Convicted
Jessie Rankins
“Tony” or “Tyrone” (name has not been publicly announced)
Jessie Rankins 2008
Boys imprisoned for dropping child to his death
Editorial Notebook;The Littlest Killers
Remorse: The 14 Stories of Eric Morse
Remorse: The 14 Stories of Eric Morse (transcripts)
WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN OUR KIDS BECOME KILLERS?
1996 Child murderer commits sex assault 3 years later.
2001 Now 18, 11-year-old murderer of 5-year-old is set free
Books
Our America: Life And Death On The South Side Of Chicago
June 16, 2008 at 3:44 pm
This scumbag is out of jail. I just can’t believe at his age that he didn’t know dropping this child off of a building would kill him. Now he’s free to kill again, and he will.
August 2, 2008 at 11:55 pm
i wonder what happen with the other guy
September 18, 2008 at 9:10 am
So one of the people who dropped Eric out of the windows name was Jessie? In the book, Our America, the murderers names were Johnny And Tyrone? Were they changed then or what?
September 20, 2008 at 10:12 am
I think everyone involved is a victim. Ever since I found out about this crime I have been consumed with it. How can young children do such a horrendous thing? Those children were trying to survive in a crazy world. Jessie Rankins may not kill again, but I stongly feel he will be a career criminal. That’s the only thing he knows how to do. Yes he did get out of jail, and landed back in jail a few months later because he committed a burglary. For that crime he was sentenced to 6 years. (Tony) the other boy involved apparently was able to be reformed.
September 22, 2008 at 3:24 pm
wow thats crazy he looks crazy but i wonder what eric morse brother and mother is doing today…some people thats the only way they really know how to survive…i think they couldnt use there real names in the book because of there age or maybe they needed to get permission every remember they did a movie after the bookit came on hbo…it was deep
September 22, 2008 at 3:26 pm
well jessie was johnny in the book and i think tony was tyrone i believe but i know 4sure johnny is jessie
October 12, 2008 at 10:00 pm
A very small & simple perspective on what some of Chicago was like in the 90’s:
Chicago and Chicago-land areas were pretty much war zones back then with the gangs. They weren’t Iraq, but they were war zones. The decapitations we all heard about after 9-11-01 and the shock which came along with this news made us all feel sick to the stomach. How could there be a place in the world where something like this was going on? Well, in the 90’s this was going on in Chicago and surrounding Chicago-land areas. Gang members were being decapitated and thrown off of overpasses or just being left where they were killed. Gang members and non-gang members were being gutted and mutilated. Many young individuals and even children were exposed to this type of violence on a daily basis.
When young lives are forced to see such violence the world becomes a very, very different place. Eventually, one becomes numb to violence and right from wrong is difficult to understand. You hope schools can help direct young individuals on a good path with their lives, right? Well, what is one supposed to do when they can’t concentrate in their classes because they have to worry about one or more individuals wanting to hurt or even kill them? This was reality back then in some of the schools.
In parts of Chicago the violence which occurred just can’t be described or even imagined. My heart aches because I know many young individuals lives were destroyed simply because of where their home was.
October 14, 2008 at 8:57 am
does anyone know the title of the movie from HBO???
October 27, 2008 at 8:56 pm
I strongly agree with Aaron. I believe that the two kids that killed Eric were victims too. How can you know right from wrong when they were born into a world of violence. One of the boys’ father had been encarserated for abusing the boy’s mother. The other boy’s mother was a drug addict and the child did not have a father so basically that child was left on his own. How can one blame them if violence was the only thing they were ever exposed to. A child is not responsible for its actions but the adults surrounding him are. Their parents were responsible for them, their teachers were responsible for them, the politicians in their comunity were responsible for them, the whole community was ponsible for them.
November 17, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Just for clarification: 1. The boys identities were hidden because they were charged as juveniles for their crime. Jessie’s name was only revealed after he was charged as an adult with a sexual assault that he committed while in juvenile prison for the murder of Eric Morse. 2. The other young man also has gone on to a life of crime, only you won’t hear about it because you still don’t know his name.
December 17, 2008 at 9:52 am
the name of the movie that was based on this is called Our America.
January 4, 2009 at 1:42 pm
This is one of the tragic events that were to close for comfort for me. I grew up in chicagos southside and witnessed things that no child ever should. This being une of them. I am now 26 and live 1000 miles away from Chicago but the pain moved with me. My entire life has been one big grief session. My only regret is that no one got me help earlier. I am now in therapy trying to close that chapter in my life. My prayers go out to Derrick and Mrs Morse. Signed old friend
January 7, 2009 at 10:19 am
WTF……
January 21, 2009 at 11:42 am
eric is my big cousin and i was born in 1994 the year that he died and i never got the chance to meet my cousin that is terrible.As derrick who is still sad about what happens, still look’s back at this and feel’s sad