News Sep 17, 2009 at 4:00 am

A Gang Member and Murder Suspect Says He Wants a New Life

Comments

2
Drug prohibition has NEVER, EVER prevented drug use. People have been getting high for so long, it's difficult to pinpoint a time in history when people were NOT getting high. EVERY "war on drugs" has been an obscenely expensive failure, resulting only in the pointless incarceration of otherwise innocent people, and the propagation of underground commerce by otherwise violent people. There are few clean & safe procurement alternatives; that's why we ultimately subsidize the lifestyle of young men who frequently miss their targets and kill or maim innocent bystanders. THAT is the price of prohibition, along with the quarter-million dollars (minimum) per dude like Monroe Ezelll racks up in public health care. War on drugs? Sure, why not? But war is hell, and we're all in it, every single bullshit public-policy day.
3
Drug prohibition has never, ever prevented drug use. People have been getting high for so long, it's difficult to pinpoint a time in history when people were NOT getting high. EVERY "war on drugs" has been an obscenely expensive failure, resulting mostly in the pointless incarceration of otherwise innocent people, and the often-violent propagation of underground commerce. Most people have few clean & safe procurement alternatives, leading them to subsidize the lifestyle of other people, who frequently miss their targets, only to kill or maim innocent bystanders. THAT is the price of prohibition, along with the quarter-million dollars (minimum) per dude like Monroe Ezelll rack up in public health care. War on drugs? Okay, fine. But war is hell, and we're all in it, every single bullshit public-policy day.
4
Well the good news he has to wear a colostomy bag....that must be fun when he's trying to bonk on of his hos.
5
I really appreciate this article, and am sad that it will apparently be Jonah's last one.
6
The last and only reason to read this piece of shit just disappeared. Way to fire your best reporter, nitwits!
7
This is a good article. I'm sorry that it is apparently Jonah's last one for the Stranger.
8
This is a good article. I'm sorry that it's apparently Jonah's last one for the Stranger.
9
Sorry--I must have had a little problem with posting my comment. I apologize for the multiple posts!
10
I jist lubbs me sum Daiquan radishes! Lawdy dey beez gud!
11
i hope the piece of crap gets whacked. he is a killer and all them gang bang idiots should all be put down like the slugs they are.
13
really great story jonah. sorry to hear about the job. hope you land well.
14
What's this about Jonah being sacked? That is an OUTRAGE, at least based on the calibre of writing I have often seen following his byline.
15
Relating to Mr. B's comment, consider that certain jurisdictions, especially school districts, screen for THC (weed) with a hair follicle test. Several courts have ruled that "protection" of a student from drugs outweighs a student's reasonable expectation of privacy, and students are subject to search without probable cause. In some cases, a student signs a sort of implied consent agreement as a condition required to participate in extracurricular activities. Never mind that one can test positive for THC through proximity inhalation (second-hand smoke.) The scientific validity is also in dispute. Perhaps Jon Golob has thoughts to share?
16
Why no pictures of the Austin Bell Building? That's a sight worth seeing.
17
It is a shame these young black men don't see what is going on.The drugs were brought into the US in order that the black race could be extinct.It didn't work with the KKK,so they found a better way. And guess what, both of them are sitting back laughing at them, and not only laughing at them, but also thanking them for doing their job. Somebody needs to heip open the eyes of our young people to whats really going on.
18
Does anyone else have a clue as to what it will encompass to heal our communities and curtail our youths from this specific type of gang violence and fatalities? If so, I would like to chat with you? wpatters@uw.edu

- Min. W.D. Dell Patterson
19
I'll miss your articles Jonah :(
20
It's true that Jonah doesn't work at the paper anymore. Obviously we can't discuss employment issues, but we can say that Jonah did some great work at The Stranger, that he's a good guy, and that we're grateful to him for his time here. It has nothing to do with his (mild) criticism of Mike McGinn, as some have speculated—we fight about politics all the time here, which is part of what makes the paper interesting.
21
Who's Jonah? The guy with the colostomy bag?
22
Thanks for addressing the Vanishing Jonah, Bethany. (And, belatedly, for giving me hope the Pony guy's plans take forever/never to develop!)
23
"Aww gee now that a bunch of people want to kill me I don't want to do this anymore". Bullshit. Maybe he should've thought of that before committing acts of violence on others.
24
@ #18

Have you any idea how ridiculous your sentence reads? It sounds like an excerpt from a sketch with Keenan Ivory Wayans and David Allen Grier.

Since you have access to a university, you may want to invest some time in the study of English, composition, and vocabulary.
25
Monroe, that colostomy bag is Karma. You know what you did and we know too. Your not fooling anyone with this crap.
26
At #2: I don't think he was suggesting prohibition; he was suggesting that people think about what they're funding before they spend their student loans on drugs. It's a little outrageous to suggest you have no choice but to subsidize gangs. There's a pretty simple choice actually: stop doing so much coke.
27
You know, there are other good programs on the telly other than The Wire. What's with white people's obsession with gansta-ism? Can't you find a more sympathetic character in Seattle "trying to turn his/her life around"?
-whiteguy
28
I don't know how people can sit back and judge someone when they have no idea what is going on. Just because Monroe is under investigation for murder does not mean he did it. Grant it, he is obviously a gang member, but that does not make him less of a person and that does not mean that he should die! And to MrB how dare you say that they need to kill each other off and no one will miss them!! You sound stupid! These young men have parents, siblings, grandparents and kids, so maybe you need to take that into consideration, if someone is really trying to change their life don't knock them. If it took bullets for Monroe to get his life right than so be it, better late than never! And to duffomatic, you don't know if he killed anyone, so its really sad that you would even wish death on anyone! If someone tries to change their life I'm supporting it i'm not knocking it, thats what wrong with our community now, everybody is against everybody!!! GET IT TOGETHER AND COME TOGETHER!!!!
29
Nice piece. When the anthropomorphic Stranger is getting wasted in it's slovenly studio apt, wondering where it all went wrong, I imagine Jonah's departure will be a painful memory.

JoNAH! Come BAAACK! I want to TOUCH your FACE!@
30
I’ve always heard about people being hurt by the reckless things that people post, in response to articles. Being that Monroe is my brother, and reading these bullshit ass comments. You people are sick, really. You don’t know what it’s like to grown up in the streets and fight for your life every day. Yeah this is the lifestyle a lot of people chose, however most of us were born into this environment and there really isn’t too much we can do about it. You guys don’t know shit about the people who are interviewed, especially since the media is good for making people out to be a bad person. My whole thing is why would you get behind a computer and start typing away all type of shit you wouldn’t dare to say to a person’s face. Shit their family would see & be hurt by. Or even the fact you wouldn’t want anybody saying g hurtful things toward your children or loved ones. I’m just saying, people are cruel and this I know, but on the internet though. Who does that, you don’t know this man or anything about him. Your opinion about my brother, (which we all know is irrelevant) has been based on this funky ass interview. Hello, we all know how the media gets down so cool it on the insults. That shit is uncalled for, unnecessary & really nobody even cares what you have to say except for the people who are close to this man. Nobody perfect, everybody makes mistakes. Behind every action is a reaction, and I’m sure my brother is aware of that. I feel as if he got his wake up call & he knows how blessed he is to get another chance. Wanna see how it’s done, don’t sleep on us… & for those of you that get off on talking shit on the internet, HI HATER!
32
QUINCY COLEMAN WAS FROM VALLEY HOOD PIRU...HE IS NOT DEUCE 8
33
I know this young man personally, and he is not the monster that he's being portrayed as. Alot of the mahem that goes on within the gang community is a matter of survival. I do not condone the drug sellin and violence, and I am certainly not trying to give credence to the gang lifestyle or mentallity. Young Black Men are not the only demographic gangbanging on the planet. I didn't hear any outrage from white folx when James Byrd was dragged to death in back of a truck.
34
There are few clean & safe procurement alternatives; that's why we ultimately subsidize the lifestyle of young men who frequently miss their targets and kill or maim innocent bystanders.
35
The way of narration is absolutely fantastic....
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