by one of the four defendants, accused of luring two 22-year-old black men to a home where they were killed and robbed, can be used against him in his trial. A judge has ruled that statements given to police by Joshua Miner, one of the defendants charged with the murders of Eric Glover and Terrance Rankins are admissible and can be used against him in court. Miner, Adam Landerman, 20; Bethany McKee, 19; and Alisa Massaro, 20; are accused of alluring Glover and Rankins - both 22 - to Massaros house where they were killed and robbed of money and drugs. Lea Norbut, Miners attorney, had argued that Miner, 25, should have been provided with an attorney after he inquired about one during the interviews with investigators. Prosecutor John Connor argued, and the judge agreed, that Miner was informed of his right to have an attorney and he waived that right and spoke to police willingly. Massaro took a plea deal and was sentenced to 10 years in May. McKees trial is scheduled to begin July 21. Woman Gets 10 Years in Double Murder Plea Deal May 23, 2014 - A 20-year-old Illinois woman has been given a 10-year prison sentence to reduced charges in a double homicide case in exchange for her testimony against her three co-defendants. Alissa Massaro pleaded guilty to four felony charges in connection with the deaths of Terrance Rankins and Eric Glover in 2013. She pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery and two counts of concealment of a homicide. Prosecutors said that Massaro and her three co-defendants - Joshua Miner, 25; Adam Landerman, 20; and Bethany McKee, 19 - lured the victims to Massaros house in January 2013. Rankins and Glover, both 22 years old, were strangled and they were robbed of the money and drugs found on their dead bodies. Planned to Dismember Bodies In previous statements, prosecutors said that Massaro and Miner callously played video games and partied after the murders. Police reports also revealed that they planned to dismember the victims bodies before disposing of them. Although the murders took place at Massaros home, 40 miles southwest of Chicago in Joliet, prosecutor Dan Walsh told the court that the actual killings took place outside of Massaros presence. Walsh did say that Massaro did not alter authorities or her father about the crime. Credit for Time Served Technically, Massaro will serve two consecutive five-year sentences on the robbery charges and serve two consecutive three-year sentences for concealing the crimes concurrently with the robbery sentences. She will be given credit for the 16 months she served in jail awaiting trial. George Lenard, Massaros attorney, said her plea deal was based on the evidence in the case and her willingness to testify against the others. If the others go to trial, and if she is called as a witness, she will testify truthfully, Lenard told reporters. Plea Deal Surprised Other Defendants Miner, Landerman, and McKee all still face first-degree murder charges. In a hearing last week, a prosecution motion to have each of them tried separately was granted by Judge Gerald Kinney. According to news reports, Massaros plea deal came as a surprise to the other defendants, especially 19-year-old McKee, who was seen crying when she learned of the deal. Bill McKee, her father, said the deal was a shock because his daughter has not been approached about a plea bargain even though, he said, he was not in the house at the time of the murders. McKee Told Her Father McKee said his daughter left the Massaros home before the slayings and she told him that Rankins and Glover were still alive when she left. When she left the house, she called her father and told him about the situation and it was McKee that called the police. McKee was arrested later at her Shorewood home, while the other three were arrested at the scene, McKee said. Police reports at the time said the three were still partying while the two victims were lying dead in the North Hickory Street home. Miner to Be Tried First I think its sad, Bill McKee told reporters. The sentence she got, its reprehensible. After winning the motion to try the three remaining defendants separately, prosecutors decided to put Miner on trial first. No date has been set for his trial. The three defendants are scheduled for another hearing on June 16. Sources CBS News:Â  Illinois Woman Takes Plea, Gets 10 Years for Double MurderChicago Tribune:Â  Defendants in Joliet Double-Homicide to Be Tried Separately

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

`` Bartleby, The Scrivener, And Harlan Ellison s ``...

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, sanity is â€Å"the condition of having a healthy mind [or] the condition of being based on reason or good judgement† (Merriam-Webster). Using this definition, the question to address would then be what constitutes having a healthy mind? Some people believe that in order to be seen as having this you have to be â€Å"normal†. For some this term is the â€Å"equivalent of [being] oblivious and you [are] ‘abnormal’ when you [are] sentient, human, and real† (Maisel, 2011). This concept of what is normal and what is not is dependent upon how everyone in the society around them acts. Therefore, someone who is not deemed as being â€Å"normal† cannot be seen as having a healthy mind and having a good sense of judgement because they are too perceptive to the world around them. In Herman Melville’s â€Å"Bartleby, the Scrivener† and Harlan Ellison’s â€Å" ‘Repent, Harlequin!â⠂¬â„¢ Said the Ticktockman† the principal characters are ostracized by the society’s they live in for this very reason. Being that both of the characters are mindful enough to rebel against what society expects of them, they can be perceived as exhibiting a form of â€Å"divinest sense†. When one looks at the phrase â€Å"divinest sense† they would conclude that it means that the individual possesses some form of god-like consciousness. Although as previously discussed, to the rest of society the person would be ridden off as being insane because they are too aware of their surroundings. The whole concept

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Children and Young Peoples Development free essay sample

This is a very fast period of physical development. As newborn babies have very little control over their bodies especially their heads. Movements are linked to their reflexes which they need in order to survive. In the first year however they will learn to have more control over their bodies so that by the time they hit 12 months most babies will have developed some degree of motorbility i. e. crawling/rolling. As they begin their second year babies will continue to grow and develop and walking begins. They begin to use 0 – 3 Years From birth many adults will try to communicate with babies even though they know they are not able to understand and communicate back. It is important to communicate with babies as it helps to stimulate and is good for them to feel that people are interested in them. For those babies who are not communicated with from an early age it is found that they struggle to learn the skills of effective communication later on in life. Babies will enjoy songs and games, most will begin to attempt to speak at approximately 12 months, this can either be earlier and can be later. Between the age of one and two years babies start to put words together and they will be a bit more pronounced. Their vocabulary starts to increase rapidly so that by the time they reach the age of 2 they will know in the region of 200 words. Between two and three years they will start to use plurals in their speech, using negatives as well. Grammatically there are still errors being made such as â€Å"I drawed it† 3 – 7 Years This age is when children become more social and vocal. They will use familiar phrases and expressions. They will be very questionable. Skills will improve especially in the fine motor skills department with them learning how to read and write. 7 – 12 Years Children will be refining their skills of reading and writing, they will become more fluent in their mother tongue and as thus will enable them to discuss ideas and understand their learning a lot better. They will begin to form their own ideas and vocalise these. 12 – 18 Years Young people now have a firm idea of their likes and dislikes. They will find that in the areas that they have their favourite ideas and subjects and will often pour all their efforts into it. They will be at an emotional time selecting GCSE’s and A Levels and as the year’s progress taking them. Many young people through this time often lack confidence and avoid situations which they are not comfortable. 16 – 19 Years As young people come to leaving full time education or continuing onto college, 6th Form and then University, they are filled with lots of choices, these can often be overwhelming. c)Social, Emotional and Behavioural Development 0-3 Years All children need help in finding out who they are and their personalities. All babies need to form strong attachment, most of the time this is with the primary caregiver, namely the mother. As a child begins nursery, some starting a lot earlier than others, they are allocated a Key Worker, this is the person that they typically have the strongest bond. All children at this stage will have tantrums, these mainly occur though frustration, simply because they cannot vocalise what they want. They will start to be encouraged to do things for themselves and this is very important in their social development. 3 – 7 Years At this age the children are finding out their identities. They will be developing their imagination and will socialise using this kind of play, including role play which they use to help define the different areas in their life, ie playing mummies and babies, doctors. They will often play in a fantasy land, fairies and the like. They are beginning to understand the purpose of rules and why they have to follow them. It is important to start delegating responsibilities to the children once they srart school. They thrive off approval at this age. 7 – 12 Years Friendships should become less tempestuous and more solid, giving children confidence in themselves. They require the chance to be more independent although will still need guidance, praise and encouragement. They will be very self aware of others thoughts and feelings towards themselves. 12 – 16 Years Self esteem at this age can be very vulnerable; this is typically because of the start of puberty. Although the body may have taken on the physical signs of adulthood their maturity is still catching up and may act very childish at times. They will want to be independent and spend more time with their peers. Sometimes they may not know how to act in their surroundings and struggle with the pressures of growing up and the expectations which are being thrust upon them. 16 – 19 Years These are young adults now. They will accept criticism and will need guidance and advice from adults around them. They will lack experience in areas and as they are individuals will vary in emotional maturity. Girls, as written previously will reach emotional maturity before the males. 1. 2Describe with examples how different aspects of development can affect one another. Although we have different headings for development, we are advised to remember that all aspects of child and young person’s development interlock. For example someone’s physical development also affects a person’s ability to become grow in confidence, thus helping them become independent and socialise well. 2. 1Describe with examples the kinds of influences that affect children and young peoples development including a)Background All pupils come from different backgrounds, environment, cultures and circumstances, no two children are the same. Many families have issues which they may be going through at home and haven’t informed school about. These can be one of many things, typically they can include, family break ups, the introduction of a new partner, bereavement in the family. These all have a major impact on a child’s development. b)Health If pupils suffer from poor health, physical disability or impairment it may restrict their developmental opportunities. For example a child who has a physical impairment may be unable or less able to participate in some activities. Emotionally this will have impacted the child as they will be in some cases be aware of their needs and may feel excluded. It is important as a school that we recognise the child’s inclusion in all aspects of schools. c)Environment We have to remember that a child’s environment is very important to their upbringing; they may live in areas of poverty or deprivation and thus struggle to thrive and respond to situations in school. If a child is a looked after child this can also affect development as they may not be achieving their targets. These children are very closely monitored by outside agencies and therefore any problems are easily addressed. 2.2 Describe with examples the importance of recognising and responding to concerns about children and young people’s development. If you have any concerns with a child’s development then it is imperative that you share your thoughts with others, initially this should be to the child’s class teacher who should refer the issues to the SENCO. In a secondary school you may wish to go straight to the SENCO. Often concerns will have been noted by others and it is important to inform others of your concerns as well. If possible you should give dates and examples for the reasons for your concerns so that they can be backed up. We must remember that the school should always inform the parents of any concerns which they may have with the child. 3. 1 Identify the transitions experienced by most children and young people. The transitions which are experienced by most children and young people are usual. Many involve the transition from home to pre-school, starting mainstream education, and in school life passing through year group to year group. If your school is only an infant school the child will have the transition from infant to junior school and then the transition to high school. Simple things like changes in timetable at school to change of staffing. The other change which will occur is that of puberty. 3. 2 Identify the transitions that only some children and young people may experience. The transitions that only some children and young people may experience are:- Bereavement Parental separation Parental change of partner The birth of a new sibling Moving house Change of carer (for looked after children) Illness or injury 3. 3 Describe with examples how transitions may affect children and young people’s behaviour and development. Transitions can affect children’s behaviour and development in many ways. We need to ensure that children in school feel secure and have positive relationship at all times but especially during these testing and upsetting times for them. An example of how the transition of bereavement may affect the child is that they may become withdrawn and quiet, be anxious and display uncharacteristic behaviour. Another example of a transition is that if a child is moving through year groups or schools, it may appear an exiting time and rightly so it is, but for some children, they struggle with this change and this is when they may begin to show uncharacteristic behaviour. In order to support children through this time we encourage visits to classrooms, meeting the teachers and support staff and giving them taster sessions. If a child is moving to their Junior School, visits are welcomed, open days/evenings, meeting the staff and giving them a taster of a day in the life at the new school. Many schools offer a buddy system whereby they have a child which they are friendly with from the same school, paired into the same class. This often creates something familiar for the child as well which eases the transition.