New Haven Independent

Posted by: anon | March 4, 2009 10:49 AM

"Maurice was arrested in November on two felony charges of robbery and larceny. Overall, he wasn't one of those kids who was on the police radar."

This seems like a contradiction in the story. What is a "police radar"?

Posted by: Hood Rebel | March 4, 2009 11:53 AM

I feel terrible for the painful sorrow this family must be experiencing.

This is another stupid, repugnant, incomprehensible act reflecting an inability to convince some kids to reason things out...that it's NOT okay to carry guns..it is not okay to attack and murder those you don't get along with.

Posted by: anon | March 4, 2009 12:17 PM

I agree with you Hood Rebel.

Can we significantly up the fines, sentences and penalties for gun carrying and illegal sales, like Bloomberg has been doing? If you pull a gun on someone in a robbery, I don't care if you are 10 years old, you should get 25 years in prison with no chance of parole - if you actually shoot, the minimum should be 50 years without parole even if you just hit them in the leg. These kinds of crimes have way too much of an indirect impact on our city's property values, retail sales and community cohesion not to have much, much stricter penalties.

In other words: Use much higher penalties to address the root cause of crime, which is disinvestment in neighborhoods and the fear people have to go outside, and crime will drop. 25 years and 50 years is easy to remember and publicize to people. Don't our state judges and legislators understand this idea?

Sympathies go out to the family.

Posted by: bfair | March 4, 2009 12:47 PM

First, my heart goes out to the family who has to bear the incredible loss of one so loved and so valued. Despite those who will jump on the fact that he had past trouble with the law he didn't deserve to die.
Second, Where did the gun come from? Who provided that child with a gun? In most shootings there are at least 3 people involved. The victim, the shooter and the one who provided the gun. Why is it we never hear about who provided the gun? Why is the prosecution of that person not high priority? The one time that I heard of police tracking a gun back to its owner was when an officer was shot. That gun was tracked back to its owner and seller. He was a Caucasian addict residing outside New haven. he didn't come up with the usual..."my gun was stolen". he admitted that he sold the gun and was given mercy by the presiding judge although they prosecuted the shooter with all that the law allowed and then some. I also recall a police officer in Hamden who put guns in the hands of youth in New Haven. He, too was an addict. What was his consequence? Does anyone know? When will the police stop hiding behind the fallacy that these children are going into the suburbs stealing guns and do some real tough preventative police work? I'm not talking about profiling. I'm talking about gun tracing.I'm talking about pressing for stringent prosecution of those who provide guns to our children. When will the community demand more? We can talk about gun violence all day yet no discussion about where the guns are coming from. Why is it not imperative that we begin to look into that the free flow of guns into the community?
I make no excuse for violent behavior. I recognize that America (not only our children) must learn conflict resolution that doesn't involve deadly consequences. I want see an end to the trafficking of guns into our communities because absent of a deadly weapon those in conflict get to walk away hurt or bruised but the bottom line is they get to walk away.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | March 4, 2009 1:41 PM

TO BFair:

This case indeed reflects parallel issues of gun trafficking and kids buying and killing with the guns.

But what would happen if we could convince our kids not to buy the guns and take another human life with them-- like how we convince them not to eat dirt or eat something that fell in the toilet?

When do we begin engaging a child with this issue? At the first sign of violence a child is exposed to-- whether real or on TV? Or, is at the first moment we discipline a child? What ARE the preventative steps that families and communities can take to consistently convince our kids to make choices other than violence?

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | March 4, 2009 2:06 PM

Anon
Should Police officers who shoot People like the Bart Police officer did get 50 years to life and no parole also.

Posted by: anon | March 4, 2009 3:18 PM

Threefifths - no, because those officers are already licensed to carry and use weapons. If they shoot someone, it was most likely not premeditated in any way. It should still be punished severely, b ut it isn't the same. I think if you did a survey you would find that a police shooting is not the same kind of "random" violence that causes a community to decay and be a place that people do not want to invest in, buy homes in, walk around in, or shop in.

I am talking about people who are illegally guns carrying AND illegally using them. That's what really hurts the city, and that's what should be punished much more severely.

Message should be you pull a gun on your neighbor, you get locked up for 50 years, period. Reason is simple: you've just cost a lot of people their livelihoods and hurt their health and sense of neighborhood, and possibly their lives as well.

Posted by: Alex | March 4, 2009 3:56 PM

Exactly! The what are the NH police doing to stop gun trafficking to youth? I keep asking and never get an answer! They make a big deal of busting prostitutes and bike riders on the sidewals but are totally siloent on stopping the guns flowing to the youth. Kids tell me all the time - "give me $100 and I be back in a half an hour with a gun."

Posted by: bfair | March 4, 2009 4:11 PM

Hood Rebel: I wish it were just that easy....to be role models for our children and teach them not to do something and they obey but we know it's not that easy.Some things are; others are trial and err. Children grow and learn and many times don't adhere to their parents teachings until they reach a level of maturity so in the meantime I think we need to focus on eliminating the availability of a gun. The reality is... regardless of what parents teach their children when children leave the safety and guidance of their parents home they try to adapt to their environment.

Posted by: WOW | March 4, 2009 4:40 PM

BFAIR, what would Nick Pastore do. People take care of your own house. My sons dont buy, carry or use guns. If your hood is out of control, look in you hood for the answers, Hey Nick how's your kid, xoxoxoxo

Posted by: bfair | March 4, 2009 5:26 PM

Wow, that is so wonderful that your sons don't buy,carry or use guns.Kudos. I suspect that the good students in Columbine didn't either before that deadly day in their history.Before you get your panties twisted, I am speaking to the parents whose children find the need to buy, carry and use guns even though they have been raised otherwise. Maybe they don't feel safe.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | March 4, 2009 5:35 PM

Anon
Google in these two names Louis Eppolito and Steven Caracappa,Two highly decorated NYPD Detectives moonlighting as hitmen for the mob.Even the Federal Prosecutor said this case is the bloodiest,Most violent betrayal of there badges this city has ever seen. What these two dirt bags did they would pull there victims over in traffic stops and kill them or turn them over to the mafia to be killed.You said officers are already licensed to carry and use weapons,So was the crooked cops who try to kill Frank Serpico in a hallway.By the way when police do go to trial,They get little or no time. My point is every one should get the same amount of time.

Posted by: Hood Rebel | March 4, 2009 8:22 PM

TO BFair and Wow,

First of all, there are many many many kids in Newhallville and other neighborhoods in New Haven who do NOT buy, carry and use guns. It's disingenuous to suggest that because a child lives or moves into a certain neighborhood,adopting a thug-like behavior is automatic. There is no evidence to support that!

These Newhallville shootings, Columbine and school shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech are reminders of what can happen when kids anywhere lose control.

As parents and as a community we have to do better in understanding the patterns and behaviors --the WARNING sighs-- of kids who are likely to lose their control to become gun-toting killers; and figure out how we intervene.

Posted by: Streever | March 5, 2009 9:06 AM

Anon,
What a scary lack of compassion! 10 year old--with a 50 year jail sentence?

That is honestly one of the more disturbing comments in this paper--and there are plenty to choose from--but you win the award.

Your comment is so off-base & so scary that it's not valid for debate. Good luck.

Posted by: hi | March 5, 2009 10:06 AM

why u mo milly i will miss u u was and still is a god friend to me

Posted by: anon | March 5, 2009 10:13 AM

What's your suggested amount of time for someone who sticks a gun in your neighbor's face? The point is to open it up to debate and recognize that more than just the victims are affected by this type of violence. It affects everyone and all of it needs to be stopped - much stronger sentences for carrying or pulling a gun is one way to do it.

I agree with you 3/5ths - the time should be the same regardless of who commits the offense.

Posted by: bfair | March 5, 2009 12:11 PM

Hood Rebel:I assume you are one of those children who followed all the rules growing up. I applaud you;however there is supportive evidence that indicates a direct corelation between poverty, insufficient parental supervision and lack of community resources, growing up in a violent environment, and the incidence of criminal activity among youth. I'm not sure where you read (in my comments) that every child living in Newhallville or any other "hood" will automatically "adopt thug-like behavior" or that they all will buy, carry or use a gun. That is your interpretation. Effective intervention begins with facing some heart wrenching facts and one of them is that parents can raise their child to behave in a certain manner, raise them in a non violent household , and discourage violent behavior but that alone will not guarantee that child will never fall prey to their environment. I am speaking from personal experience. I assume you haven't had that experience. Bless you.

Posted by: TRACEY SUGGS | March 7, 2009 12:13 AM

I am The Aunt of Maurice Nicholson. This goes to anyone. that has something negative to say about my nephew. My nephew had been picked up for allegly robbing someone. He wasnt ever found guilty or proven guilty of such a crime. I can call the police today. knowing you did nothing to me and say you Robbed me at gun point. Does it make it true?? because you got arrested for what I said?? So Before you try to place my Nephew in a line up and call him guilty of a crime. Because he was arrested for one. Think about what I said. My Nephew was raised with by 2 dedicated Parents & family. He did as his parents told him not whatever he wanted to. As for finding a gun on him after his MURDER. There had to be a DAMN good reason for him having one.Other wise he would have never picked up a gun nevermind carried one.So as stated in the story. He did not come under the police radar. you asked what is a police radar? Let me see if i can help you with that. when they say police radar they are saying he wasnt a teen running wild in the streets. and getting in trouble everytime he turned around. so the police wouldnt know of him. so basically he was not a problem in the community or city. an over all GOOD KID. And no matter what my nephew did not deserve to be GUNNED down like some wild animal. No child deserves or adult deserves that.So before anyone decides to speak on my nephew in a negative way.PRAY your family wont go though tomorrow. what my family is going through today. GOD BLESS & THANK YOU to all those that have prayed for my nephew and family. And again ANYONE with any information on his MURDER. PLEASE, PLEASE come foward?? Dont let another or possibly your family suffer the losS we are. As long as these people are still on the street. We Are ALL still in DANGER. GOD BLESS Tracey Suggs Aunt of MAURICE NICHOLSON.

Posted by: nesha | October 8, 2009 2:01 PM

ALL I STILL HAVE TO SAY TO TODAY IS THAT MAURICE CASE IS STILL UNSOLVED AND I PRAY THE REAL TRUTH WILL COME OUT BECAUS HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND AND IT HURTS MI TO KNOW OR THINK THE PERSON OF INTRESTED IS SYILL OUT THERE SOMEWHERE WALKING THE STERRTS AS I SPEAK SO PLEASE HELP US SEEK HELP!
R.I.P. MOE MILLY!
NESHA!

Posted by: Dominique H. | October 12, 2009 10:50 PM

MAURICE NEVER REALLY GOT IN TROUBLE HOW DARE YOU PPL TRY TO MAKE HIM SOMETHING THAT HE WASNT.HE WAS NO WHERE NEAR A CRIMINAL HE DID EVERYTHING TO HELP HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS HE ALWAYS ASKED MAMA IVY IF HE COULD GO TO PARTIES WHAT TEENAGER DO YOU KNOW STILL ASKS THEIR PARENTS. MAURICE WAS ONE OF MY CLOSET FRIENDS I LOVE AND MISS HIM SOO MUCH WORDS CANT EXPLAIN THE PAIN I DEAL WITH KNOWING THAT HE IS NOT HERE.SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO SPEAK ON HIM MAKE SURE IT IS POSITIVE MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD ME IF YOU DONT ANYTHING NICE TO SAY DONT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL.

I LOVE AND MISS YOU MOE REST IN PEACE

Posted by: nesha | December 21, 2009 8:32 AM

omg i wrote up here october the 8th and still my best friends case has not been solved... you know i mean not to down annie le but, when she got stuffed in a wall, the nhpd was on her missing asap... i believe that is so wrong because even if she was from yale that shouldnt give them the right to treat her case better than my best friends case( Maurice) any diffrent! all i just want is my best friend case to be solved and over with for i could move on because its hard for me to do so if i cant get over his case not being solved....
RIP MOE MILLY
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU NO MATTER WHAT!
FOREVER NESHA!!!!