Student Beating Caught on Tape

SLIDESHOW - Ava Johnson, mother of Eugene Riley, who has been charged with beating to death 16-year-old Derrion Albert on Sept. 24, talks to the media as she holds her son photo at Fenger High School in Chicago, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. Johnson said her so — AP Photo

A melee captured on a cell phone video on Sept. 24, 2009, shows a group striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert, a sophomore at Christian Fenger Academy High School, with boards and kicking him as he lay on a sidewalk.

The graphic video of the afternoon melee emerged on local news stations over the weekend, showing the fatal beating of Derrion Albert, a sophomore honor roll student at Christian Fenger Academy High School. His death was the latest addition to a rising toll in Chicago: More than 30 students were killed last school year.

Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, Eric Carson, 16, and Eugene Bailey, 18, have been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal beating of 16-year-old honors student Derrion Albert on Sept. 24, 2009, in Chicago. Silvonus Shannon, 19, is shown this photo released by the Chicago Police.

Cell phone footage showing a group of teens viciously kicking and striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert with splintered railroad ties has ramped up pressure on Chicago officials to address chronic violence that has led to dozens of deaths of city teens each year.

Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, Eric Carson, 16, and Eugene Bailey, 18, have been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal beating of 16-year-old honors student Derrion Albert on Sept. 24, 2009, in Chicago. Eugene Riley, 18, is shown this photo released by the Chicago Police.

Cell phone footage showing a group of teens viciously kicking and striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert, a Christian Fenger Academy High School honors student, with splintered railroad ties has ramped up pressure on Chicago officials to address chronic violence that has led to dozens of deaths of city teens each year.

Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, Eric Carson, 16, and Eugene Bailey, 18, have been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal beating of 16-year-old honors student Derrion Albert on Sept. 24, 2009, in Chicago. Eugene Bailey, 18, is shown this photo released by the Chicago Police.

Posters of 16-year old Derrion Albert, who was beaten to death outside Christian Fenger Academy High School in Chicago, are seen on Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert was planned outside of Fenger High School.

An-Janette L. Albert, center, mother of 16-year old Derrion Albert, who was beaten to death earlier in the week, cries as she walks to Fenger High School in Chicago, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert was planned outside of the school.

Lanette McDonald holds a sign outside Christian Fenger Academy High School in Chicago, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert, who was beaten to death by a group of teens on Thursday, was planned outside the school. Cell phone footage showed a group of teens fatally beating the 16-year-old honors student, authorities said.

Friends and family sign a poster outside Fenger High School in the Roseland community of Chicago, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert was planned outside of the school. Prosecutors charged four teenagers on Monday with fatally beating of 16-year-old Albert, who was walking to a bus stop Thursday when he got caught up in a mob street fighting, authorities said.

Ava Johnson, mother of Eugene Riley, who has been charged with beating to death 16-year-old Derrion Albert on Sept. 24, talks to the media as she holds her son photo at Fenger High School in Chicago, Sept. 28, 2009. Johnson said her son is innocent. Prosecutors charged Silvonus Shannon, 19, Eugene Riley, 18, Eric Carson, 16, and Eugene Bailey, 18, with first-degree murder.

A police officer, right, tries to stop community leader Queen Sister from entering the front gate of Fenger High School in Chicago, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert was planned outside of Fenger High School. Several groups had gathered to remember the 16-year-old student who was beaten to death. Members of one group decided to force their way into the high school, where Albert was a sophomore.

Nadashia Thomas, 6, a cousin of 16-year-old Derrion Albert, looks at posters of him at Fenger High School in Chicago Thursday, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Albert was planned at his school.

Nadashia Thomas, 6, a cousin of Derrion Albert, holds a sign beside a poster of Derrion Albert at Fenger High School in Chicago, Sept. 28, 2009. A vigil for Derrion Albert was planned outside of Fenger High School, where he was a sophomore.

The graphic video of the afternoon melee emerged on local news stations over the weekend, showing the fatal beating of Derrion Albert, a sophomore honor roll student at Christian Fenger Academy High School. His death was the latest addition to a rising toll in Chicago: More than 30 students were killed last school year.

Cell phone footage showing a group of teens viciously kicking and striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert with splintered railroad ties has ramped up pressure on Chicago officials to address chronic violence that has led to dozens of deaths of city teens each year.

Cell phone footage showing a group of teens viciously kicking and striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert, a Christian Fenger Academy High School honors student, with splintered railroad ties has ramped up pressure on Chicago officials to address chronic violence that has led to dozens of deaths of city teens each year.

The graphic video of the afternoon melee emerged on local news stations over the weekend, showing the fatal beating of Derrion Albert, a sophomore honor roll student at Christian Fenger Academy High School. His death was the latest addition to a rising toll in Chicago: More than 30 students were killed last school year.

Cell phone footage showing a group of teens viciously kicking and striking 16-year-old Derrion Albert with splintered railroad ties has ramped up pressure on Chicago officials to address chronic violence that has led to dozens of deaths of city teens each year.