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Man, 19, sentenced in gang slaying

A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 42 years to life in prison Tuesday for shooting and killing a rival gang member and for hitting a bystander with a stray bullet.

District Judge Valerie Adair sentenced Marcus Campbell to prison after a jury found him guilty of first-degree murder with gang enhancements for killing Patrick Russum, whom police described as a member of the Wood hybrid gang.


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Campbell also was found guilty of attempted murder for shooting and wounding Billy Ray Jones, who was playing basketball nearby at the time of the Jan. 28 shooting.

Campbell, who authorities described as a member of the hybrid gang "Squad Up," has maintained that he is innocent.

Adair said Campbell showed little remorse throughout the trial.

"The most notable thing to me was that you didn't seem to have any sympathy or empathy for what the victim's family was going through," she said. "The only emotion I saw you demonstrate was with respect to ... you feeling bad for your family. It's something I noticed -- that lack of sympathy."

Campbell, dressed in a blue county jail uniform, asked how he could feel bad if he wasn't responsible for the death of Russum.

"I'm in my own situation right now. For me to feel sorry for something I didn't do?" he responded.

Authorities said Campbell fired more than 30 rounds and killed Russum on the 800 block of Hassell Avenue, near Martin Luther King and Lake Mead boulevards.

Russum's mother, Angela Conway, said she hoped Campbell lives the rest of his life behind bars.

"I don't ever want him on the street," she said.

The case was solved by the Las Vegas police's Homicide Task Force, a specialized unit formed in February to investigate unsolved gang-related murders in West Las Vegas, an area roughly defined as being bordered by Carey Avenue on the north, Bonanza Road on the south, Interstate 15 on the east and Rancho Drive on the west.

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ta wrote on December 31, 2008 08:54 AM: how can they find some one guilty with no proof no gun no finger prints you have to give the man a fair trial. any one can say you killed somebody but the facts are is he innocent or guilty is the real problem with this case im marcus's little brother and no he did not do this crime.


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UK wrote on April 10, 2008 03:14 AM: R.I.P P-TEEZY


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SmartJen wrote on January 09, 2008 03:56 PM: OOOH OOOH Can I be in charge of the Department of Punishment? I have some GREAT ideas!!

For example:

Drunk drivers would be strapped to the hood of a full-size truck with a drunk driver behind the wheel on a mission to make it from one end of Las Vegas Blvd to the other in 10 minutes on a Friday night... Wait, that would put bystanders in danger. Ah, what the heck, what person with any moral value or intellectual clout would be on Las Vegas Blvd on Friday night?


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BC wrote on January 09, 2008 03:47 PM: SmartJen-

I don't know if we're too lenient or not. But recidivism rates speak volumes. Perhaps before we send somebody to the department of corrections, they must prove they're capable and worthy to leave the department of punishments first. Of course, we would have to establish the department of punishment.

And I'm only willing to go so far when a person's surroundings or upbringing "causes" them to run afoul of the law. If somebody is so far gone that life is meaningless, send them to the storage bin.


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SmartJen wrote on January 09, 2008 03:32 PM: Jen--Haven't you heard? EVERYONE IN JAIL IS INNOCENT (or they have a perfectly good reason for what they did)... just ask them :)


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SmartJen wrote on January 09, 2008 03:24 PM: Well said, BC. You hit the nail on the head about equal opportunity regardless of a person's situation. In an ideal world your words would ring absolutely true. Unfortunately, in MY world, everyone is NOT given the same opportunity--either because they are uneducated or are caught in a cycle that is taught to them by their parents who have so professionally learned to "work the system".

If I implied leniency then I misspoke. Clearly our system is too lenient--evident by the number of repeat offenders. My point is that the attitude of "toss 'em in jail and keep 'em off the streets" is not a solution because there's always another gang member there to pop up in their place. Sadly, I think communities have become too sprawled and classes too separated for anyone to effectively ban together and enact any substantial change.

Happy New Year!


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Jen wrote on January 09, 2008 03:23 PM: Yes it is the same Jen posting. I know there is evidence he is guilty. I just think that if we don't continually question why someone is behind bars, innocent people will be sent to prison. If you think it's worse to have a guilty person free, what if you were the innocent person in jail? A man down south was released from prison last week after 26 years because DNA finally proved he did not commit the rape he was punished for. 26 years! I'm not defending the guy in this story. I'm just saying don't lock people up then forget everything. People are still fighting to get Jessica Williams out of jail. God-willing they will before her 20 years are up.


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Larry wrote on January 09, 2008 03:03 PM: Jim Hart,

Why do you even comment on these stories? Is it only so you have one more opportunity to make a racist comment or call a black person an animal? Oh wait I mean "filthy savage ghetto killer".... you are so full of anger and hatred. What happened to you?

What do you think of Chester Stiles? He is white so he must be ok to you!


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BC wrote on January 09, 2008 02:38 PM: SmartJen-

Pffft!!! OK, maybe it's your fault. I really don't care if they live in their own world or not. The thing is, when they want to commit crime in "my" world, I'll neither harbor nor offer sympathy for the criminal. I also think you don't know what a war zone is like. Anyone in the ghetto that is willing to learn, apply themselves, and work hard, is capable of raising their living standards. Nobody says it is, nor should it be, easy.

For the rest that would rather slouch or try the easy way out, then build that wall, literally, and make sure it is insurmaountable to all but the truly dedicated to traverse.


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SmartJen wrote on January 09, 2008 11:24 AM: Let's be honest--no one is innocent in any of this. Not you, not me, not the convicted shooter. These are kids we turn and look away from. We build big walls around their neighborhood so we don't have to see what's happening in our own back yard. Out of sight... out of guilt-ridden mind. These kids live in a much different world than many of us--often a war zone with it's own communal heirarchy. But are you going to give up some of your hard earned money to try to change the situation? And even if you would, how much of an impact could you possibly make?

BTW--the Jen below is not the same Jen who has been posting recently. LVRJ.com should make registration available so names cannot be duplicated...


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