Man Killed Uic Student After She Ignored His Catcalls: Prosecutors

Everything Zen

Well-Known Member
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/loc...nored-His-Catcalls-Prosecutors-565491111.html

A man accused of killing a 19-year-old University of Illinois-Chicago student in a campus parking garage allegedly strangled her to death because she ignored his catcalls, prosecutors said in court Tuesday.

Donald Thurman, a parolee facing first-degree murder charges in the case, did not know the sophomore honor student he is accused of killing but saw her for the first time Saturday evening.

According to prosecutors, UIC student Ruth George and a friend were returning from a semi-formal event with their professional fraternity. The pair took a Lyft to their campus and the friend went to her dorm room while George walked to her car.

George walked past the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line UIC stop when 26-year-old Thurman noticed her, prosecutors said.

"[Thurman] thought she was pretty and tried talking to her, but [George] ignored him," a proffer from court read.

Thurman allegedly followed George into the parking garage and up to where her car was parked. Prosecutors alleged he was "angry that he was being ignored" so he "came up behind [George], grabbed her around the neck from behind, and put her in a choke hold."

That's when prosecutors say Thurman dragged her to the back seat of her car, face down and unconscious, before raping her and leaving a condom on the floorboard of the vehicle. Her body was found by her sisters and police the next day still face down in the back seat of her car.

Her sisters tried to perform CPR until paramedics arrived but George was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office later determined that George died as a result of strangulation, and ruled her death a homicide.

Thurman was seen on camera running from the parking garage wearing a "distinguishable white jacket," which authorities later found at his home, and his palm print was recovered off George's car, prosecutors said.

After his arrest, Thurman admitted to choking George and sexually assaulting her, authorities said.

Thurman was charged with first-degree murder and criminal sexual assault, UIC Chief of Police Kevin Booker said in a statement Monday. A judge ordered Thurman held without bail Tuesday.

Authorities said Thurman was previously convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to six years in prison, but only served two and was released from prison in December 2018. He was on parole at the time of the crime, officials said.

George was a member of UIC's Honors College and a "talented kinesiology student with dreams and aspirations to become a health professional and help others," UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis said in a statement. "Our thoughts, our hearts and our condolences are with her family and friends during this trying period."

"She was the beloved baby of our family," George's family said in a statement. "We grieve with hope. We hold no hatred towards the perpetrator, but our hope is no other girl would be harmed in this way and for a mother to never experience this type of heartache."
 

Everything Zen

Well-Known Member
^^^ I was going to say that the family’s response was appropriate and did not fall in the normal forgiveness vein that you see with black victims. They simply hold no hatred. This does not imply forgiveness for the murderer. I don’t know if I would be in that headspace but I’m cool with that.
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
^^^ I was going to say that the family’s response was appropriate and did not fall in the normal forgiveness vein that you see with black victims. They simply hold no hatred. This does not extend forgiveness to the murderer. I’m cool with that.
I put it in the same category because it's just as unlikely IMO. It's not that I don't believe they don't hate the guy. It's that they're in shock and probably won't be able to process what's happening until much later. They'll feel a lot of things once the shock and numbness wears off and hate may be one of them. It's too soon.

Even if true, why is this kind of thing always part of the narrative? I'm not advocating for the opposite by why is it mentioned at all? It's like there's some perverse need to present the news with a pristine bow of forgiveness (or in this case, not hate) to lighten the load of the crime. It's odd to me.
 

dicapr

Well-Known Member
I put it in the same category because it's just as unlikely IMO. It's not that I don't believe they don't hate the guy. It's that they're in shock and probably won't be able to process what's happening until much later. They'll feel a lot of things once the shock and numbness wears off and hate may be one of them. It's too soon.

Even if true, why is this kind of thing always part of the narrative? I'm not advocating for the opposite by why is it mentioned at all? It's like there's some perverse need to present the news with a pristine bow of forgiveness (or in this case, not hate) to lighten the load of the crime. It's odd to me.

Just trying to end the story on a positive note. The same thing with the families “forgiving”. They are just trying to work through /process and they want to reassure themselves that they will be ok despite this tragedy.

I don’t hold anyone accountable for what they say the weeks and months after the death of their loved ones. True forgiveness won’t take place for years and even then it will be a struggle.
 

chocolat79

Well-Known Member
They should cut his dyck off with a rusty butter knife and let him bleed to death!
Agreed! Women aren't safe no matter what we do. Can't even ignore these men these days and even if she declined whatever invitation he was extending, the result probably would've still been the same. SMH.

I try to briefly acknowledge these men and keep it moving, but that's no guarantee of safety either. Women just aren't safe in the midst of these animals
 

Black Ambrosia

Well-Known Member
Just trying to end the story on a positive note. The same thing with the families “forgiving”. They are just trying to work through /process and they want to reassure themselves that they will be ok despite this tragedy.

I don’t hold anyone accountable for what they say the weeks and months after the death of their loved ones. True forgiveness won’t take place for years and even then it will be a struggle.
But they could just as easily mention the community coming together to support the family or her school doing a vigil or something similar. I feel like this idea of the victim's family forgiving the unforgivable is being pushed down our throats. In time I get it but days after the murder and rape... it's abnormal.
 

dicapr

Well-Known Member
Agreed! Women aren't safe no matter what we do. Can't even ignore these men these days and even if she declined whatever invitation he was extending, the result probably would've still been the same. SMH.

I try to briefly acknowledge these men and keep it moving, but that's no guarantee of safety either. Women just aren't safe in the midst of these animals

It truly is a no win situation. I believe these animals plan to rape and or murder no matter what the response the woman gives.
 

Everything Zen

Well-Known Member
^^^^ Yeah I’m not really here for this “good behavior” mess. This would also force the legal system to be more serious about who they choose to lock up. Quit wasting resources on low risk nonviolent offenders who get caught with a little weed and stupid :censored: like women walking around topless in their own homes.
 
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