Man Shot By Bernhard Goetz Found Dead After Apparent Suicide

The Gothamist ^ | 12/23/2011

[SeekAndFind]

James Ramseur's life of crime ended yesterday with a bottle of pills in a seedy Bronx hotel room, where he was found dead 27 years to the day after he was shot by infamous "Subway Vigilante" Bernhard Goetz. Ramseur had checked into the Paradise Hotel at 2990 Boston Road on Tuesday and was supposed to check out yesterday. When he failed to return his key, the manager entered the room and found his corpse, fully clothed, with two empty prescription pill bottles next to the bed, their labels scratched off. He was 45, and left no note.

Ramseur became infamous in 1984, when he was riding the 2 train downtown with friends Darrell Cabey, Barry Allen and Troy Canty, all 19. At Chambers Street, they crossed paths with Goetz, and what happened then is a matter of of some dispute. Goetz, who was working as an electronics specialist at the time, has long maintained the teens tried to mug him, while Ramseur and his friends say it wasn't a mugging, merely panhandling. Whatever the cause, the result was five rounds fired from Goetz's unlicensed Smith & Wesson.

Ramseur, who had been holding a screwdriver during the incident, was shot in the chest and lapsed into a coma.

The other teens were also seriously wounded, with Cabey sustaining the worst injuries—he's still wheelchair-bound and, according to the Post, functions with "the intellect of an eight-year-old." The Daily News reports that during Goetz's trial, Ramseur "was held in contempt of court at least six times for refusing to testify. He acted belligerently each time he took the stand, denouncing the legal system before being ushered out by armed guards." A mostly white jury ultimately acquitted Goetz of all four counts of attempted murder, but found him guilty of illegal weapons possession, for which he did several months in Rikers.

As for Ramseur, within a year of the shooting, he was arrested for helping to rape a pregnant teen at gunpoint on a Bronx rooftop. After spending 25 years in prison, he was released less than a year-and-a-half ago. Goetz is still alive, but could not be reached for comment on Ramseur's apparent suicide. In an interview with the NY Times in the '80s, he said, the teens he shot "represented the failure of society.... Forget about they're ever making a positive contribution to society.

It's only a question of how much a price they're going to cost. The solution is their mothers should have had an abortion."

Goetz's attorney Darnay Hoffman also committed suicide two years ago.

[SeekAndFind]

Bernhard Goetz in custody days after the NYPD launched a manhunt for the “Subway Vigilante” in 1984 >

The shooting happened on Dec. 22, 1984, when Ramseur and neighborhood pals Darrell Cabey, Barry Allen and Troy Canty were riding a downtown No. 2 train.

As it approached Chambers Street, they encountered Goetz, an electronics specialist, and what ensued is in dispute. Goetz told authorities the intimidating youths demanded $5 from him. The teens insisted they were only panhandling.

Goetz fired five shots from his Smith & Wesson, hitting all of them.

Ramseur was wounded in the arm.

Many residents of the city, which was then undergoing an unprecedented era of street crime, hailed him as a hero. But since the four youths were black, others called him a racist.

[SeekAndFind]

For those who don’t remember, Bernhard Goetz was convicted of illegally possessing a loaded firearm, but cleared of the more serious charges — four counts of attempted murder.

One of those he shot, Darrell Cabey, who was paralyzed when Goetz shot him at close range, won a $43 million lawsuit against Goetz, who declared bankruptcy and hasn’t paid a dime.

Cabey, by far the most seriously injured, still is confined to a wheelchair and functions with the intellect of an 8-year-old.

The other one Goetz shot,Barry Allen was convicted of robbery in 1991 and released from prison four years later.

The third one shot, Troy Canty racked up a string of petty offenses, and once served 18 months in a residential drug-treatment program.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/bronx/one_suicide_four_young_men_shot_5HWtSdYTO6hAX9tdO6x1SJ#ixzz1hP3bgS4E

[freedumb2003]

Sounds like the streets are a little (or a lot) safer now.

No loss and a net gain for society.

[muawiyah]

Regarding the “racist” accusation, one does suppose the folks who toss that one around think it’d been better if Goetz would have shot some white folks who just happened to be on the same train.

[Mears]

Was he just about to turn his life around?

[Vendome]

Well Gee....

That’s too bad.... /S

[treetopsandroofs]

Darnay Hoffman...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/13/nyregion/darnay-hoffman-dies-at-63-lawyer-with-notorious-clients.html?_r=1

[lowbridge]

Cabey sustaining the worst injuries...functions with "the intellect of an eight-year-old."

As if Goetz had anything to do with that.

[DoughtyOne]

Infamous?
Racist?

What’s infamous about shooting attackers when you reasonably fear for your safety?

What’s racist about using the same tactic against black attackers that you would any other attackers, no matter what their race was?

It really frustrates the police and the courts when they can’t see emergency service personnel scrape your remains up off the floor, sidewalk, or ground, then let your attackers off.

If more attackers where put down, the streets would be a lot more safe than they are today. One wonders if the police and the courts are worried there won’t be enough repeat business to keep them going.

[fatnotlazy]

No tears for any of them.

[Figment]

Goetz needs to lawyer up. The family will be suing again

[Doogle]

panhandling with a screwdriver....ooooooooK

[from occupied ga]

Goetz shot him at close range, won a $43 million lawsuit against Goetz,

BTW it was the NYC government attorneys who got Caby to instigated the lawsuit to punish Goetz for having the temerity to defend himself from their beloved black criminals. I normally detest jury duty, but that is on I'd have wanted to be on - Although by that time I no longer lived in NYC.

[Cyber Liberty]

I think he *always* operated with the brain of an eight-year-old, so who could tell??

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Some people make the world better by what they do before they check out. Others make the world better simply by checking out.

[Repeal The 17th]

Bernhard Hugo Goetz (born November 7, 1947)
...on December 22, 1984, on a Manhattan subway, fired a revolver five times, seriously wounding four muggers...

...surrendered to police and was charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment, and illegal firearm possession...

...a jury found him not guilty of all charges except the illegal firearms possession count, for which he served 9 months of the one-year sentence...

[from occupied ga]

It really frustrates the police and the courts when they can’t see emergency service personnel scrape your remains up off the floor, sidewalk, or ground, then let your attackers off.

Well said

[Figment]

Was he just about to turn his life around?

Well duh. He turned his life around for the good of all humanity yesterday/s

[DoughtyOne]

Well, it was a jaded view, but there are times when it’s hard to deny that it looks for all the world just like this.

Thanks for the note of agreement.

[AAABEST]

In a just world, we'd have a commemorative bronze statue of Goetz at every subway station in NYC.

He should have given them each an "insurance" shot in the head before leaving. There would be fewer victims in the world.