Twitter Argument Leads to Alleged Murder [REPORT]

 By 
Pete Cashmore
 on 
Twitter Argument Leads to Alleged Murder [REPORT]
Mashable Image
Credit:

Jameg Blake, 22, is accused of fatally shooting Kwame Dancy (pictured), also 22, with a shotgun blast to the neck. He pleaded not guilty this Wednesday.

The Harlem murder case, which allegedly took place in an apartment building on W. 132nd St. on December 1, may turn out to be the first in which Tweets are used as evidence in a murder trial.

The NY Daily News writes:

It started as a simple Twitter beef, 140-character spurts of anger by two young men who grew up together.

Hours before the shooting, Dancy may have taunted Blake with a tweet: "N-----s is lookin for u don't think I won't give up ya address for a price betta chill asap!" ... Blake's Twitter account is also full of online disses, though only one tweet mentions Dancy by name: "R.I.P. Kwame" on Dec.3.

A police source said the messages may be subpoenaed to bolster the theory that there was bad blood between the two old pals.

It's not clear to what extent the Tweets are being implicated. Certainly Twitter provides a juicy angle for newspapers at this point, and the relationship between the two appears to have been strained in the past. With the press quickly latching on to stories like the "Craigslist Killer," it's also worth reiterating that Twitter is simply a platform -- how people use the service is not something under the microblogging site's control.

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!