Proof Updates (R.I.P.)

[_carmi]

Looks like Proof was defending himself, new witness says what really happened

this was jacked of the ill community

"Now since shyt is airing out. Here's the version I got from people that was there.

People told me that Proof and Keith Bender were arguing back and forth about that king of Detroit bullshyt. The argument ended wit' Proof puttin' his finger all in Keith's face like shut that bullshyt up. Then they started wrestling then each other peoples got all in the mix. Keith got free, pulled his pistol, then busted shots in the air hopin' to scare people and clear the spot out. Then Proof pulled his pistol in the kaos and grabbed Keith and started pistol whippin' him. Proof got the best of Keith and he fell. Wit' Proof standing over him, Mario comes from behind and shot Proof in the back causing Proof's pistol to go off shooting Keith in the head. Then Mario popped Proof in the back of the head twice and got the fuck outta' there. Both of their bodies were laid in the empty club for minutes before people came back to pick up the bodies and drive them to the hospital.

What I just typed might not be 100 percent, but this is what I got from people that was there."

looks like a good story. and like someone said here, one shot was enough, 4 shots is excessive. its not self defense, its literally wanting to kill the guy. i guess we're never gonna know the truth in this story.

 

[Morris]

^ It's easy to talk about how many shots should be fired in self defense, but 3-4 rounds are fired in the span of a second, so it's a heat of the moment thing. I'm sure if one of us saw somebody shooting a relative of our's, we'd make damn well sure he didn't shoot again.

 

[lil_angelo]

^ dude if i saw someone shoot ma cousin, i'll jump in and try stop dude firin more shots, but wot i won't do is bring out a gun and shoot dude cause who say i got the rite to take next mans life. i won't sink to dudes level, gotta be wise g, don't want no ones life hangin on ma consious for life.

 

[Jeremy]

Suspect charged BUT not with murder.

Mario Etheridge, the 28-year-old bouncer at Detroit's CCC Club and the suspected gunman in Tuesday morning's shooting death of D12's Proof, was charged Friday afternoon (April 14) by the Wayne County, Michigan, prosecutor's office with carrying a concealed weapon and discharge of a firearm in a dwelling or occupied structure — both felonies. He has not been charged with murder. If convicted, Etheridge could face up to nine years behind bars.

"Our investigation in this case is far from over," prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement. "As Gandhi said: 'An eye for an eye for an eye would make the whole world blind.' I am making a personal plea to the public to let the legal process take course. We do not want people taking the law into their own hands. The worst thing that could happen now would be to compound this situation by having any more senseless deaths" (see "D12's Proof Shot And Killed At Detroit Club").

"This is very, very ridiculous," Etheridge's attorney, Randall Upshaw, told the Detroit Free Press following the indictment. "If he discharged the weapon wrongfully and killed someone, charge him with a homicide or an assault. If he didn't discharge it wrongfully, don't charge him."

A police spokesperson told the Free Press on Wednesday that if Proof were shot by someone trying to protect himself or another individual, the person who pulled that trigger may not be charged with murder. Upshaw maintains Bender was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

Etheridge, who turned himself in to police on Wednesday afternoon (see "Suspect In Proof Slaying Turns Himself In"), will be arraigned Saturday in Detroit's 36th District Court.

According to police, evidence indicates 32-year-old Proof (born DeShaun Holton) fired the first round in Tuesday's fatal shootout inside the CCC Club, located along East Eight Mile Road in Detroit's East Side. But before he pulled the trigger, eyewitnesses claim, Proof pistol-whipped Keith Bender Jr., who fell to the floor, at which point police claim Proof shot him in the face. Proof was then fatally shot by another man — once in the back of the head and twice in the chest.

Police believe the two men had been fighting inside the club. Proof was pronounced dead on arrival at St. John Holy Cross Hospital; Bender remains in critical condition, and on life support, at St. John Hospital and Medical Center. Bender and Etheridge are cousins, according to police.

Late Thursday night, Eminem released a statement regarding Proof's killing, breaking his silence (see "Eminem Breaks Silence On Proof; Rapper's Lawyer Denies He Shot First"); Proof had served as Em's best man in January, when the rapper remarried his high-school sweetheart, Kimberly Mathers.

On Thursday, Proof's lawyer, David Gorosh, chided Detroit's police department for suggesting his client fired first (see "Details In Proof Shooting Emerge As Police, Second Victim's Family Speak Out"). "To indicate that Proof pulled the trigger first is reckless and quite frankly it will be proved to be untrue," he said. "This is a sad ending to a great career that was just getting started. He will be missed."

— Chris Harris

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528750/20060414/proof_of_d_12.jhtml?headlines=true

hmmm.

 

[Jeremy]

the fuck is a bouncer doing with a gun anyway?

I was asking my friend the same thing. Never seen a bouncer with a gun before.

 

[Nick]

Damn that is fucked up, I can't believe their not gonna charge him with murder. Proof is being painted as the villan but I honestly can't believe he'd have shot someone in the face over some stupid arguement.

 

[ArtsyGirl]

yeah...because there is an law for all musicians to be out in public at all times even if they are not promoting anything

being in public doing publicity is not the same as being at a club you frequent all the time just to hang out.

My point is who here judges their friends who have children when your out? Who tells their best friend to go home early because he has responsibilities? Its a personal issue which I dont think should come into consideration. Nobody knows how he was really as a father, he could have been great but liked to go to the club. I just dont see why we're judging him on it really.

Those charges seem real weak, may as well slap him on the ass and send him home.

 

[Jeremy]

Eminem Breaks Silence On Proof; Rapper's Lawyer Denies He Shot First

After two days of private mourning, Eminem broke his public silence late Thursday on the death of his best friend Proof, as the slain rapper's lawyer refuted police reports that he shot first in Tuesday morning's incident at Detroit's CCC club.

"You don't know where to begin when you lose somebody who's been such a big part of your life for so long. Proof and I were brothers." — Eminem

"You don't know where to begin when you lose somebody who's been such a big part of your life for so long. Proof and I were brothers," Eminem said in a statement regarding the death of his D12 partner, longtime onstage hype man and closest friend (see "D12's Proof Shot And Killed At Detroit Club"). "He pushed me to become who I am. Without Proof's guidance and encouragement there would have been a Marshall Mathers, but probably not an Eminem and certainly never a Slim Shady. Not a day will go by without his spirit and influence around us all. He will be missed as a friend, father and both the heart and ambassador of Detroit hip-hop."

Though the focus since Tuesday's incident has been on reports from police that it was 32-year-old Proof (born DeShaun Holton) who fired first, shooting Keith Bender Jr. in the face before he was fatally shot by another man (see "Suspect In Proof Slaying Turns Himself In"), Eminem encouraged fans to remember the life of Proof, not his death.

"Right now, there's a lot of people focusing on the way he died," Eminem said."I want to remember the way he lived. Proof was funny, he was smart, he was charming. He inspired everyone around him. He can never, ever be replaced. He was, and always will be, my best friend" (see "Proof: 'Eminem's Best Friend' And A Vital Member Of Detroit's Hip-Hop Scene").

On Thursday, Proof's lawyer, David Gorosh, strongly questioned police claims that his client fired first (see "Details In Proof Shooting Emerge As Police, Second Victim's Family Speak Out"). "To indicate that Proof pulled the trigger first is reckless and quite frankly it will be proved to be untrue," Gorosh said, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"This is a sad ending to a great career that was just getting started. He will be missed."

Bender remained in critical condition at St. John Hospital at press time and his family released a statement Thursday decrying the violence that led to his shooting. "The senseless events of Tuesday morning were extremely unfortunate, and have decimated the entire family," the statement read. "Keith is a warm, caring, giving and charismatic young man. To see him in his current condition is nearly unbearable. Please keep Keith and our family in your prayers as we work through this tragedy. This is an extremely difficult and sensitive time for our family in having Keith nearly taken away from us."

Police and prosecutors continued interviewing the man suspected of shooting Proof, 28-year-old Mario Etheridge, who turned himself in Wednesday. Authorities have said that it's possible Etheridge, Bender's cousin, may not be charged if evidence points to him shooting in self-defense or to protect someone else.

According to the Free Press, police believe CCC Club bouncer Etheridge opened fire after Proof pistol-whipped Bender, fired a round into his head and stood over Bender and prepared to fire another shot. Etheridge allegedly shot Proof three times in the head and chest.

Without acknowledging that his client shot anyone, Etheridge's attorney, Randall Upshaw, has said that his client did nothing illegal, also claiming that Proof shot first.

"It's disingenuous to speak to the media to try and suggest that Proof shot first," Gorosh countered, according to the Free Press. "There are ways to determine what shots were fired and by whom. There's an ongoing investigation. ... Until all of the factual evidence has been evaluated, an opinion by the Detroit Police Department is premature."

— Gil Kaufman

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1528698/20060414/proof_of_d_12.jhtml?headlines=true

 

[DontGo2Sleep]

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)

DETROIT - Keith Bender, who police say was shot by Proof before the rapper was shot and killed, died early Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Bender, 35, had been in critical condition after being shot in the head a week ago at the CCC, a nightclub on Eight Mile Road, the border between Detroit and the northern suburbs.

He died early Tuesday, said Wende Berry, a spokeswoman for St. John Hospital and Medical Center.

Detroit police have said they were told by witnesses that Proof shot Bender during a dispute at the after-hours club. Bender's cousin, Mario Etheridge, then shot and killed Proof, whose real name was Deshaun Holton, officers said.

Proof, 32, was a close friend of Eminem and had a small part in his 2002 movie, "8 Mile."

Etheridge, 28, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and discharge of a firearm in a building. He has pleaded not guilty.

He posted $7,000 bond and was released from the Wayne County Jail on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a viewing for Proof, was to be held Tuesday. A funeral was scheduled for Wednesday.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060418/ap_en_mu/rapper_killed

Since nobody is going to be giving this guy's family any checks from posthumous releases, ya know, even though he got shot first and whatnot which in any normal situation would make him a murder victim (but thanks to the media engine of Shady/Interscope/MTV plus the fact that he isn't famous, makes him the bad guy), I thought I'd do what little I could by publicizing his death and hoping Keith Bender rests in peace.

Oh yeah, and no one is gonna be doing tribute songs for this guy either. Sad, huh.

 

[Pittsey]

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060418/ap_en_mu/rapper_killed

Since nobody is going to be giving this guy's family any checks from posthumous releases, ya know, even though he got shot first and whatnot which in any normal situation would make him a murder victim (but thanks to the media engine of Shady/Interscope/MTV plus the fact that he isn't famous, makes him the bad guy), I thought I'd do what little I could by publicizing his death and hoping Keith Bender rests in peace.

Oh yeah, and no one is gonna be doing tribute songs for this guy either. Sad, huh.

You don't know the true story either. Who knows who is to blame.

 

[Nick]

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)

Man allegedly shot by Proof Dies (RIP)



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060418/ap_en_mu/rapper_killed

Since nobody is going to be giving this guy's family any checks from posthumous releases, ya know, even though he got shot first and whatnot which in any normal situation would make him a murder victim (but thanks to the media engine of Shady/Interscope/MTV plus the fact that he isn't famous, makes him the bad guy), I thought I'd do what little I could by publicizing his death and hoping Keith Bender rests in peace.

Oh yeah, and no one is gonna be doing tribute songs for this guy either. Sad, huh.

Read what I said in another thread.....

I don't understand why people keep saying that Proof was wrong for shooting first blah blah blah, cos so far it's still unclear what really happend. He could have been in a life or death situation - shoot or get shot. Anyone that values their life would obviously shoot first, so why would someone be in the wrong for fighting for their life?

Basically the same as what Pittsey said, none of us really know what happend so it's pointless blaming one side or the other.

 

[4-getta]

May they all Rest In Peace, may the bouncer find peace too. Most of yall would have shot too, if you saw your cousing getting killed in front of you...Still I mourn over the loss of Proof. Just saw the 2002 Eminem Tour DVD today and I really can't believe that Proofs gon...I don't know where Eminem is gonna end up now...

 

[ArtsyGirl]

RIP to Bender sad situation that two lives were taken over this bullshit. Hope the truth comes out in the end though.

 

[ItsmeyaC]

thats it noone other than who was there knows, so no point argueing, and slain rappers dont get justice anyway

 

[4-getta]

Is there any news on this case? Any more details on what exactly went down?

 

[Dnasty]

R.I.P The BAnd wont be the same with out u