We are one of the worlds fastest growing As Sir Darius continues to create whimsical formal attire for shelter animals around the world, he is now working on making his organization a nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status. Another neighbor, Charlene Walburn, told WRAL that Cannon came by her house often, usually asking her for a popsicle or seeing if her husband could put air in the tires of his bike, which she said he rode everyday. We do not surrender that right because others believe it is morally just for us to do so. Wilson. Another made a comment on the crowdfunding that the Hinnant family was going to receive and said, "Not surprised the parents are cashing in were going to find out later that he was provoked or somehow set up. There wasnt anything between me and him, any bad blood whatsoever, for him to have a reason to do this,Austin Hinnant, Cannons father, toldWRAL. },false) I Will Not Be Silenced! Officers of the Wilson Police Department have identified Darius N. Sessoms (Wilson/25) as the suspect in this case. We work closely with GoFundMe, Inc. and other organizations to immediately transform tax-deductible donations into life-changing grants for people in need and organizations driving meaningful change. While appropriating phrases from the country's social movement to end racism in policing, such as "#SayHisName," the underlying claims of the posts were these: A Black man, 25-year-old Darius Sessoms, was implicated in the shooting death of Hinnant on Aug. 9, 2020, in Wilson, North Carolina, and mainstream news outlets purposefully omitted covering the death because the child was white. My prayers are with you and your family. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), eventAction: 'click_image_ads' Stay strong brother, wrote another. }); He has two pending felony drug charges in Wilson County., The Wilson Times said Sessoms was convicted of felony larceny of firearms in Wilson County in March 2016, misdemeanor maintaining a place for a controlled substance in Wake County in April 2016 and felony marijuana possession in Nash County in November 2016. }) Tragically, the victim succumbed to their injuries. Privacy Policy [Images via GoFundMe, Wilson Police Department], Have a tip we should know? A cannon that gets shot? asked another. He hopes he can encourage other changemakers who need a little support getting started. However, no evidence has demonstrated a pattern of ignoring the crime on the part of mainstream news media outlets, much less doing so to further a predetermined racial narrative. I never thought hed kill someone. A Facebook group reportedly supported Darius Sessoms, 25, the alleged killer of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant who was murdered after being shot at point-blank range on August 9. The reporter was directed to a web page on the city of Wilson's website for information on the shooting, and police declined to comment beyond statements posted there. Accessed 13 August 2020. 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Jessica Lee is Snopes' Senior Assignments Editor with expertise in investigative storytelling, media literacy advocacy and digital audience engagement. Have a tip or story idea? To help the animals affected by the devastating wildfires in Australia, hes planning on crafting koala mittens and joey pouches. See our approach. For a second, I thought, That couldnt happen. People dont run across the street and kill kids.. Darius Sessoms, Cannon Hinnant (Wilson Police Department/GoFundMe) The father of five-year-old Cannon Hinnant, who was shot dead in his own yard on August 9, had dinner and shared beers with his son's alleged murderer before the tragic incident. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ #justice for Cannon. . Cannons father Austin Hinnant and Sessoms were already acquainted, so the shooting was not completely random. When I found out that dogs couldnt stay in shelters forever and could be euthanized, that made me very, very sad. To date, Sir Darius has shipped upwards of 500 bow ties to animal shelters across the US and the UKall with the goal of helping four-legged friends find their forever homes. ga('ads.send', { Darius Sessoms, 25, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Thursday at the Wilson County Courthouse for the August 2020 shooting of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant in a case that a judge ruled in . The next big thing on the horizon is to start making bandanas, he says. One user responded to the post which mocked Cannon's name, saying, "Plain and simple, you're a s***bag white trash c**t b**h who is joking about a 5 yr old child being murdered because he's white. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ We had just been cordial neighbors, like anybody else. They know hes in a better place." A Watson Hearing is a proceeding in potential death penalty cases, in which the defendant attempts to require the state to specifically disclose what aggravating factors it will use in seeking a death sentence.. Its all backwards because it doesnt fit their agenda. Shame on all of them. Sessoms was convicted in March 2016 of felony larceny of firearms, per The Wilson Times. A GoFundMe page was created by Cannon's grandmother, Gwen Hinnant. In the head. }) I will burn this country down if its what itll take to see this man burn in hell. Good luck getting that refund." A North Carolina man has pleaded guilty to the senseless slaying of a five-year-old boy playing outside. Left, mugshot, right, Facebook A grand jury in Wilson County on Wednesday returned a true bill of indictment for one count of first-degree murder against Darius N. Sessoms, 25, for fatally shooting young Cannon Hinnant in the summer of 2020, Durham ABC affiliate WTVD reported. I want to inspire young people to give back to their communities and help those in need, Sir Darius says. Copyright 2023 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. "His Name Was Cannon Hinnant The Establishment Media Doesn't Think His Life Mattered." eventAction: 'click_ads' Accessed 14 August 2020. justice for darius sessoms justice for darius sessoms (No Ratings Yet) . . Sessoms is in the custody of the Wilson County Sheriffs Department, according to online records. "It just became too expensive for me to help him make the impact he was striving for." Brammer, Bryan. We are asking for your donations to assist with anything that may be needed for expenses related to his services. gads_event = event; I just dont understand why he did it, she reportedly said. He was apprehended and convicted for the murder of 5-year-old Cannon Hinnant. He is currently being held without bond and made his first appearance in court on Tuesday morning. She reportedly said she then saw a burst of flame followed by the boy collapsing. The Post Millennial. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { document.querySelector("#adunit").addEventListener('click',function(){ [Images via GoFundMe, Wilson Police . It was best for him to take this plea so it would not have to get our girls up there.". He had been diagnosed with a speech, comprehension, and fine motor skills delay and was working on ways to improve his hand-eye coordination. Statement From Roger Stone In Response To The January 6th Committee. ga('ads.send', { Sir Darius continued making bow ties for animals that needed homes, outfitting cats and even lizards with the colorful, homemade creations. We are one of the worlds fastest growing As of Aug. 14, these headlines and other related stories appeared on the following news sites, partly disproving Walsh's assertion: In other words, it was inaccurate to claim CNN, The Associated Press, Yahoo! "Wilson Police Department Press Release." The judge sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole. ", We had earlier reported Cannon's mother, Bonny Waddell, has said that she will be seeking the death penalty against the suspect who allegedly shot Cannon at point-blank range while he rode his bicycle on Sunday, August 9, night. Hinnants mother, Bonny Parker, wiped away tears as she read a victim impact statement to the court. In sum, while it is truthful to state that Sessoms, a Black man, was charged in the shooting death of Hinnant, a white 5-year-old, in North Carolina, there is no evidence substantiating a pattern of mainstream news organizations omitting coverage of the child's death to further a particular racial narrative or for any other purpose. Accessed 14 August 2020. Darius Sessoms is a convicted felon. The suspect, Darius N. Sessoms, walked up to the boy, shot him in the head point blank, and then fled the scene, according to a witness. The fundraising page had a goal of $5,000, but had raised $766,174 by Monday afternoon. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Gwen Hinnant is organizing this fundraiser on behalf of FARRIS & THOMAS LAW. The story of Beaux & Paws from Sir Darius interview on GoFundMes podcast, True Stories of Good People: The story of how 13-year-old Sir Darius started helping animals began long before Hurricane Harvey and Irma hit. The first thing I see is my son laying on the ground and it crossed my mind that maybe he just fell off his bike. We offer our sincerest appreciation in this extremely difficult time. Cannon Hinnat's alleged killer Darius Sessoms had dinner and beer with boy's father night before brutal murder. We cannot sit idly by while our president plays fast and loose with the laws. On their own property." The news organizations' ethical policies, which are available online, however, include promises to report the news accurately and fairly without bias standards that, in practice, would prohibit the newsrooms from only covering certain stories and purposefully hiding others as part of some nefarious scheme because of the races of those involved. 12 August 2020. From there, Sir Darius and Dazhai worked quickly to deliver their first 20 homemade bow ties to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) adoption shelter in New York. "Legal Information Institute." hitType: 'event', He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. No one should ever have to bury their child. My baby didn't deserve this. They were just playing in the yard like any other day, the dad said. Hes a political prisoner and I would like to donate. He figured that with dapper bow ties around their necks, dogs would appear more approachable, friendly, and cutehelping them get adopted quicker. His probation was revoked twice in 2017, resulting in separate three-month stints in prison. Authorities still have not disclosed a possible motive. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. According to a report from The Wilson Times, Judge Wiggins told the court that he reviewed memoranda from prosecutors and defense attorneys, as well as physical and testimonial evidence presented both in open court and in camera (i.e., in private). News, NBC News, and ABC News ignored Hinnant's death. Superior Court Judge L. Lamont Wiggins on Thursday ruled that the states case against Darius N. Sessoms for the murder of Cannon Hinnant is eligible to proceed as a capital punishment case, Goldsboro CBS affiliate WNCN reported. Accessed 14 August 2020. window.googletag.pubads().addEventListener('slotRenderEnded', function(event) { Darius Nathaniel Sessoms is in the custody of the Wilson County Sheriff's Department, according to online records. if(document.querySelector("#adunit")){ The victim was transported to Wilson Medical Center. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Cannon was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the facility. ga('ads.send', { },false) They know hes in a better place. At first, Sir Darius began by simply cutting fabric. Darius. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. 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Officers arrived on the scene and located a 5 year old suffering from a gunshot wound. Sessoms appeared in court Thursday for a Watson Hearing held at the request of his attorney, Ernest L. Conner. "Handbook of Journalism". This is under investigation, I lost my child, I lost my innocent child, and no one can give me him back. The child was shot in the head while he was playing in the driveway of his father's home along with his siblings in North Carolina. Beautiful soul. However, neither Hopkins nor the district attorney's office returned our phone calls or email messages. "Has a Go Fund Me been set up for Darius? Immediately after the shooting, a neighbor told Raleigh NBC affiliate WRAL that Sessoms and Cannons father had dinner together the night before Cannons death. I Can Already Hear the Whining: Florida Sheriff Mandates No Masks for Deputies. "There wasn't anything between me and him, any bad blood whatsoever, for him to have a reason to do this," he said. A judge sentenced the 28-year-old Sessoms to life in prison without. ga('ads.send', { Recalling the fateful day, Austin said when he heard the gunshots, he ran outside to find Cannon lying on the ground. hitType: 'event', I want death penalty and Im gonna seek it., The mother also took to Facebook to share that her sons killer will answer to me. Sessoms is facing a first-degree murder charge for killing Cannon and is being held without bond. Based on that statement, Wilson police believed Sessoms fatally shot a 5-year-old child on Aug. 9, and then fled. pg.acq.push(function() { Dont let this social media and news fool you!. hitType: 'event', Stay strong brother.". }); A 25-year-old North Carolina man accused of executing a 5-year-old boy in cold blood as he rode his bike in front of his two young sisters will be facing the death penalty if he is convicted in his impending trial. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Accessed 14 August 2020. Based on our analysis of police statements, newsroom ethical policies, and the media coverage surrounding the child's death, we determined the former assertion was true and the latter -- that the mainstream news media exhibited a pattern of purposely ignoring the killing -- was false. Cannons mom has said their family is devastatedat the boys death. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ Cannon Hinnant. A woman wrote on Facebook, Cannon Hinnant Ive seen a few post with his name so I googled it. Sir Darius isnt limiting his creations to only dogs, either. Cannon was taken to Wilson Medical Center, where he died. }); It reads: On Sunday, August 9th, this precious angel was playing outside with his siblings when he was murdered. That was the whole reason why he took this plea. Doris Lybrand, one of Cannons neighbors, reportedly told WRAL that Sessoms simply ran across the street with a handgun and shot the 5-year-old boy in the head. Instead, this story has gotten almost no coverage by the American national media. He was very courageous., 2020 THE SUN, US, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY | YOUR AD CHOICES | SITEMAP, Hinnant was playing on his bike when he was shot, Sessoms was charged with first-degree murder, Sessoms lived next door to the Hinnant family, Hinnant's father said there was 'no bad blood' between him and Sessoms. For that, we reached out to the news organizations to ask why they had not covered Hinnant's death and what factors go into those type of editorial decisions, and we will update this report when or if we hear back from them. The fatal shooting reportedly happened in front of Cannons two sisters, ages 7 and 8. eventAction: 'click_ads' "An 11-Year-Old Boys Killing Isnt Proof Black Lives Dont Matter to Black People." Of firearms, per the Wilson Police Department ], have a tip we should know made! 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