Heard in the Hall

Nutter doesn't condone vigilante justice, but he doesn't condemn it either

Philadelphia City Hall and political coverage from the Philadelphia Inquirer City Hall bureau.

69 comments

Nutter doesn't condone vigilante justice, but he doesn't condemn it either

POSTED: Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 3:01 PM

Patrick Kerkstra

Mayor Nutter today refused to condemn last night's apparent case of vigilante justice, where Kensington residents seized and beat a man wanted by police in connection with the rape of an 11-year-old girl.

"I do not generally condone what someone might consider vigilantism out in our streets, but it’s indicative of the anger and the compassion that many of our citizens have," Nutter said. He went on to call the episode a "demonstration" of the fact "that Philadelphians care passionately about this city, about our quality of life and certainly about our children."

"I think we need to maintain our primary focus on the young girl who was viciously assaulted. There is no place in this city for that kind of behavior and our thoughts and prayers should remain focused on her and her family," Nutter said.

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69 comments

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Comments (69)

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:53 PM, 06/03/2009

In other words, let the animals kill themselves over the summer.

— SouthPhillyJ

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 4:55 PM, 06/03/2009

maybe their just preparing for when nutter lays off cops and we have to fend for ourselves.

— BleedingRed

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:04 PM, 06/03/2009

Unbelievable. The mayor condones the mob beating of a prsumptively innocent man.

— Rowland

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:07 PM, 06/03/2009

Wake up, ClarkU, because when one of yours is raped you’ll sing a different tune. I’d venture to say that you’re no Gandhi or King; just another that has not been directly affected by this type of violence and therefore has no clue. My people have and yes I’ve failed the decency and morality code in that I want not just justice but a personal piece of him. That being said, it’s too bad they didn’t hang this piece of dung. That would have been justice.

— Amos

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:08 PM, 06/03/2009

Aren't we lucky that the Sweetin woman got caught before someone found the "two black men" and beat them half to death? There is anger out here, but vililante acts do nothing to cure it. Only seeing justice done surely and quickly does any good. I don't want to see death squads in Philly, like they had in Brazil and Argentina. They killed a lot of innocent people in their zeal for justice.

— DonQ

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:19 PM, 06/03/2009

I know that my position is unpopular but we cannot have a society where mobs are free to administer "justice" on their own. What happened to the young girl was tragic and heinous, punish the guilty. But allow him a trial and an opportunity to defend himself and if he's guilty then bury him. But a mob is not a jury. This is not Alabama in 1900. I think the police were really trying to get this guy killed, arresting suspects is their job, not the publics. The people who participated in this should be charged to send a message that this won't be tolerated, though I know this will never happen.

— ClarkU

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:20 PM, 06/03/2009

A New Day, A New Way!

— Philly_Avenger

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:22 PM, 06/03/2009

I have no sympathy for this pos, and I probably would have joined in. But I think we should all agree that vigilanteism is bad. For every one time we beat up the right guy, there will probably be two times we beat up some poor guy who looks like the photo on tv. Even if my daughter was raped, I wouldn't want an innocent person to be beat to (near) death to avenge her.

— freesamuel

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:23 PM, 06/03/2009

Look--no one's saying the judicial and prison systems don't need reform, and that we need a better set of politicians in power than we have now. But don't go around condoning vigilante justice . . . this town is devolving into Thunderdome. If you're cool w/ that, that's fine--but don't go crying when you get beat up for walking down the street. Because you shouldn't kid yourself--if no one is punishing the people who beat our boy Jose, then eventually these people will go after whomever they please.

— MaC130

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0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:27 PM, 06/03/2009

Don't know the story (in Indiana) but if what they say about this dirtbag is true, well! I guess he got his injuries falling down some steps then, darn, he better watch where he's walking next time huh!!!

— DJ