That doesn't make sense to me. It was during a lunch break on November 20 when Benji, his girlfriend Jetun and another friend of theirs were out walking a short distance from Simeon that they ran into three other teenagers, two of whomOmar Dixon and William Moorewere looking for trouble. This year, however, the Wendy's All-Star Shootout is selling the past as well as the future, at least to fans on the gray side of 30. But now he's a hardened criminal probably because of the time he spent in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. Jun 28, 2007 - Brandon Wilson went undrafted in the 2007 NBA Draft making him an Unrestricted FA. In 2007 he was arrested again and charged with three weapons offenses, for which he began serving a 40-year sentence in 2011. Dildy played basketball with Wilson in a South Side park just a few days before the shooting. After all, he was a scrappy, 6'2" guard, while Benji turned out to be a 6'9" savant. Moore 5'9" 165lbs and Dixon 5'11" would not go up to a 6'8" 239 lb angry man and dig in his pockets. Ive never seen anything like it, White said. According to Billy Moore, Dixon had nothing to do with anything. I dont want anyone to have this type of bitterness.. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 4. Why do people post controversial opinions online but are surprised when they get dragged? anyone ever TAKE DOWN these MICRO-LOCS? That was just so bad. Fat dude whose packing or good looks? That same team also featured Tim Hardaway, a five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA performer best known for his prominent role on the "Run TMC" Warriors of the early 1990s. The hospital was not a trauma center. GREAT NEWS! A clip of Jeff Wilson giving the bullet found in Bens body to Moore as the two embraced, prompted the crowd to applaud. As Derrick Rose told KC Johnson of The Chicago Tribunein 2009: They tried to keep his spirit alive, not just in the program but throughout the whole school. Well said to everything in your post. This page was created in memory of Ben Wilson (3/18/1967 - 11/21/1984) whose life story. Hall had heard of Ben Wilson even before Brandon arrived but didn't discuss it much with his new player. Brandon earned a scholarship to University of Maryland Easter Shore. Rush was trying to break away from Wilson, who in his desperation to speak to her failed to pay attention to where he was going and bumped into Moore. That status was partly a tribute to his gifts for the game and partly the awful handiwork of the two punks. Wilson taunted him and dared him to shoot; Moore later said he felt that the much larger Wilson was just "punking" him. I'll admit, I believed Moore when he talked about what happened when Benji bumped into him, and didn't say excuse me. I was a loner. The brothers of slain Simeon High School basketball star Ben Wilson are turning to forgiveness after their brother's death. Later on, however, Jabari Parker suggested that Wilson's name and number be stitched into the sneakers the players were issued. Wilson's family contended botched treatment at St. Bernard contributed to his death. After finding out the conflict had been resolved, Moore and his friend Omar Dixon decided to stay nearby and eventually the two followed Moore's friend Erica Murphy to a nearby luncheonette located on South Vincennes Avenue, just up the street from Simeon. Jabari Parker, another Chicago native and the No. As a junior, he transferred to Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, N.Y., where last season the senior guard-forward averaged 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds a game. Nonetheless, Brandon earned scholarship offers from a few small schools and wound up playing in the Wendy's All-Star Shootout at the DePaul Athletic Center in Chicago in 2002. Really, it was probably her fault arguing over something stupid and trivial with Ben in the first place! [25][26] As Nick Anderson, a fellow Chicagoan who would've been Wilson's teammate at Simeon, told Scoop Jackson: Benji was Magic Johnson, but with a jump shot. Among those recent deaths is Michael Haynes, a former prep player in Chicago who was due to play college ball at Iona. Stories abounded about "Benjy" shooting baskets into a garbage can at age 5, of how deftly he handled his burgeoning celebrity and of how hard he studied because he wanted to be more than just a basketball player. Hope I dont get AIDS. This browser does not support getting your location. This is a carousel with slides. He has been working on it for 13 years now. The prosecution's lead witness was Jetun Rush, who testified to that effect. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. The Wolverines would not win another state title in the 20th century. Oops, we were unable to send the email. [15] As his senior season approached, it was believed that Wilson was considering scholarship offers from the University of Illinois, DePaul University and Indiana University.[17]. Try again later. Ben Wilson was one of three children born to Ben Wilson Sr. and Mary (Gunter) Wilson and was raised in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Despite being underage at the time, the Cook County States Attorney's office elected to try both men as adults. Chicago had over 600 murders that year? i dont buy billy moore's story, it was to perfect making him out to be the 'victim', the fact they cut school was armed with a gun and went to that school looking for a kid over 10 dollars tells me they were up to no good.i believe they decided to rob benji, him already being upset with his girlfriend he probably wasnt in his right mind frame and didnt think about this kid has a gun maybe he should back down. The Hawks mourn the sudden passing of Brandon Wilson, @ESHawksHoops alumn. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. . His father was Ben Wilson, who in just 17 years managed to become a basketball legend. They made it a point to protect Wilson from trouble as he got older; as he was entering high school, the nationwide crack epidemic was in full swing and some of the people closest to Wilson, including his older brother Curtis, became addicted. Erica Murphy stated Ben and Jetun were arguing and loud. Steele retired all six Padres batters he faced, then headed to the bullpen to throw 25 more pitches. Most Popular #43362. #FallenHawk. For some time after Wilson was killed, Simeon issued his number 25 jersey to the player on the team that they deemed the best. More NBA Transactions . Moore and Dixon fled the scene, with Moore seeking refuge at Murphy's home. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? On November 20, 1984, Wilson decided against lunching with teammates as he wanted to talk to his girlfriend, Jetun Rush, with whom he had been having significant issues. This story is still so unbelievably sad. [8] Wilson began playing basketball in elementary school. View the profiles of people named Branden Wilson. That sh!t was tragic. 1 ranked high school player in the country who was shot down outside his Chicago high school prior to the start of the 1984 season. William Moore, 16, fired a .22-caliber revolver three times, hitting Wilson twice and causing massive damage to his heart and liver. After watching the documentary I am even more convinced of their innocence. That's how tall Ben Wilson was when he first arrived at Simeon as a freshman. He had all the moves. If somebody had just robbed or took money from Moore's cousin then in the same day they are going to rob somebody else. It took them hours before they could get a trauma surgeon and by then Wilson had lost so much blood the doctors said he would be a vegetable. Since then, the number has been worn by Bobby Simmons, a one-time NBA veteran, and Derrick Rose, the three-time All-Star and league MVP for the Chicago Bulls. Moore's story sounds probable. Learn more about managing a memorial . Early the next morning, Mary Wilson asked that her son be taken off of life support, and Ben Wilson died shortly thereafter. He played one season for UMES. Police presented both suspects with a case theory that after Moore's conflict with Wilson, Dixon tried to pick Wilson's pockets, and then urged Moore to shoot Wilson. I didn't go to parties or stupid places. Another brother, Jeff Wilson, was also present at the event, which featured clips from an upcoming documentary that chronicles the mens road to forgiveness, Both Sides of the Gun: A Story of Reconciliation.. Fox News attacks Republicans for getting paid and delivering nothing. On Ben Wilson's birthday. Brandon was the oldest to two brothers; Jared and Jalen. Local gangs agreed to temporary ceasefires and task forces were dispatched to study the problem of violence in the Windy City, though these issues have not subsided entirely. [32] Following Nick Anderson's tribute to Wilson in wearing number 25 at Illinois, many others who graduated from Simeon and moved on to play for the Illini have carried on the tradition of wearing the jersey number 25. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. But Wilson said he agreed to meet with William Moore who was convicted in his brothers killing after his mother, Mary, asked the family to forgive him on her deathbed in 2000. My heart feels so heavy after watching that documentary. She settled in New York, where she married Edward Rivers. ESPN is set to debut a new documentary about the mythic prep star from Simeon Career Academy on the South Side of Chicago, entitled "Benji," as part of its 30 For 30 series on Tuesday, October 23. Ben Wilson Popularity . Both men remain in jail to this day. Sounds like a big Super Star ego talking to me. Pisces Named Ben #6. I just wanted to stay out of the negative. He also expressed that he felt both of the defendants were being "railroaded" by overzealous law enforcement officials whose desperation to hold someone accountable for the murder of a star athlete compromised their integrity and led them to create false case theory. Billy Moore, in the ESPN documentary about Ben Wilson, described what happened next. Wilson's recruiting attention has come mainly from lower Division I programs such as Hartford and Maryland-Eastern Shore, whom he said have offered him scholarships. Wilson, though, said he has never felt pressure being his father's son. 2. There is a problem with your email/password. Try again later. According to Mirror, Benjamin attacked his abusive father with a hammer to stop him from further abusing his mother. His family was shocked when his serious girlfriend Jetun Rush gave birth to his son, Brandon, and though Benji was excited about the prospect of fatherhood, the couple frequently argued and Benji was suspended from school after accidentally striking a teacher during a confrontation. You can always change this later in your Account settings. He was released on parole in 2000. Wilson died from injuries sustained in the shooting the following morning. The life and murder of Ben Wilson was featured in two documentary films produced in the 21st century. Moore and Dixon had cut school that day, and Moore had a .22 caliber pistol in his possession. [31] Juwan Howard wore 25 at the University of Michigan as a tribute to Wilson. Moore yelled up the street at Wilson to watch where he was going. Try again later. The words "Best in the Nation" marked his gravesite. That legacy persists into the present day, but the greatest of them all might've been the one about whom no NBA tome was or will ever be written. That passion produced a player Dildy insists was better in high school than current NBA stars Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Chicago's violent crime rate was very high during this time as well, especially on the South Side. He was buried in his blue and gold No. Did Benji Wilson have a son? 9. 25 Simeon uniform at Oak Woods Cemetery. While waiting outside while Erica was in the store a upset and angry Ben Wilson and girlfriend come up from behind Moore arguing. Here is the full documentary. As Paul Wilkerson, a native Chicagoan who played with Wilson during his youth, told Scoop Jackson of Wilson's decision to attend the prestigious basketball powerhouse: I dont know why BJ decided to go to Simeon; I didnt think hed get any run here. What city did Ben Wilson live in? 25 in 2009, ending a long-standing tradition at the school of the team's best player wearing it on his jersey to honor Benji's memory. I am not buying the lie and you shouldnt either! I've heard about him and his story is just so sad. The two engaged in a loud argument, with an infuriated Wilson and Moore exchanging expletives. Jetun met and married Edward Rivers. Anthony Wilson was met with a range of responses when he told people he was meeting with the man who shot his brother, Ben, a prep hoops phenom at Simeon who was viewed as the top player in the nation before his murder in 1984. "He probably was the best player I've ever seen in high school.". According to Chicago's then emergency protocol, Wilson was taken to the nearest available hospital, which was St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood. Benji bumped into them by accident and attempted to excuse himself, but Dixon and Moore wouldn't allow him to pass to easily. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. 5. Chicago has produced many a great basketball player over the years. What the hell is going on in our community such that ten fck!ng dollars is the impetus for settling a beef ? The team chose to play the game, a rematch with Evanston, and won. Brandon was a graduated of Long Island Lutheran High School. This page was created in memory of Ben. We played one-on-one a lot. "I play because I like basketball. [29] Brandon died after he swerved into a shoulder on the Northern State Parkway, and hit a pole and two trees.[30]. [14] Brandon Sherrod Wilson, Jetun and Bens son would become a star player at Riverside Church and St. Francis Prep,[15] and Long Island Lutheran High School and would be recruited by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, where he played one season. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. If that happened to me or one of my fam members, I would own that place. Wilson died from injuries sustained in the shooting the following morning. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. I started crying when the young girl started singing Going up Yonder while the other people were falling out and haven't stopped crying since. Later that night, Chicago police arrested him there and shortly thereafter apprehended Omar Dixon. He also had a sister, Brelyn (Suga). Before his death and subsequent lawsuit by the Wilson family, gunshot victims were taken to the nearest hospital instead of the nearest trauma center hospital. Its something I carry with me my whole life, Moore said. As the school year started, Wilson was beginning to grow more and more frustrated by the situation and his interactions with Rush became significantly tense, to the point where they were having loud arguments in the school hallways between classes. Wilson did not fully understand why Rush had pushed him away and as time went on, it started to have an effect on him. Simeon Career Academy has done its part to keep his memory alive. Look at this praise dancing doggie. Both Moore and Dixon were convicted on charges of murder and attempted armed robbery. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Now, come on people you know what it is like to have a heated argument with somebody you dating. The New York native, by way of Chicago, played for the Hawks in the early 2000s. Sun-Times Media Moore now works as a case worker with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network and mentors young boys similar to his younger self. Billy Moore appears in the film to give his side of the story for the first time; he reiterated the claim made by his attorney at his trial, that he only shot Wilson out of fear for his own life. Does anyone else feel behind because we lost two years due to pandemic? Join Facebook to connect with Branden Wilson and others you may know. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? He was the only non-senior on a squad that upset previously-undefeated Evanston at Assembly Hall in Champaign in the final. Dildy, though, found Brandon to be a bit more reserved than Ben, whom Dildy described as a "jokester" who would hide other players' basketball shoes and goof around with children. He played basketball and became All-Long Island Basketball player his junior and senior year. Brandon went on to coach basketball. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He played professionally with the Long Island Wizards. 2 Shares. Wilson persisted, though, and followed her as she began walking up the street outside Simeon. He lost his own son, William IV, to gun violence in July 2017. Dr. Seuss is trash and none of his books are allowed in my classroom. He was not a pro yet with pro money. To use this feature, use a newer browser. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. He also had a sister, Brelyn (Suga). Brandon Wilson (c. born in 1978) is incarcerated on Death Row at San Quentin State Prison for the murder of 9-year-old Matthew Cecchi in Oceanside, California on November 14, 1998. So many problems, causes and affect for them. No one can know the exact answer to that, but few people doubt that the 6-foot-8-inch Wilson would have been magnificent. Year should not be greater than current year. That is probably why she did not want to comment on the documentary. Ald. Brandon eventually would pursue a career in law enforcement and became a police officer in Port Washington, New York. Blues man Willie Dixon's grandson. Emergency services were called at 12:37 PM local time, while Simeon basketball coach Bob Hambric made a call to WMAQ-TV newsman Warner Saunders and informed him of what happened. Vanderpump Rules fans do you remember when Ariana Madix slept with Lala Kent in the BACK SEAT of Tom Sandovals car? Upon examination it was discovered that Wilson's aorta was damaged by the second shot and there was no blood reaching his lower extremities. Moore's cousin had been robbed of $10, allegedly by a student of Simeon, and he brought the gun with him to avenge his cousin. Or, as those close to him knew him, Benji. We found 15 records for Brandon Wilson in CO, TX and 10 other states. As for Dixon and Moore, the former was sentenced to 30 years in prison, while the latter was locked up by way of a 40-year sentence. At the screening, Billy Moore and Ben Wilson's brothers Anthony and Jeffrey appeared onstage together and the two Wilsons publicly forgave Moore for his action; this was the dying wish of Mary Wilson, who passed away at the age of 63 in December 2000. [18] He and Omar Dixon were outside the luncheonette when Wilson and Rush came up the street behind them. 25 jersey while at Michigan. 59. [1] Wilson, a Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School basketball player, was regarded as the top high school player in the U.S. by scouts and coaches attending the 1984 Athletes For Better Education basketball camp. Prison officials did not say what Wilson, 33, used to hang himself. He tried to excuse himself, but two of them were looking for trouble and words were exchanged. Failed to delete memorial. Jetun Rush would graduate from Simeon and Central State University as a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. I didn't go nowhere but to my friends' houses and home. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. How a friendly chat in the ladies of a London pub turned menacing for one woman. "I don't think I've ever played against or seen a player who had the whole package of skills with his size," said Wheeling coach Lou Wool, who played for the Evanston team that lost to Simeon and Wilson 53-47 in the Class AA state championship game in 1984. Moore received a 40-year prison term; Dixon was sentenced to 30 years. Simeon retired Wilson's No. This is about forgiveness, said Anthony Wilson, 43. Brandon Sherrod Wilson death - cause of death - Brandon Sherrod Wilson, the son of Ben Wilson, an American high school basketball star is dead. From left, former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Rapper Common, William Moore, and Anthony and Jeffrey Wilson, speak at Malcolm X College, during a conversation and private screening of Both Sides of the Gun, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Chicago. That night, after hours of emergency surgery, Benji was pronounced dead, on the eve of his senior season at Simeon. Moore was thinking more about getting with Erica Murphy and smoking weed. I hate to see someone so young with potential die!!!!!!!!!! 1 prep player in the country by renowned basketball talent scout Bob Gibbons after excelling against elite competition at the Nike/AFBE Camp in Princeton, New Jersey. But it was said that they had some sort of toxic relationship and was advised to separate. 1 prep player in the class of 2013, has taken a similar approach to his time at Simeon. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? "I'm self-motivated. He also left Brandon, who was 10 weeks old at the time of his father's death. Wilson's performance during his junior year and the summer thereafter left him to choose between scholarship offers from Illinois, DePaul and Indiana once the basketball world discovered just how prodigious his talents truly were. "Brandon leaves to cherish his memory; parents, Jetun and Edward Rivers; two brothers, Jared and Jalen Rivers; one sister, Brelyn Rivers; grandparents, Vallie Rush (Chicago), and Rachel Rivers (Queens, NY). 1. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. The two boys then decided to hang out for a little while and wait to see if Erica Murphy, Wilson's classmate and a friend of Moore's, was around. The murder sent Chicago into shock, generating agony, outrage and calls for an end to street violence. Wilson practiced at Cole Park[9] in Chatham and participated in summer league games in Chicago. Please enter your email and password to sign in. A lot of people looked to Ben's life to find away out. Brandon spent his early childhood in Chicago before moving to New York with his mother, Jetun, and his stepfather, Edward Rivers. The prosecutors also tried to introduce evidence that the boys were members of a street gang, but were precluded from doing so.[11]. "He was head and shoulders better than both those guys," Dildy said. Once they were informed that Wilson had died, his teammates were asked whether or not they wanted to go forward with their season opener, which was scheduled for later on against the team they defeated to win the state championship in 1984, Evanston Township; they won the game. It looks like Brandon . In these statements, Moore and Dixon said that the shooting was part of a robbery, where Dixon picked Wilson's pockets and once he was done, he ordered Moore to shoot Wilson twice. Mary Wilson had two sons from a previous marriage. Brandon Wilson. The jury was only out for about one hour before returning guilty verdicts against both Moore and Dixon. If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. [8], At 12:37 PM local time, a call was placed to 911 for emergency assistance. BW shouldnt have to continuously live in a state of silence in order to appease people in society, Mom of NYC teen killed subway surfing plans to sue MTA, Jon Stewart expertly corners pro-gun Republican: You dont give a flying f**k about children dying". Brandon Wilson Ben Wilson/Sons. Join Facebook to connect with Brandon Wilson and others you may know. An argument ensued and Moore shot Wilson. Select the best result to find their address, phone number, relatives, and public records. Nick Anderson was the first to do so during what would've been Wilson's senior season and throughout his collegiate and pro career. [1][2][3][4][5], At the time of the shooting, Wilson was seventeen years old and had just started his senior year at Simeon. Early the next morning, November 21, Wilson died.[9][10]. Sorry! Per the recommendations of the prosecuting attorneys, they both were given significant prison sentences. Edward E. Rivers served for 25 years for the New York Police Department. Drag images here or select from your computer for Brandon Sherrod Wilson memorial. I hate to say this, but I said it previously. Ben, after all, was 6-8 with what Wool called "the perfect basketball body" and the ability to star at point guard, center and everywhere between. Previously sponsored memorials or famous memorials will not have this option. Shortly after Murphy entered the luncheonette, Wilson inadvertently bumped into Moore since he had not been paying attention to where he was going, instead trying to talk to his estranged girlfriend.