1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: What you're about to hear in the following episode does 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: not implicate the Chicago Police in the murder of Courtney Copeland. 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: When my son Courtney was twenty one years old, he 4 00:00:14,040 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: got a BMW convertible. He loved that car like it 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 1: was his girlfriend. He would talk to it like good mooney, 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: hello baby. The first time Baby rolled into our driveway, 7 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: it was late at night, Courtney had drip top by. 8 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:45,199 Speaker 1: Courtney had the music blasting all the way up. Courtney. 9 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: It's like like a little black party, you know, in 10 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: the middle of my driveway. He had the top down. 11 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: It wasn't even that pot outside, but of course he 12 00:00:55,320 --> 00:01:02,720 Speaker 1: had the top down about them on. It was a 13 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: beautiful moment, and that was probably one of the most 14 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: happiest moments I've seen him. Robber robbery down a granted 15 00:01:18,319 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: central gunman just said he was shot. Okay, look at me, am, 16 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: I throw into okay right away. But not even one 17 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: year later, my son wound up with a bullet in 18 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: his back outside of Chicago police station. And there are 19 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: still so many unanswered questions about what led to the 20 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: death of two year old Courtney Copeland. Family member say 21 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: Copeland was on his way to a friend's house when 22 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: he was shot through his car window. A bullet hit 23 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: his bag. He managed to flag down a police car 24 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: in front of the twenty five District station and was 25 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: rushed to a hospital. The wound was fatal. There's what 26 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: you hear on the news that Courtney got shot, drove 27 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: himself to a police station, where officers did everything they 28 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 1: could to help him. His mother's heart tonight left in pieces, 29 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 1: and then there's a troop. I believe that not enough 30 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: has been done for thought of Courtney murder, Like, what 31 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: would you like that I haven't done. I personally would 32 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 1: have went back and reinterviewed everybody to make sure that 33 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 1: we could. My name is Chaparral Wells. I'm Courtney Copeland's mom, 34 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: and this is somebody every body so by every day, 35 00:02:46,840 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: no bide nothing. No, that's right. Chicago police have one 36 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: of the lowest murder soft rates in the country, and 37 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:14,919 Speaker 1: it's even lower if you're black. So when it came 38 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: time to find out who killed my son, I knew 39 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: I'd have to figure it out on my own. I'm 40 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: gonna take you with me step by step in my investigation. 41 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: But first let me tell you about my son. You 42 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: need to know who he was in life, because we're 43 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: going to spend a lot of time talking about his death. 44 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: Courtney was born a day after my twenty one birthday 45 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: on New Year's Eve, and they just still remember him 46 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: sleeping on my chest sometimes. That's my mom, Reneme. And 47 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,440 Speaker 1: his favorite thing was warm milk, and he talked about 48 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 1: that and tell him the dunk Grandma. I still remember 49 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: the warm milk you give me when I was a baby, 50 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 1: and that this stuff. They were so sweet. What do 51 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: you remember about the early years? He would have like 52 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: little jokes and stuff. Here's my husband, Corney's father. He's 53 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,240 Speaker 1: raised him since he was four years old. You know, 54 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: like in fact, like the first joke he had told me, 55 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 1: he was like, what do you call uh stolen cheese? 56 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: I said what he said, not your cheese. I'm like, 57 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: I'm like it was kind of corny, but it was 58 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,119 Speaker 1: still funny. At the same time, he had y'all both 59 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 1: have cornball jokes. That's what y'all got alone. Here he 60 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,440 Speaker 1: is goofing off with some of his friends. How are 61 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: you doing today? What's your name? Corney's pretending to be 62 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: a contestant on American Idol he in the seventh grade, 63 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: right at the age where his voice is changed. Makes 64 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 1: sense right now, but it will. It was some little 65 00:05:07,480 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 1: loose how to make it fail in regulations are going 66 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: to Hollywood. Courtney sure knew how to turn on the 67 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,920 Speaker 1: charm to get what he wanted. And Corney was kind 68 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,960 Speaker 1: of a malipulator with you. You know. It was like, uh, 69 00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 1: he asked me for twenty dollars, and then turned around 70 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: and ask you for twenty dollars, and then he was 71 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 1: asking him for twenty dollars, and now he got sixty dollars, 72 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: got sixty dollar. That's how he would do it, and 73 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 1: I wish I could do it for him now. Courtney 74 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: was energetic and out going. I mean he was so handsome. 75 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: He had this carmel color skin and the most incredible smile. 76 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: He spent all his money, and I mean all his 77 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:55,880 Speaker 1: money on food, clothes, haircuts, and shoes. My mom just 78 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: came back from Wisconsin. She bought me this hat and 79 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 1: said go. After Corney died, I went through his phone. 80 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: Look uncle, all those videos and photos and social media. 81 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,080 Speaker 1: It made me feel like he was still right there 82 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: with me. Really. We called him Gucci in high school. 83 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:18,679 Speaker 1: I don't know if it was because he was fleet 84 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: or because he looked like Gucci man, but we just 85 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: we called him Gucci. One of his friends was a 86 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 1: kid named Chancellor Bennett. You might know this guy has 87 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: chanced the rapper. I got suspend it. You got to 88 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: spending the cheap and a hundred blood sports teen four 89 00:06:35,520 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: hundred minutes fans run in and fansy hands from Mr 90 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,360 Speaker 1: Bennet that racket o. But yeah, I met Gui and 91 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: I was like in summer school. You know what I'm 92 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: saying not to and I don't hope. I hope that 93 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: doesn't have like a negative connotation and stuff. But like 94 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: I mean, I was in summing school. Everybody goes to 95 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: something school. So yeah, he would free style with me, 96 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: well you know, kick it after after school and stuff 97 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 1: and just be rapping walking down the street and be 98 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: boxing and stuff like that. Courtney would always tell me, Mom, 99 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: this guy is gonna be huge. That was like a 100 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: thing at the time. Like I was passing out CDs, 101 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,280 Speaker 1: Like I was burning c ds and like standing outside 102 00:07:10,280 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: of Columbia and he would be standing out there with me, 103 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,640 Speaker 1: or like he would take c ds and from me 104 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: and give them to other people and stuff too. They 105 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: went to Jones College Prep. It's one of the top 106 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: public schools in Chicago. Courtney played on the basketball team 107 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: and he helped them win a city championship. When he 108 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: was seventeen or eighteen, he got a tattoo of a 109 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: basketball across his chest and it says ball too. I fall. 110 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: I've always hated tattoos because I'm a religious person and 111 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: I believe tattoos are a desecration of the body. When 112 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: I first saw the tattoo, I literally cried and I said, 113 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: you just want to hurt your mama, don't you. Then 114 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: he got more tattoos, including one that says Mama's boy, 115 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: how do you like that? Courtney got a partial scholarship 116 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 1: to play ball in Indiana, but we could only afford 117 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: to help him so much, so he had to come 118 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: back home after one semester. He got a job as 119 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 1: a janitor and a Dunkin Donuts. Gotta get ready for work, 120 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: Oh my god, put all my pants, put on my shoes, 121 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,800 Speaker 1: put on my shirt, ready for work. He was wandering 122 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: through life until a friend recruited him into the business 123 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: called World Ventures. Corney's job was to sign up members 124 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 1: for discount vacations all over the world. Courtney was determined 125 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: to go to the top. And that's when I really 126 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: show Courtney turning into a man. That's my mom again. 127 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: Because of his positive mental attitude that he developed, his 128 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: change of thinking helped people treated him. He became more 129 00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,480 Speaker 1: of a leader now and just one year, Courtney signed 130 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: up so many people. The company helped him lease that 131 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: BMW as a bonus. It is World Ventures, Wings and Wheels. 132 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 1: Step one, get your wings, Step two, Get your Wheels. 133 00:09:17,760 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: Courtney asked me if I was signed for the car 134 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,360 Speaker 1: for him, and I told him no way. If he 135 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 1: wanted to get someone else to help him, that was 136 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 1: on him. So he convinced his friend Christian Hernandez to 137 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: co sign for Courtney. The BMW was validation and we 138 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: all loved that car. His cousin Sean, who's a rapper, 139 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: used it in his music video money Him addicted to 140 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: the all I'm a tennis cast, All I noise. Count 141 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: that dog, Count that dog count that you know. It 142 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: was just like a typical rap video, Sexy girls dancing 143 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: all around and the guys and money and things corneys 144 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: in the video to count that dog. Yeah, count that dog. 145 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: Corney was living the high life. Just a few months 146 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: before he died. He went on a trip to Cancun. Hey, 147 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:18,959 Speaker 1: I supposed to be Dr Donald's right now, but I 148 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 1: did something different. I say, yes, I stayed consistent. I 149 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: worked hard. I mean, this was a trip of a lifetime. 150 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 1: He was just like he was on top of the world. 151 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 1: He did the Macarena in the hotel lobby, he went 152 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:43,319 Speaker 1: scuba diving, brow the jet ski. He was doing really, 153 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: really well, getting close to moving out my basement and 154 00:10:46,880 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: moving in with some friends. No, here's what I know 155 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: about the last day of my son's life. Corney helped 156 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: a friend move a sofa. He talked to my mom 157 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: about becoming an in home caregiver. The application was due 158 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:26,800 Speaker 1: the next day. That day, I remember, I got my 159 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:30,199 Speaker 1: hair done, and that night I caught some of the 160 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:34,200 Speaker 1: Republican presidential debates. Never heard of this word. Look at 161 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,959 Speaker 1: those hands? Are they small hands? While I was watching that, 162 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: Corney was given a presentation for World Ventures. Around midnight, 163 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:49,199 Speaker 1: Corney swung by pythons, his favorite piece of place. It's 164 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 1: a couple of blocks from my house in Cicero, just 165 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: outside of Chicago, and he ran into his friend Chris. 166 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,599 Speaker 1: The next day, we were supposed to go on the 167 00:11:57,679 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: little road trip. We're gonna be there for the weekend, 168 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: so we're preparing everything. Courtney show Chris this book he 169 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:07,319 Speaker 1: was reading. It was called Think and Grow Rich. He 170 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: was already on chapter three. I always tell people this 171 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: story because it felt weird because he left the parking 172 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: right from Pythons and I didn't even get in my 173 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: car yet. You know, usually I said, by somebody, I'll 174 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,959 Speaker 1: get in my car and I go. But I stood outside. 175 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: I'm like, man, that's crazy. You know. He hit the 176 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: bonus of the car like he's happy. He's reading that book. 177 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: But Courtney really wasn't headed home. It turns out he 178 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: had this girlfriend, a co worker he was dating, and 179 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: he was heading to see her. I replayed this nice 180 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: so many times in my head. I wish I had 181 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,839 Speaker 1: texted him like I usually would do, to see when 182 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:51,199 Speaker 1: he'd be back home. Maybe then he would have just 183 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: come back to the house. I don't know why I 184 00:12:54,400 --> 00:13:00,360 Speaker 1: didn't check on him that night. I'm excited, man. Reason 185 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: why is because you know, I understand that I'm God's 186 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: highest form of creation. Before he drove into the city, 187 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: Courtney posted on snapchat. He's in his car wearing a 188 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 1: red hoodie under his pea coat. He looks so happy 189 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: and hopeful that I wanted obtaining my life. I can 190 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:20,839 Speaker 1: do him. I just gotta believe in myself. His name 191 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 1: on Snapchat was born Leader thirty four. Thirty four was 192 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 1: Courtney's favorite number, and the night he died was March four, three, 193 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:40,959 Speaker 1: four hour after he posted on snapchat, my son was 194 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: being rushed to the hospital. I am calling because I 195 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: just received a patient here to our er. The hospital 196 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: called the police in Cicero, where I live. And what's 197 00:13:53,040 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: her name of His name is Courtney O. P L 198 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,199 Speaker 1: A N D. Want his mom advice that he's in 199 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: the hospital. He was actually en route to I guess 200 00:14:07,600 --> 00:14:10,400 Speaker 1: the police station nearby because he had been shot and 201 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: then he came in by ambulance. I don't know if 202 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:15,319 Speaker 1: you want to tell her what the nature of the 203 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: injury is yet, probably not trying to want to heed 204 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: in the hospital. A little after two o'clock in the morning, 205 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: the Ciero police came bamming on our door. When I 206 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: opened the door, he asked me, did I know a 207 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: Cortney Copeland. I was already thinking that this is bad. 208 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: The police told us that Corney was in the hospital 209 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: in Chicago, and that's it. And at that point before 210 00:14:53,840 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: I remember, you're dropping to your knees, said Mom. I 211 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: knew he did. They knew he's gonne. They just don't 212 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: do the if they don't, you know. This is when 213 00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: someone did. I assumed that it had to be some 214 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: type of auto accident because Corney was always known for 215 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: texting and driving. I remember my husband, Brent, driving our 216 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: families to Illinois Masonic Hospital. My mom, Courtney's sisters, my aunt, 217 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: we were all there. We rolled in our town and 218 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 1: Country minivan and it was in the middle of the 219 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: night and I don't even recall any other cars being 220 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: on the road. Right away, the staff wanted to take 221 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 1: us to the family room, but I knew. I knew 222 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:56,160 Speaker 1: what the family room was. That's when they tell you 223 00:15:56,360 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 1: that your kid is dead. And I didn't want to go. 224 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:08,480 Speaker 1: They sent in this nurse, a very kind nurse. She 225 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 1: stayed with me, she held my hand to try to 226 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: keep me calm. I had no idea then how important 227 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: she would become to my investigation. That's when the doctor 228 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,720 Speaker 1: came out and told us the news, you know that 229 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: he had died from a gunshot wound, and we were like, well, 230 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: why why, what do you mean a gunshot wound? Who 231 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: shot him? When the doctor said Courtney was shot, that 232 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 1: was like an unbelievable We didn't hear anything else. Everybody 233 00:16:47,720 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 1: drops to the floor, screaming, yelling okay, oh no, no, no, 234 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: because that was the last thing that we would think 235 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: Courtney would be involved in it, any form of shooting, 236 00:16:59,160 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: because he was not that type of individual, okay, and 237 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 1: he was a non violent person. He would really know 238 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: he would not be involved in anyone there would him guns. 239 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: The doctor told us that when Corney arrived, they opened 240 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:22,080 Speaker 1: up his chest to try to save him. I've been 241 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: at the hospital for over an hour and I still 242 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: hadn't seen my son, and you know, as a mother, 243 00:17:28,800 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 1: you want to have that confirmation that this is indeed 244 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 1: your child. They told me I couldn't see him until 245 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:42,440 Speaker 1: detectives got there, and I told him, I said, well, 246 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you right now. If I can't see 247 00:17:46,359 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: my son, I'm gonna tear this whole hospital up. They 248 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: finally let us see Courtney. He was on a hospital 249 00:17:56,920 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: bed and the trauma unit m. After a few moments, 250 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,920 Speaker 1: I asked everyone to leave because I had to be 251 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: with him. I had to be with him by myself. 252 00:18:15,640 --> 00:18:19,200 Speaker 1: I began to touch him. His body was still warm. 253 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 1: I caressed his face and kissed his forehead, and I 254 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,800 Speaker 1: told him I was sick. I'm sorry I wasn't there 255 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: for you when you needed me the most. And I 256 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,440 Speaker 1: walked out of the room. And then it really hit me. 257 00:18:46,280 --> 00:19:05,920 Speaker 1: The Corney was gone, and I just collapsed. Yeah. Corney's 258 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: friends and our extended family were piling into the hospital 259 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: waiting room. I remember two detectives coming in. They were 260 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: white and middle aged, and they told us what they knew. 261 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,480 Speaker 1: They said Corney was shot in his car and drove 262 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,920 Speaker 1: himself to the police station. Corney jumped out of his 263 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:29,879 Speaker 1: car and flagged down an officer for help, but the 264 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: car was still moving, so the officer told him to 265 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,040 Speaker 1: put it in park. So Corney hopped back into the 266 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,520 Speaker 1: car and put the car in park. And then they 267 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,960 Speaker 1: said that Corney ran over to the officer again and 268 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: grabbed his arm and said I've been shot before collapsing. 269 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: Then came the moment when felt something more than grief. 270 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:08,159 Speaker 1: I felt suspicious. See the detective said they wanted to 271 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: ask me some questions, and their first one they asked 272 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 1: me if Courtney was the owner of the BMW. Remember 273 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: when I told you that Corney had to get a 274 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: co signer for the car, Christian Hernandez. Christian's name was 275 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: actually on the registration and not Cortney's. Courtney had been 276 00:20:32,760 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: stopped before because of this, so when the police asked 277 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: me if he was the real owner of the car, 278 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,760 Speaker 1: I started to think maybe this was a police stop 279 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 1: gone wrong, you know, like Philando Castile up in Minnesota. 280 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: Maybe the police stopped him after running his plates and 281 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: seeing a black man driving a car registered in a 282 00:20:53,680 --> 00:21:16,560 Speaker 1: Hispanics man's name. The first thing that Courtney's friends did 283 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: is went looking for clues. They went to Belmont Craigan, 284 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:25,000 Speaker 1: the neighborhood where Courtney was shot. They saw skid marks 285 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,520 Speaker 1: and some broken glass on this corner near Catholic Church. 286 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: They scooped up the glass and talked to a neighbor 287 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 1: who said she heard gunshots. We put up reward posters 288 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 1: all over the neighborhood so we would with the flyers 289 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 1: and and we were on the radio, which anybody that 290 00:21:45,240 --> 00:21:49,360 Speaker 1: can help us get injured. First, we offered a five 291 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,879 Speaker 1: thousand dollar reward, then a six thousand, then a sixty 292 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:58,479 Speaker 1: six hundred. In the end we put up ten thousand dollars, 293 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: but we got no answers. We try to keep Courtney 294 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: story alive in the news. Here I am on a 295 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:12,480 Speaker 1: local show called Jamaica Fun. Give us a little background 296 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 1: of Courtney. What what? What did Courtney do? Corney? Was? 297 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 1: I seen your sales rep and World Ventures travel industry 298 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 1: and he was a rising member of the of the 299 00:22:23,040 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: Chicagoland area, so he had I wasn't just trying to 300 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,840 Speaker 1: solve his case. I was also fighting to protect his name. 301 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 1: Police Copeland was not a gang member. They can only 302 00:22:33,119 --> 00:22:36,679 Speaker 1: guess right now why he was shot. He graduated. Police 303 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:39,440 Speaker 1: said he wasn't a game member. Why was that even 304 00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 1: a question? I had to do everything I could to 305 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 1: protect his image. When reporters asked to use photos of him, 306 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 1: I made sure he looked his best four. I just 307 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: don't on the narrative to be negative about myself. I couldn't. 308 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: He does he was not that that's my spear. Okay, 309 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: she preferre We used the picture of him in the 310 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: tux that's on his Facebook page. Ever did this to us? 311 00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:11,440 Speaker 1: Uh as, did you turn yourself ins that you ask 312 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: for forgiveness from God? Looking back at my face on 313 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 1: TV that night he died, It's literally hard to believe 314 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: that was even me. How many against to die, how 315 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:32,320 Speaker 1: many black children die Chicago. I remember being in so 316 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: much pain, but I needed to find answers. That was 317 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: the only way I knew how to keep going. A 318 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: few people did come forward with tips. One guy actually 319 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: told me he was driving by the police station and 320 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: saw Courtney on the ground with cops just standing around him. 321 00:23:56,600 --> 00:24:00,440 Speaker 1: This bystander basically told me when he looked at the scene, 322 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: he felt that the police were doing something to him. 323 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:07,720 Speaker 1: And then when I began to press him, trying to 324 00:24:07,760 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 1: get more information, and that's when he was like, you know, 325 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,879 Speaker 1: I don't really want to get involved. You know, you 326 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: don't understand the police around here. They'll come after me. 327 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: And then he finally told me, he was like, look, 328 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 1: I have children and I can't risk my life to 329 00:24:24,760 --> 00:24:31,560 Speaker 1: basically tell you what I saw. Then there was a 330 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:37,359 Speaker 1: toe truck driver. He took a video. It's hard to 331 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,200 Speaker 1: make out, but it looks like Courtney is laying on 332 00:24:40,240 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: the ground outside the police station. The lights are flashing 333 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: and no one is helping him. One of Courtney's friends, 334 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 1: a world venture guy named June, says he got in 335 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: touch with the toe truck driver I mean history, says 336 00:24:56,960 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: his theory was that the police didn't That was That's 337 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 1: the first thing that came out his mind. That's what 338 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:04,119 Speaker 1: he's been saying since the beginning. What the police told 339 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 1: me is that they did everything they could to save him. 340 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,920 Speaker 1: But you know what, it just wasn't adding up. So 341 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: I said to myself, I just got to bury my 342 00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: baby and lay him the rest, and then I'll find 343 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:28,000 Speaker 1: out what really happened. I needed some strength, so I 344 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: turned to Courtney the only way I could. Any obstacle 345 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:33,160 Speaker 1: you know that you're going through with in your life today, 346 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: Understand that God would never put you through anything that 347 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: you cannot handle. The reason why they call it a 348 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,600 Speaker 1: past is because you already went through. Remember how I 349 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 1: told you that. Since Courtney's death, I go through his phone. 350 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: Guess how he had me listed uh with three exclamation 351 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: points as an oh my mom's calling. And you know what, 352 00:25:56,400 --> 00:25:58,960 Speaker 1: he was right to be afraid, because when I get 353 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: onto something, I don't let up. And I'm putting the 354 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 1: police on blast right now. I will find out the 355 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: truth of what happened to my son, and when I do, 356 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: the whole world will know it. Every bid by every day, 357 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: No Bide, Deny Somebody is a co production of The 358 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:35,720 Speaker 1: Invisible Institute, The Intercept, Topic Studios and I Heart Radio 359 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: in association with Tenderfoot TV. I'm chaparral Wells. This podcast 360 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:46,320 Speaker 1: is produced by Alison Flowers and Bill Heally. Sarah Geye 361 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: is our story editor. Ellen Glover is our associate producer 362 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: for The Invisible Institute. Jamie Calvin is executive producer for 363 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: Topic Studios. Maria Zuckerman, Christie Gressman and Leeds al Malad 364 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 1: are executive producers. Special thanks to Lizzie Jacobs for The Intercept. 365 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 1: Roger Hodge, Deputy Editor, is supervising producer. Sound designed by 366 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:16,160 Speaker 1: Carl Scott and Bart Warshaw. Michael Raphael is our mixed engineer. 367 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 1: Our theme song, Everybody Something Is by Chance the Rapper. 368 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: Original music for the podcast by Nate Fox of The 369 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:28,880 Speaker 1: Social Experiment and Eric Butler. Additional reporting by Sam Steklow, 370 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 1: Annie When, Khari Blackburn, Raje Sinclair, Henry Adams, Matilda Voyad, 371 00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: Dana Roso's Kellerher Frances McDonald, Diana Archmagian, Maddie Anderson, Andrew 372 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:48,600 Speaker 1: Fan and risa Apantaku. Translation support by Benny Hernandez Ocampo 373 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: and Emma Perez. Fact checking by Noah Are Jenny Special 374 00:27:53,680 --> 00:28:00,080 Speaker 1: thanks to Chris Rasmussen, Bennett Epstein, Matt Topic, David bralow In, 375 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 1: Julie Wolf. We want to hear from you. Email us 376 00:28:03,560 --> 00:28:08,199 Speaker 1: at info at somebody podcast dot com or leave us 377 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: a voicemail at seven seven three to seven zero zero 378 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: one two one. To learn more about this case and 379 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,359 Speaker 1: for links to additional materials, go to our show page 380 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 1: at somebody podcast dot com. You can also find a 381 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 1: list of everyone we want to think they're so many 382 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:29,160 Speaker 1: people helped us along the way.