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Murder of Tessa Majors

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki


Murder of Tessa Majors
A photograph of Tessa Majors
DateDecember 11, 2019
TimeAbout 5:30 p.m.
LocationMorningside Park, Manhattan
CauseStabbing
MotiveRobbery
DeathsTessa Majors
Accused3 teenagers
ChargesSecond degree murder; Felony murder;
Felony robbery;First degree robbery; Second degree robbery

The murder of Tessa Majors occurred near Morningside Park in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, New York, on December 11, 2019. Majors, an eighteen-year-old student at Barnard College, was reportedly attacked by three African American youths who intended to rob her. She was then stabbed multiple times, resulting in her death. One of the suspects, a thirteen-year-old, was arrested the following day and charged with felony murder. Two months later, two fourteen-year-old suspects were also charged with her murder.[1][2] The investigation remains ongoing.[3]

Attack[edit]

The staircase at 116th Street, near where Majors was found[4]

On December 11, 2019, Majors was walking in Morningside Park, several blocks from Barnard College where she was a student. Shortly before 7:00 p.m., she was attacked by "between one to three people"[3] on a staircase[5] near 116th Street and Morningside Drive.[4] Police speculated that the attack was a "robbery gone wrong".[6] One suspect told police that his two accomplices grabbed Majors, put her in a choke-hold, and stole from her pockets. The suspect also told police that one of the robbers stabbed Majors with a knife.[3] According to a witness, a male yelled at Majors to “Gimme your phone.” Majors then screamed for help, yelling, “Help me! I’m being robbed!”[7] Police believe that Majors bit the finger of one of the attackers to defend herself. Authorities theorized that the primary suspect began stabbing Majors after she bit his finger.[8] Majors was stabbed several times in the chest. One stab wound pierced her heart. [9]

After the altercation, Majors' attackers fled and Majors, who was bleeding, staggered up the stairs.[10] She collapsed at the corner of Morningside Drive and 116th Street.[11] While she was still conscious she told a witness that she was stabbed and robbed in the park [12] A security guard then found her at the top of the staircase.[5] Police responded to the attack after a 911 call, finding Majors with multiple stab wounds. She was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital.[3] According to the city's medical examiner, Majors died due to stab wounds to her torso.[13]

Investigation and suspects[edit]

The day after the murder, the police arrested a thirteen-year-old male and charged him with felony murder and felony robbery.[3] The suspect was arrested after being caught trespassing while wearing clothes that matched the description given of the suspects.[14][15] He confessed to police about his involvement, telling them that he picked up the knife that would later be used to kill Majors after his partner dropped it. He also told police that he watched as the other two robbers grabbed Majors and put her in a choke-hold. According to the suspect, one of the robbers slashed her several times as she yelled for help.[16]

Judge Carol Goldstein set the suspect's trial date for March 16. She also has denied requests by his lawyers for him to be released into his aunt and uncle’s custody due to the seriousness of the charges against him.[17] In order to avoid the missteps that occurred during the Central Park Five case 30 years prior, police called in prosecutors early on in the case. Additionally, all questioning of the thirteen-year-old was video recorded.[5]

A second suspect, who is fourteen, was arrested and released on December 12.[18]

Police were unable to locate the third suspect, a fourteen-year-old, for two weeks, but apprehended him on December 26 after publicly releasing his photograph.[19][18] According to The New York Times, detectives believe that some members of the fourteen-year-old’s family were hiding him until the bite mark on his hand had time to heal.[20][18] After being questioned, the boy was released into the custody of his attorneys pending further investigation.[19]

In January 2020, it was announced that the case against the two fourteen-year-old suspects would go before a grand Jury.[21] On February 14, 2020, one of the fourteen-year-olds who had been arrested on December 26, was indicted by a grand jury.[22] The New York City Police Department re-arrested him and charged him as an adult with two counts of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree robbery and three counts of second-degree robbery.[23] According to a criminal complaint, DNA belonging to this suspect was found under Majors' fingernails.[24]

In February, a third suspect, aged fourteen, was arrested.[25][26] He was charged as an adult with two counts of second degree murder, [27] two counts of first-degree robbery and one count of second-degree robbery.

Both fourteen-year-old suspects were arraigned on February 19 and have plead not guilty.[28]

Victim[edit]

Tessa Rane Majors (May 11, 2001 – December 11, 2019) was from Charlottesville, Virginia. She graduated from St. Anne's-Belfield School in May 2019. Majors was completing her first semester as a freshman at Barnard College, a private all-women's school in Manhattan.[3] Majors sang and played bass in a band, Patient 0,[29] which had recently released an album.[3] Her band had played its first gig in New York City that fall[10] and was scheduled to play two more shows in Charlottesville during winter break.[30] Majors also led the creative writing club in high school, ran cross-country, and volunteered on political campaigns.[31] Majors had an interest in journalism,[3] interning at the Augusta Free Press during the spring of 2019,[32] and she planned to study journalism in college.[33] Her father is an English professor at James Madison University, and the author of 6 books.[3]

Aftermath[edit]

The attack prompted new security measures at Morningside Park, including 24-hour guard booths outside the park. The operation hours of the evening safety shuttle bus have also been extended.[34] Additional funding was promised for security measures at Morningside Park, as well as fixing the outdoor lighting. NYPD committed additional officers for patrolling the park, and Columbia University pledged more security guards.[35] New York City Council member Mark D. Levine announced he was "committed to finding the money to put in the cameras we need for sensitive areas that aren't covered", speaking of adding security cameras that could be monitored in real time by police officers.[36]

Reception[edit]

The incident garnered considerable news coverage, in part because violent crime has fallen significantly in New York City in recent years.[37]

The case was particularly notable due to the young ages of the suspects;[38] juveniles under the age of fifteen account for only a small fraction (<< 1%) of those arrested for murder each year.[39] In addition, the suspects are African-American and the killing is reported to have "resurfaced the longstanding racial and class tensions between Columbia University and the fast-gentrifying neighborhood of Harlem".[40][41]

The New York Times has compared the case to the 1989 Central Park jogger case, which occurred nearby in the North Woods of Central Park; both cases involved "a young white woman attacked in a park and even younger teenage suspects".[5] This comparison to the jogger case was echoed by Time[3] and the Star Tribune.[42] Gale Brewer, the borough president of Manhattan, urged detectives to proceed with caution to avoid an outcome similar to the jogger case.[43] In an effort to avoid the mistakes made by police 30 years prior, all questioning of the suspects in the Tessa Majors case has been video recorded.[5]

US Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez referred to Majors' death as a "tragedy on multiple levels", saying, "You have the horrific tragedy of a young woman’s life being taken and so much potential. But then you have a tragedy of a young boy that was driven to that point, taken to that point. And I think that tragedy is also one of intergenerational poverty, potentially a broken home, a lack of opportunity."[44]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar (February 15, 2020). "Tessa Majors Killing: 14-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder". The New York Times.
  2. ↑ Waller, Derick (19 February 2020). "Tessa Majors murder: Third teenage suspect charged in New York City". ABC7. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Carlisle, Madeleine; Gajanan, Mahita (December 14, 2019). "A Barnard Student's Stabbing Death Has Rattled NYC and a 13-Year-Old Is in Custody. Here's What to Know". Time.com. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Paybarah, Azi; Traub, Alex (2019-12-12). "Killing of Barnard Student Unnerves Campus and City". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Southall, Ashley; Dwyer, Jim (December 20, 2019). "How the Central Park 5 Case Looms Over the Tessa Majors Murder". The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  6. ↑ Santia, Marc (December 20, 2019). "Teen Wanted in Tessa Majors' Death Didn't Run Away but Search Continues". NBC New York. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  7. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar (February 15, 2020). "Tessa Majors Killing: 14-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder". The New York Times.
  8. ↑ Moore, Tina; Narizhnaya, Khristina; Italiano, Laura (December 28, 2019). "Suspect may have killed Tessa Majors because she bit his finger: police sources".
  9. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar (February 15, 2020). "Tessa Majors Killing: 14-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder". The New York Times.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Gold, Michael; Ransom, Jan; Sandoval, Edgar (2019-12-13). "Tessa Majors Killing: Boy, 13, Is Arrested". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-01-07.
  11. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar (February 15, 2020). "Tessa Majors Killing: 14-Year-Old Boy Charged With Murder". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Sanchez, Ray; Joseph, Elizabeth (February 15, 2020). "14-year-old boy arrested in stabbing death of Barnard College student Tessa Majors".
  13. ↑ "Medical examiner: Slain Barnard student Tessa Majors was stabbed in torso". December 16, 2019.
  14. ↑ DeGregory, Priscilla (December 13, 2019). "Barnard stabbing suspect held without bail after Tessa Majors' murder".
  15. ↑ Nicole Chavez, Laura Ly and Madeline Holcombe. "13-year-old suspect in death of Tessa Majors remains in custody after testimony about knife". Cnn.com.
  16. ↑ "Hearing reveals new details in case of murdered student Tessa Majors". Cbsnews.com.
  17. ↑ Fenton, Reuven; Lapin, Tamar (January 2, 2020). "Judge keeps Tessa Majors stabbing suspect Zyairr Davis locked up, sets trial date".
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Sandoval, Edgar (2 January 2020). "Tessa Majors Murder: 13-Year-Old Suspect Must Remain in Custody". New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Sandoval, Edgar (27 December 2019). "14-Year-Old Is Released Without Charges in Tessa Majors Case". New York Times. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  20. ↑ Sandoval, Edgar; Ransom, Jan (December 27, 2019). "Tessa Majors Killing: Focus Turns to DNA Evidence" – via NYTimes.com.
  21. ↑ Danst, Jonathan (January 29, 2019). "Tessa Majors Case to Soon Go Before Grand Jury in Manhattan". nbcnewyork.com.
  22. ↑ "14-year-old arrested in fatal stabbing of Tessa Majors near Columbia University". usatoday.com. February 15, 2020.
  23. ↑ Burke, Minyvonne (2020-02-15). "14-year-old boy charged with murder in stabbing death of Barnard College student Tessa Majors". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
  24. ↑ Jones, Griffin (February 15, 2020). "Following two month investigation, 14-year-old suspect charged in death of Tessa Majors". columbiaspectator.com.
  25. ↑ New York Post, Rebecca Rosenberg, Larry Celona and Natalie Musumeci. February 19, 2020. https://nypost.com/2020/02/19/third-suspect-arrested-in-killing-of-barnard-student-tessa-majors/
  26. ↑ Jones, Griffin (February 15, 2020). "Following two month investigation, 14-year-old suspect charged in death of Tessa Majors". columbiaspectator.com.
  27. ↑ Jones, Griffin (February 15, 2020). "Following two month investigation, 14-year-old suspect charged in death of Tessa Majors". columbiaspectator.com.
  28. ↑ Croft, Jay; Morales, Mark (February 19, 2020). "Teens plead not guilty in stabbing death of Barnard College student Tessa Majors". cnn.com.
  29. ↑ Kilgannon, Corey (December 13, 2019). "How the Tessa Majors Killing Rattled a Campus". Retrieved January 4, 2020 – via NYTimes.com.
  30. ↑ Rosner, Elizabeth; Feuerherd, Ben (December 13, 2019). "Barnard student Tessa Majors had two hometown music gigs lined up for winter break". Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  31. ↑ Svrluga, Susan; Jacobs, Shayna (December 13, 2019). "13-year-old arrested in connection with stabbing of Barnard College freshman". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  32. ↑ "St. Anne's-Belfield alum, former AFP intern, dead following stabbing in NYC". December 12, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  33. ↑ "Heartache, Anger as Friends Mourn Killed Barnard Student Tessa Majors". Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  34. ↑ Santia, Marc; Dienst, Jonathan; Miller, Myles (December 17, 2019). "'Terrible Tragedy:' Lawyers for Boy Accused in Tessa Majors Murder Release Statement". NBC New York. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  35. ↑ Lai, Stephanie (30 January 2020). "Community members see long-awaited safety improvements to Morningside Park in aftermath of Majors' death". Columbia Spectator. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  36. ↑ Grench, Eileen (30 January 2020). "COP-MONITORED SECURITY CAMERAS PROMISED FOR MORNINGSIDE PARK". The City. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  37. ↑ de Freytas-Tamura, Kimiko (16 February 2020). "The Tessa Majors Case: What We Know About the 14-Year-Old Charged With Murder". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  38. ↑ Gold, Michael; Ransom, Jan; Sandoval, Edgar (13 December 2019). "Tessa Majors Killing: Boy, 13, Is Arrested". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 February 2020. But also shocking have been revelations about ages of two of the suspects: They are 13 and 14 years old.
  39. ↑ https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2016/crime-in-the-u.s.-2016/topic-pages/tables/table-20
  40. ↑ Kim, Elizabeth (12 February 2020). "Murder Of Tessa Majors Reignites Racial Tensions Surrounding Morningside Park". Gothamist. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  41. ↑ Kilgannon, Corey (14 December 2019). "A Park Shed Its Reputation. Then Came the Tessa Majors Murder". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  42. ↑ Sisak, M. (26 December 2019). "Police release teen suspect in Barnard student's killing". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, MN. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  43. ↑ Gioino, Catherina; Greene, Leonard (December 13, 2019). "NYPD should not repeat Central Park 5 mistakes while investigating murder of Barnard College student, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer cautions". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  44. ↑ Ewart, Asia (24 February 2020). "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Sees More Than One Tragedy In The Death Of Tessa Majors". Refinery29. Retrieved 24 February 2020.


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