Wilson then lunged at Moore, who responded by firing two shots at him. The defense attorneys for both boys denied the charges vehemently. Photo Credit: Ball Is Life On September 11th, 1984, Ben Wilson had his first child, Brandon, with then-girlfriend Jetun Rush. Those are the ones who may feel a shiver when Brandon Wilson runs on the court Saturday at the DePaul Athletic Center, wearing the No. [19] Moore and Dixon then fled. He is a student with no job and no car. Simeon Career Academy has done its part to keep his memory alive. Like Rose, he's spent much of his high school career surrounded and protected by family and friends so as to stay out of trouble. By all accounts, the film, co-directed by native Chicagoans Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah, is an emotional, Houseman-esque ode to an athlete dying young and the devastating effects that senseless violence has had and continues to have on Chicago's inner-city youth. As Nick Anderson, a fellow Chicagoan who would've been Wilson's teammate at Simeon, told Scoop Jackson: Benji was Magic Johnson, but with a jump shot. That boy could be alive today if not for that. He had one son, Brandon Wilson (b. September 1984),[24] with his high school girlfriend Jetun Rush. [12] A month later, Moore was sentenced to 40 years in prison while Dixon received 30. Brandon Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals, DB - News, Stats, Bio It took a jury little more than an hour to find Moore and Dixon guilty of murder and attempted robbery. Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. There was an error deleting this problem. While the first meeting between the two men was three years ago, they appeared publicly for the first time Thursday at Malcolm X College on the Near West Side. Ben left that playful side of his personality behind when it came to basketball. He also left Brandon, who was 10 weeks old at the time of his father's death. In 2020, Two Sides of the Gun: A Story of Reconciliation was screened in Chicago during NBA All-Star Weekend festivities. Murder of Ben Wilson - Wikipedia Benji was survived by a son, Brandon, who turned out to be a decent basketball player in his own right. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. The money issue got resolved before they got to the school, so now media said they were there to steal from Benji Wilson of all people? 2. The murder sent Chicago into shock, generating agony, outrage and calls for an end to street violence. Facebook gives people the power. Brandon Wilson Ben Wilson/Sons. Sorry! "We would go neighborhood to neighborhood playing basketball," Dildy said. I've heard about him and his story is just so sad. Wilson died from injuries sustained in the shooting the following morning. [7] Mary Wilson had two sons from a previous marriage, including Curtis Glenn, and would have sons Anthony and Jeffrey with the elder Wilson before the couple divorced. Grown Folk Talk: How do you guys relieve stress that's job related once you're at home? Brandon Paul Wilson. "It's still a free ride.". [18] He and Omar Dixon were outside the luncheonette when Wilson and Rush came up the street behind them. They saw the king of the world., Mimi Faust confirms that Ex Fianc Ty Young had Affair with Drew from RHOA, New Mother KeKe Palmer is impressed with single mothers, Kim Kardashian and Kelly Rowland Work Out Together and Show Off Abs in Mirror Selfie, Jackson State University President Thomas Hudson has been placed on administrative leave, Thoughts from Ms. Going to Africa. Brandon Wilson, who was on death row for the 1998 ambush slaying of a 9-year-old boy in Oceanside, was found dead Thursday hanging in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, state corrections officials said. Ben Wilson's killer: 'I don't consider myself a criminal' - NBC Sports RSN You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. They were at Simeon school because somebody stole or took $10 from Moore's cousin, but the money issue got resolved. You meeting with the man who killed your brother?. What happened to Ben Wilson Son? According to Barry Temkin of The Chicago Tribune,Rivers first introduced Brandon to the game, though there was never any pressure to live up to Benji's legacy. He tried to excuse himself, but two of them were looking for trouble and words were exchanged. Join the Lipstick Alley 2023 NCAA Tournament Challenge. In 2007 he was arrested again and charged with three weapons offenses, for which he began serving a 40-year sentence in 2011. Biden works harder than you! That passion produced a player Dildy insists was better in high school than current NBA stars Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. I am sure 6'8" 239 lbs Ben Wilson bumped into 5'9 165 lb Billy Moore and didn't say excuse me because he was in a heated argument with his girlfriend. View the profiles of people named Branden Wilson. You tell me what type of money Benji was going to have on him? He played one season for UMES. According to Chicago's then emergency protocol, Wilson was taken to the nearest available hospital, which was St. Bernard Hospital in Englewood. March 18 Basketball Player #2. Benji bumped into them by accident and attempted to excuse himself, but Dixon and Moore wouldn't allow him to pass to easily. This is a real memory buster. Brandon was the oldest to two brothers; Jared and Jalen. "Ben loved basketball. Hope I dont get AIDS. Stay Connected Keep Me . Does anyone else feel behind because we lost two years due to pandemic? Dixon's attorney, Brian Dosch, called his client's confession "garbage" and destroyed a copy of it in front of reporters. That's how tall Ben Wilson was when he first arrived at Simeon as a freshman. The hospital was not a trauma center. Later that night, Chicago police arrested him there and shortly thereafter apprehended Omar Dixon. "He was a fierce competitor.". He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. "I just try to go out and play my game," he said. Ben Wilson Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family There was a problem getting your location. The first, directed by Coodie and Chike and produced in association with ESPN Films, was titled Benji and made its debut at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. The pastor that DeSantis appointed to oversee Disney's district believes drinking tap water will turn you gayyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Some of you are so weird about celeb kids. Moore and Dixon had cut school that day, and Moore had a .22 caliber pistol in his possession. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. Moore yelled up the street at Wilson to watch where he was going. To use this feature, use a newer browser. That's the number that Benji wore during his prep career, and that has since become a factoid of Chicago basketball lore in its own right. "He probably was the best player I've ever seen in high school.". The Late Ben Wilson's Son Brandon Wilson - Lipstick Alley Brandon spent his early childhood in Chicago before moving to New York with his mother, Jetun, and his stepfather, Edward Rivers. He played professionally with the Long Island Wizards. They advanced to the state 2A quarterfinals before losing to Lanphier High School of Springfield. I will tell you why I think it was self defense. At their trial, the prosecutors presented the same case theory to the jury when the trial began the following year. They were informed of their teammate's condition as it became available, with initial reports being positive but subsequent ones growing grimmer and grimmer as the hours wore on. Jetun met and married Edward Rivers. If she wasnt able to forgive, I dont think her sons wouldve.. "It really doesn't matter where I go," he said. The New York native, by way of Chicago, played for the Hawks in the early 2000s. Wilson is noted as the first Chicago athlete to receive this honor. [8] Wilson began playing basketball in elementary school. JavaScript is disabled. Brandon also coached with Empire Athletics and his Alma Mater LuHi with his friends. That was just so bad. Close this window, and upload the photo(s) again. Ben "Benji" Wilson, Jr. - Tribute to a Basketball Legend The world's population was 3,479,053,821 and there were an estimated year babies born throughout the world in 1967, Lyndon B. Johnson (Democratic) was the US President, and the . Moore served 19 years and 9 months in prison before his release in 2004. Dixon later began an unrelated sentence for armed robbery, although Moore, interviewed in the 2012 documentary Benji, claims that his own confession was coerced, and that Dixon was not involved in Wilson's shooting. Moore and Dixon were not known thieves. He also had a sister, Brelyn (Suga). Meanwhile, Calumet High School student Billy Moore was outside Simeon's campus with a .22 caliber revolver looking to avenge his cousin, who had been allegedly robbed of $10 by a Simeon student. [12] ESPN HS regarded Wilson as the best junior in the country for the 198384 season. those of you who will end with LARGE STUDENTS LOAN BALANCESwhat if everyone relocated outside of the U.S.???? Delivering Benji's eulogy at that ceremony was the Reverend Jesse Jackson, who'd been a candidate to represent the Democratic party during the presidential primaries earlier that year. Fat dude whose packing or good looks? visit like Drake, Rihanna, Madonna. Why do Black Folks Come Down on Diana Ross so hard but Give Tina Turner a Pass? Both young men signed confessions to that effect that were later recanted. [1] Wilson, a Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School basketball player, was regarded as the top high school player in the U.S. by scouts and coaches attending the 1984 Athletes For Better Education basketball camp. 8 Things to Know Before You Watch ESPN's Documentary 'Benji' Shortly after Murphy entered the luncheonette, Wilson inadvertently bumped into Moore since he had not been paying attention to where he was going, instead trying to talk to his estranged girlfriend. Before leaving to join Team Israel, Cubs prospect Matt Mervis shared why this WBC means so much to him. Malatesta, in response to these charges, chose instead to focus on the actions that led to Wilson's death. He was 10 weeks old when Ben was killed in 1984. Brandon wore the No. He said the lack of serious high-level interest has not been too disappointing. High school basketball all-star games are an achievement award, but also a tease. But it was said that they had some sort of toxic relationship and was advised to separate. That status was partly a tribute to his gifts for the game and partly the awful handiwork of the two punks who killed him. Once they were informed that Wilson had died, his teammates were asked whether or not they wanted to go forward with their season opener, which was scheduled for later on against the team they defeated to win the state championship in 1984, Evanston Township; they won the game. Ben Wilson's been gone from this earth for nearly 28 years now, but his legacy is far from forgotten. After those aforementioned greats, long before Kevin Garnett was a national name, and even before Derrick Rose, Anthony Davis and Jabari Parker were twinkles in their mothers' eyes, there was Ben Wilson. It was during a lunch break on November 20 when Benji, his girlfriend Jetun and another friend of theirs were out walking a short distance from Simeon that they ran into three other teenagers, two of whomOmar Dixon and William Moorewere looking for trouble. I did it for the city of Chicago, said Jeff Wilson, 46. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. Why do you think they were trying to rob him? Moore called to Wilson to watch where he was going, and Wilson responded by turning around and heading back toward Moore. Steele retired all six Padres batters he faced, then headed to the bullpen to throw 25 more pitches. Family members linked to this person will appear here. He played professionally with the Long Island Wizards. Ben Wilson: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know - FamousDetails Include gps location with grave photos where possible. The couple had conceived a child early in 1984, a son named Brandon, and Rush would neither speak to Wilson nor let him see his child. After Derrick Rose graduated from Simeon in 2007, the school stopped issuing the number and in 2009, it was finally retired in honor of both Rose and Wilson. [19], Billy Moore and Omar Dixon arrive at Simeon, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inside Basketball: 101 Great Hoop Stories from , By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Pat Williams, The Great Book of Chicago Sports Lists, By Dan McNeil, Ed Sherman, "Ben Wilson's killer: 'I don't consider myself a criminal' ", "Basketball Star's Slaying Described By Girlfriend", "Ben Wilson: A Life Cut Short but the Memories Remain", "PRO BASKETBALL; A Dead Friend, a Living Memory", "2 Teens Convicted in Murder of Ben Wilson", "Legacy is Challenge for Wilson | Newsday", "Port Washington police officer killed in Northern State crash", "Brandon Wilson Car Accident: Former ESHawks Hoops player, Brandon Wilson killed in deadly car accident", "Port Washington Policeman Dies in Northern State Parkway Crash", "New Details Emerge Surrounding Ben Wilson Death as Family Forgives Killer", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Ben_Wilson&oldid=1136751993, This page was last edited on 31 January 2023, at 23:27. Its something I carry with me my whole life, Moore said. Wilson's family contended botched treatment at St. Bernard contributed to his death. At the screening, Billy Moore and Ben Wilson's brothers Anthony and Jeffrey appeared onstage together and the two Wilsons publicly forgave Moore for his action; this was the dying wish of Mary Wilson, who passed away at the age of 63 in December 2000. My heart feels so heavy after watching that documentary. Prison officials did not say what Wilson, 33, used to hang himself. Omar Dixon, 15, tried to rob Wilson, who resisted. What city did Ben Wilson live in? It may not display this or other websites correctly. While waiting outside while Erica was in the store a upset and angry Ben Wilson and girlfriend come up from behind Moore arguing. "I never even really thought about it," he said. HOWLLelujah! Moore now works as a case worker with the Inner-City Muslim Action Network and mentors young boys similar to his younger self. The two engaged in a loud argument, with an infuriated Wilson and Moore exchanging expletives. I think Moore was thinking more about trying to have xes with Erica Murphy like any other 16 year old boy would. Moore's cousin had been robbed of $10, allegedly by a student of Simeon, and he brought the gun with him to avenge his cousin. [31] He also wore number 25 with the New York Knicks, after being traded. I just wanted to stay out of the negative. Born in 1967 to Ben Wilson Sr. and Mary Wilson (ne Gunter), Wilson was raised in the Chatham neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Brandon was the oldest to two brothers; Jared and Jalen. I'll admit, I believed Moore when he talked about what happened when Benji bumped into him, and didn't say excuse me. This page was created in memory of Ben Wilson (3/18/1967 - 11/21/1984) whose life story. Special friends; Ana Memic; uncles, Darrell Rush (Dawn), Peter Cashaw; great aunt, Patricia Cashaw; aunts, Tracy Person (Leroy), Erica McClay (Alton), and Alicia Rush; godmother, Marcia Kinnie, and a host of cousins, and friends. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. Both Moore and Dixon were convicted on charges of murder and attempted armed robbery. Brandon wore the No. St. Bernard was a small community hospital that was not equipped to handle emergencies or trauma cases like shootings, so a call was put out for any available trauma surgeon to report immediately to St. Bernard. The inscription on his headstone reads "Best in the Nation.". Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. [25][26] [10] As his game developed, friends and family surrounding Wilson began to notice that his talent could make him one of the best players in the sport. Learn more about managing a memorial . Simeon retired Wilson's No. They didn't accuse Ben of stealing anything. That makes no sense and a lie. Wilson's teammate Teri Sampson recalls that throughout the night, the reports progressively worsened, going from Wilson possibly recovering in time for the state playoffs, to perhaps missing a year of play, to possibly never playing again, to fighting for his life. "His serious side was out there on that court," said Dildy, whose King team lost to Simeon in the 1984 Public League semifinals. He had a son, Brandon, with his girlfriend Jetun Rush. Moore received a 40-year prison term; Dixon was sentenced to 30 years. As one poster remarked "what if he had stayed at the school during lunch instead of meeting with Jetun off campus to talk. Despite ample legal trouble, Sizemore had steady film and television credits. Dildy is far from alone in those sentiments among Chicago fans. I'm about to begin my journey in rewriting my life after all the trauma, pain, and loneliness. She settled in New York, where she married Edward Rivers. The Late Ben Wilson's Son Brandon Wilson - Lipstick Alley based on information from your browser. Mood ruined. Moore received a forty-year sentence while Dixon received a thirty-year sentence. The jury needed only an hour of deliberation to convict them. Nick Anderson was the first to do so during what would've been Wilson's senior season and throughout his collegiate and pro career.