Christian Haley Prince (July 8, 1971 – February 17, 1991) was a Yale University student whose murder in New Haven, Connecticut, highlighted racial and class tensions between town and gown.
Prince, the son of Edward and Sally Prince of Chevy Chase, Maryland, was a fourth-generation Yale student, a member of the class of 1993 in his sophomore year, in Pierson College. The evening of February 16, 1991, after having dined at Mory's and attending a party at Sterling-Sheffield-Strathcona Hall, Prince left his friends and began walking to his off-campus apartment on Whitney Avenue to rest for lacrosse practice the next day.[1] Prince was found lying on the steps of St. Mary's Church, New Haven on Hillhouse Avenue, dead of a bullet wound to the heart, in the early morning hours of February 17.[1][2] He was the first Yale student killed on campus since the murder of Gary Stein during a robbery near Grove Street Cemetery in 1974.[1]
His death stunned the campus, and more than 1,000 people attended his funeral in Washington, D.C., where Prince's brother Ted, a Yale graduate, gave the eulogy.[1] There was a short term significant decline in applications to Yale which was directly attributed to the murder.[1] Yale's president, Benno Schmidt, resigned the following year after a contentious six-year term filled with myriad problems, including badly deteriorated town-gown relations highlighted by Prince's murder.[citation needed]
After the murder of Christian Prince, university administrators spent millions of dollars on security infrastructure.[3] Emergency phones and improved lighting were installed; the university police department's size was expanded and a new security force was founded.[4]
Arrest and trial
In May 1991, James Duncan Fleming was arrested for Prince's murder on a tip from Randy Fleming, a non-related friend of James Fleming.
Randy Fleming was questioned by police and made these claims under oath:
He and James wanted money to attend a rap performance and James suggested they "stick up a cracker."[2] James Fleming spotted Prince walking home and demanded his money at gunpoint. Prince handed over his wallet, whereupon James Fleming pistol-whipped him, said "I ought to shoot this cracker", and then fired his gun, fatally wounding Prince. James Fleming then dropped the wallet in his haste to escape.
A year later, at James Fleming's trial, Randy Fleming recanted his original statements, claiming that the police had forced him to lie. The jury convicted James Fleming on conspiracy to rob Prince, acquitted him on the charge of first-degree murder, and failed to return a verdict on charges of felony murder and attempted robbery.[2] A second jury acquitted James Fleming on the latter two charges in March 1993, and Fleming was sentenced to nine years in prison.[1]
References
Citations
^ abcdefPaciorek, Andrew (February 16, 2001). "The murder that changed it all". Yale Daily News. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
^ abcNordheimer, Jon (28 June 1992). "Son of Privilege, Son of Pain: Random Death At Yale's Gates". The New York Times. p. 23. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
^Leonhardt, David (November 1994). "On, or Off?". Yale Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
^Baron, Matt (February 5, 2004). "In hindsight, a tragic death prompted a paradigm shift". Yale Daily News. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
Bibliography
Douglas, Geoffrey (1994). Dead Opposite: The Lives and Loss of Two American Boys. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN0-8050-2686-X.
January 06, 2023
murder, christian, prince, christian, haley, prince, july, 1971, february, 1991, yale, university, student, whose, murder, haven, connecticut, highlighted, racial, class, tensions, between, town, gown, christian, princebornchristian, haley, prince, 1971, july,. Christian Haley Prince July 8 1971 February 17 1991 was a Yale University student whose murder in New Haven Connecticut highlighted racial and class tensions between town and gown Christian PrinceBornChristian Haley Prince 1971 07 18 July 18 1971Chevy Chase Maryland U S DiedFebruary 17 1991 1991 02 17 aged 19 New Haven Connecticut U S Cause of deathShootingResting placeRock Creek CemeteryWashington D C U S NationalityAmerican Contents 1 Incident 2 Arrest and trial 3 References 3 1 Citations 3 2 BibliographyIncident EditPrince the son of Edward and Sally Prince of Chevy Chase Maryland was a fourth generation Yale student a member of the class of 1993 in his sophomore year in Pierson College The evening of February 16 1991 after having dined at Mory s and attending a party at Sterling Sheffield Strathcona Hall Prince left his friends and began walking to his off campus apartment on Whitney Avenue to rest for lacrosse practice the next day 1 Prince was found lying on the steps of St Mary s Church New Haven on Hillhouse Avenue dead of a bullet wound to the heart in the early morning hours of February 17 1 2 He was the first Yale student killed on campus since the murder of Gary Stein during a robbery near Grove Street Cemetery in 1974 1 His death stunned the campus and more than 1 000 people attended his funeral in Washington D C where Prince s brother Ted a Yale graduate gave the eulogy 1 There was a short term significant decline in applications to Yale which was directly attributed to the murder 1 Yale s president Benno Schmidt resigned the following year after a contentious six year term filled with myriad problems including badly deteriorated town gown relations highlighted by Prince s murder citation needed After the murder of Christian Prince university administrators spent millions of dollars on security infrastructure 3 Emergency phones and improved lighting were installed the university police department s size was expanded and a new security force was founded 4 Arrest and trial EditIn May 1991 James Duncan Fleming was arrested for Prince s murder on a tip from Randy Fleming a non related friend of James Fleming Randy Fleming was questioned by police and made these claims under oath He and James wanted money to attend a rap performance and James suggested they stick up a cracker 2 James Fleming spotted Prince walking home and demanded his money at gunpoint Prince handed over his wallet whereupon James Fleming pistol whipped him said I ought to shoot this cracker and then fired his gun fatally wounding Prince James Fleming then dropped the wallet in his haste to escape A year later at James Fleming s trial Randy Fleming recanted his original statements claiming that the police had forced him to lie The jury convicted James Fleming on conspiracy to rob Prince acquitted him on the charge of first degree murder and failed to return a verdict on charges of felony murder and attempted robbery 2 A second jury acquitted James Fleming on the latter two charges in March 1993 and Fleming was sentenced to nine years in prison 1 References EditCitations Edit a b c d e f Paciorek Andrew February 16 2001 The murder that changed it all Yale Daily News Retrieved June 2 2019 a b c Nordheimer Jon 28 June 1992 Son of Privilege Son of Pain Random Death At Yale s Gates The New York Times p 23 Retrieved 20 March 2011 Leonhardt David November 1994 On or Off Yale Alumni Magazine Retrieved 6 November 2014 Baron Matt February 5 2004 In hindsight a tragic death prompted a paradigm shift Yale Daily News Retrieved June 2 2019 Bibliography Edit Douglas Geoffrey 1994 Dead Opposite The Lives and Loss of Two American Boys Henry Holt amp Co ISBN 0 8050 2686 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Murder of Christian Prince amp oldid 1125269552, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
