Police probe gang ties in shooting

The name of a Chicago-based street gang — “Satan’s Disciples” — surfaced for the second time since 2012, when a teenager was arraigned Friday for his alleged role in the June 11 shooting on Summer Street.
http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140701/NEWS02/707019911

Published July 1, 2014 in the Rutland Herald Police probe gang ties in shooting By ERIC FRANCIS CORRESPONDENT WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — The name of a Chicago-based street gang — “Satan’s Disciples” — surfaced for the second time since 2012, when a teenager was arraigned Friday for his alleged role in the June 11 shooting inside an apartment on Summer Street in Springfield. The homeless teenager was released to the custody of an aunt, who lives in Chester, under conditions including 24-hour curfew, while the charges against him are adjudicated. Brandon Adams-Smith, 16, of Chester, whom police had described as a “known drug dealer” claimed during interviews with state police detectives that he was a member of “Satan’s Disciples.” Police recently connected Adams-Smith with wounding Joseph “Black” Atkinson, 19, who was allegedly shot by Leon Jiggetts, 26, a New Jersey native. During Adams-Smith’s arraignment Friday, Windsor County Deputy State’s Attorney David Cahill told Judge Karen Carroll that Adams-Smith is not in school, not employed and he’s gotten himself in deep with some very bad people. “He self-reports that he is ... a member of the ‘Satan’s Disciples’ gang, which is loosely affiliated with ‘The Bloods,’ which explains why he was in contact with Mr. Jiggetts and Mr. (Jabbar) Chandler and hanging out with them as though they were friends or business associates,” Cahill said. The first time the name “Satan’s Disciples” was mentioned in court was two years ago after a July 2012 shooting in the middle of Springfield’s main downtown intersection. This past week, Cahill told the court police are concerned about Adams-Smith’s welfare now that he has been publicly identified as a participant as well as a witness in the events surrounding last month’s shooting. Cahill said Adams-Smith has been “couch surfing,” not living in a stable home environment, since he was 12. He said a (Vermont Department of Children and Families) worker described Adams-Smith as someone who is “stuck living the life of a 30-year-old in the body of a 16-year-old.” Cahill described Adams-Smith as having fallen through the cracks of the child welfare system. “We do fear for his safety,” Cahill said. “He’s basically been living on the street, so we think there is a risk of flight ... by virtue of the pressures that will be on him as a result of this case.” Cahill said despite the teen’s chaotic living situation, Vermont’s Department for Children and Families “had not exercised any authority” over him in large part “because they do not feel that they have the tools to supervise him because of the people who surround him.” In other words, Cahill clarified, “The DCF social worker is not a match for Leon Jiggetts.” Although the state had asked cash bail for Adams-Smith in addition to other conditions, including a 24-hour curfew at the home of an aunt of his who lives in a rural area of Chester, Carroll said Adams-Smith’s lack of a previous criminal record and his repeated cooperation with authorities at his own risk after the shooting meant she could not find that he was a risk of flight. “This court would note that, again, cash bail is not to be used to protect the public. It’s very clear that, in this state, cash bail is to assure appearance in court and not to be used to prevent criminal behavior or protect the public in this type of case,” Carroll said. With that, Carroll ordered Adams-Smith released to his aunt’s custody under 24-hour curfew conditions while his cases are pending.