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Court upholds convictions for 2001 murder of a Pit kid

The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that four men convicted of first-degree murder for the beating and stabbing death of Io Nachtwey in 2001 got a fair trial.

The ruling means the four men - all frequent visitors to the area behind the Harvard Square T stop, as was their victim - will spend the rest of their lives in prison for murdering Nachtwey on the train bridge across the Charles by the BU Bridge. Two other Pit habitues received reduced sentences in exchange for their testimony against the four.

The decision by the state's highest court lays out the legal arguments for ensuring the four will never see freedom again. But it also details the violent and sad lives of a group of homeless people who hung out at the Pit who decided to form a Harvard Square chapter of the Crips:

The newly formed gang met on Halloween in a cemetery near Harvard Square. Ismael, Parker, and Bamford led the meeting, which consisted of an induction ceremony. The meeting moved to a motel in Braintree, where Ismael, Parker, and Bamford explained the rules of the gang. This included the performance of "missions," whereby members would rob people of money to support the gang. A member who failed at a mission would receive a "violation" accompanied by a punishment. For the first two violations, punishment would consist of a beating. Punishment for a third violation would be death. If the violating member could not be found, then punishment would be meted out against those closest to that member. Certain "marriage" ceremonies then took place, including Ismael to White, Parker to Alleyne, and Bamford to the victim. Ismael, Bamford (whom Ismael appeared to favor), and Parker were the gang's leaders, in descending rank.

The next day, November 1, 2001, gang members were sent on missions to rob people. The victim did not participate because she was considered too childlike and a likely burden on the missions. None of the missions was successful, which upset Ismael and Parker. One of the members was given a violation and beaten later that night during a meeting at the cemetery. The members were instructed to go back into the streets and collect money. Ismael introduced Luis as an overseer of the gang. Eventually, one of the sorties was successful, and the gang went to a diner to celebrate. Afterward, they retired for the night to the motel.

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Comments

I remember going to a talk, in about 2000 (before the murder) given by, I think, Carol Gilligan or Mary Pipher or some other local luminary who deals with teens a lot. Somehow, the topic drifted onto the Pit, and she said, "The Pit is not about harmless, rebellious teenagers. In my practice I deal with harmless, rebellious teenagers by the dozen. The pit is populated by seriously lost souls and the vicious predators who prey upon them." I thought she was being a bit overdramatic at the time, but when the news of the murder broke I was instantly reminded of her comments. Very sad all around.

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