ublished July 12, 2012 in the Rutland Herald
Suspect delays plea in attempted murder case
Suspect delays plea in Springfield attempted murder case
By Christian Avard
Staff Writer
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A Springfield man will take 24 hours to decide how he will plead to a charge of attempted murder in Springfield.
Terrick Craft, 28, of Springfield was arrested Tuesday for allegedly shooting Nick Brown, 31, in downtown Springfield the previous day. Police charged him with attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon,and reckless endangerment. He is being held at Springfield Prison.
Craft appeared at criminal court in White River Junction in front of friends and loved ones Wednesday. Instead of entering a plea, he invoked a 24-hour rule to consider the charges and whether to hire an attorney, according to Cabot Teachout, his public defender.
Judge Patricia Zimmerman granted Craft’s request. But she also approved the state’s request to increase bail from $250,000 to $500,000, based on his prior criminal record.
That record includes a failure to appear in court, two failures to abide by court orders, three felony convictions in New Jersey, five misdemeanor convictions in Vermont and more, according to court records.
Springfield Police wrote in an affidavit that they responded to a shooting near Park and Factory Streets on Monday. Brown met with Detective Patrick Call and said he was shot.
Brown was walking home when he recognized Craft approaching him on Park Street. Craft continued and pulled out a pistol, according to Brown. As soon as he saw the weapon, he “punched Craft ... took him to the ground ... and held (Craft) in a neck restraint” in self defense, he told police.
Brown told police he let go of Craft, who shot at him “four or five times.” Brown said he ran into a nearby building until Craft was gone.
According to Brown, Craft asked him to join a fight club years ago and he declined. The extent of their relationship beyond that is unclear.
“Terrick was said to have wanted to fight him in the past as Craft had heard (Brown) was tough,” the affidavit said. “An anonymous party said Craft called some of his friends ... and (were planning) to break into Brown’s apartment and shoot anyone ... inside.”
Outside the courtoom Wednesday, Craft’s relatives insisted Terrick did not fire a weapon, did not own a gun and was jumped by Brown. Terrick’s cousin, Lamar Carter, said he was with Craft when he heard shots fired.
Asked who fired the shots, Carter was unsure where they came from.
“We did not fire those shots, Carter said. “I heard shots, I grabbed my cousin off the ground, and we started running.”
Terrick’s sister, Kathy Chandler, 35, of Springfield claimed police arrested Craft because of the comments people were leaving on the Springfield Police Department Facebook page.
“That’s where they got the word from that it was Terrick doing the shooting,” Chandler said. “I think it’s just a setup. I do.”
If convicted of the new charges, Craft faces life imprisonment and up to $11,000 in fines. His formal arraignment will take place today at criminal court.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Suspect delays plea in attempted murder case
A Springfield man will take 24 hours to decide how he will plead to a charge of attempted murder in Springfield. [Photo]
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you get to take your time? always thought you had to deside right then and there
ReplyDeleteWhat are we going to do about this? Now is the time to act upon this gang issue. It's not the time to blame the Selectmen or other Town Councel, as easy as it may be. Would Neighborhood watches work? Would a meeting with the police department be feasable?
ReplyDeleteLets come together as a community and come up with a plan.
"It's not the time to blame the Selectmen or other Town Council". You are kidding? When do you hold them responsible for the jobs they were supposed to be doing? After the school system failed? Nope? After any real business refuses to do business in Springfield? After the gangs and drugsters take over the streets? Nope. After they raise your taxes skyhigh? Nope. If the engine in your car is broken, do you replace it? I guess not....
ReplyDeleteAgain, time and energy wasted on the "blame game". DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT...
ReplyDeleteIt's YOUR JOB as a community member to put an end to this crap.
ReplyDeleteI would think it would be a community member's job to put pressure on the Town Manager, Police Chief, Selectboard, and Town Attorney to put an end to it, rather than promote what could be construed as a call for vigilante activity.
DeleteWhy isn't it time to put pressure on the Town Manager and Selectboard...not clear about that...the Town government has more lawful authority to accomplish something than the individual citizens, or the not-for-profits. Even the Tea Party types who usually are opposed to the government doing anything, would probably back the Town Manager and the Selectboard figuring out what legal remedies are available and implementing them. Something more than having a bunch of non-profits walking around handing out literature on gangs and drugs, and holding talkathons with the parent groups.
ReplyDeleteThat's what his family decided to wear to court? What were they thinking?
ReplyDeleteThey don't think they will be laughed at and not taken seriously? Tank tops and shorts screams "we are here for business" go to the Good Buy store and buy a suit or at least a nice shirt, pants and a tie. The lawyer they have must be cringing.
DeleteThe photo is prime example of parallel evolution. Even the most impoverished, but self respecting Vermonter would have enough common sense and decorum to make a better impression.
ReplyDeleteLet's get some chlorine into the gene pool quick.
I assume you must not be a Tea Party sympathiser given the level of racism in this comment.
DeleteSince you're such an advocate of this element, how about you step up and offer to generously share your home and income?
DeleteUnlikely, as you and you ilk are no more then hypocritical fools with little to offer or loose.
I have no problem with the concept of intervening to clean up the drug dens in front of Union Street School. I do have a problem with the racism in Anonymous 8:14 comments.
DeleteIt's absolutely no coincidence Vermont as the 2nd whitest state, (96.7% for VT vs. 96.9% for Maine & 96% for NH) has the 2nd lowest incident of violent crime. Compared with Maine being the lowest and NH predictably at 3rd lowest. This data is indisputable, being readily available from published, FBI statistics. And attempt don't spouting the environment excuse. Even in the Rockwellian, bucolic, green mtns of Vermont, this element is >100X more likely to enter the prison system.
ReplyDeleteUnlike the legions of hard working, immigrants that came to Springfield a 100 years ago to seek employment and enriched our community, this foul vermin seeks only to reap what they can from social services, spread misery and contribute nothing.
Go ahead, scream racism, the facts speak for themselves.
So you proposing getting out the White Sheets and Cross Burning, or just something like Calvin Coolidge's eugenics program against the Abenaki? I understand that Hitler thought very highly of Silent Cals attempts at improving the gene pool.
DeleteTo Yappin Jakov and any other person who agrees with his thoughts, please run your trap somewhere else! Honestly you sound like a complete Jackass! I am tired of hearing it, I have been judged so many times within this community as well as my children, and we are tired of ignorance and the people that still think they can make it sound sensible. My children and I who get our dark skin from our Native American descent, you know the people who founded this “Free” America, the people who were practically were wiped out by the White man?? The people who are now, still suffering, living on reservations that they were forced to claim as their land.
DeleteVT 2nd whitest state has proven to me, that apparently there are many of those among us who feel as though it needs to stay that way and that is why there is less violence; that no matter what differences we have there will always be those who think they are above and better than those of another color. Ignorance is bliss! What about the drugs people? You think that is just a skin color issue too? Take a look around pal, in this White state, drugs are consuming it! It’s not about skin color, this particular issue is about a certain few individuals who have come here and made a huge issue with Gangs and drugs. If you look further into it you can see that most of the little followers and friends are the young white people who are easily influenced, such as High school students, the rest are the drug users that needed some other way to feel powerful because being a functioning person within society just didn’t work when they need to keep their high going, plus it is just not affordable.
DRUGS are the biggest problem we are facing, and have been facing for quite some time now. We need more focus on the DRUG situation in our town; I am talking about Pills, Heroin and Cocaine! IT starts with more force put upon this; I know that in other communities, in WHITE VT, this guy would have already gone down. Why is there not more pressure put on those who sell drugs right in view of our kids schools? Laws.. No drug task force? Stop making this about skin color and start yappin about the real problem at hand, it's everywhere! We are not unique! Most of the drug users, sellers and abusers are WHITE? Why don't you look up the facts on drug use in VT? Not that it will do much good, FACTS are here say and statistics, not actually accurate. What about ones that do not get caught, the drug users that keep it undercover? Also the 100’s of individuals who are on Probation and when it is discovered they are using by their probation officer they send them to seek out detox for their 2nd or 3rd or 4th time instead of locking their ass back up? I could go on and on but this blog is not going to change things and people like you will continue to waste people’s time with your bullshit statistics and judgmental comments! I guess if you can blame someone then you can feel better when you sit back on your ass and do nothing to seek actual change. If you care, do more, if not give you’re typing a rest and spare us the wasted reading!
Can you pay for internet service with your EBT card?
Deletere: "So you proposing getting out the White Sheets and Cross Burning"
ReplyDeleteIts worked pretty well before.
come on dude, have a little dignity.
DeleteWell this is shaping up to be a rather across the political spectrum messy issue with progressives and right-wing racists on the same side for a change.
DeleteI think I saw that news article on display at the Miller Arts Center. There was a group trying to start a local branch of the KKK in Springfield, and the locals ran the KKK out of town. I'd be happy to help do that again.
DeleteI love how he took his time, that means he is weighing if he will get life or go for a plea bargain. Guilty!
ReplyDelete