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ITN
Jessie shot for 'gang denial'
Jessie shot for 'gang denial'
The mother of Manchester schoolboy Jessie James believes he was shot dead by gangsters because he refused to join a gang.Barbara Reid told the inquest into his death he had "humiliated" gangsters in Moss Side by refusing to become one of them.In a statement Ms Reid read to the court she said her 15-year-old son was shot to death because he stood up to them.The youngster was killed after being blasted three times as he rode his mountain bike through Broadfield Park in the early hours of September 9 last year.Ms Reid told the court: "Little did I know the gangs made Jessie's life a living hell. Jessie was cornered, pointed out and intimidated at every opportunity. He was coerced and compelled to join the gang."Time and time again up until his death, Jessie humiliated the gangsters to their face by saying no to the gang. He said, 'I don't want to be, I don't want to join the gang. All I want to be is Jessie and be everyone's friend'."She said this infuriated the gang and because they could not stand Jessie's rejection, they killed him.Earlier the court heard police were called to a nearby "disturbance" 15 minutes after he was gunned down but left after no one told them of a shooting.Officers attended the West Indian Sports And Social Club and questioned the assistant manager but left after five minutes when they discovered nothing untoward.It was one-and-a-half hours later that a second 999 call alerted police to the shooting. Police found the blood-soaked body of the youngster lying beside his bicycle.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
ITN | August 7, 2007
