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Facebook video leads to teens’ murder arrests

Posted at 5:29 PM, Jul 16, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-16 17:29:52-04
(CNN) — Three teenagers were set to appear in court Monday, charged with the fatal beating last week of a Chicago man who was collecting discarded cans for extra money.

A video of the beating appeared on a Facebook page days later, leading to the arrests on Saturday, prosecutors and a family member of the victim said.

Delfino Mora, a 62-year-old father of 12, died from cranial-cerebral injury, blunt head trauma and asthma, according to the Cook County medical examiner.

Malik Jones, 16, was denied bond Sunday and will appear before a judge again Monday, the Cook County prosecutor’s office said. Jones, who is charged with first-degree murder as an adult, allegedly punched Mora while two other teens made the video.

A bond hearing for the other two teenagers, a 17-year-old and an 18-year-old, was scheduled for Monday. They are charged with first-degree murder as juveniles. They allegedly recorded the video and later posted it on Facebook. CNN’s policy is not to name any individual who is charged as a juvenile.

A friend of Mora’s youngest son, Emmanuel Mora, saw the video on Facebook and showed it to him.

“I want revenge, but my mom told us not to do anything,” Emmanuel Mora, 20, told CNN affiliate WGN. “God would take care of him and he’s going to pay twice.”

His older brother Valentin Mora told CNN Monday that Emmanuel is too traumatized by seeing the beating video to talk about it.

Delfino Mora was in an alley just a few blocks from his north Chicago home collecting aluminum cans “when he was severely battered,” a Chicago police statement said.

He died the next day in St. Francis Hospital, police said.

Mora often walked the streets of his neighborhood, his son said.

“He don’t like to stay home,” Valentin Mora said. “He wants to bring in extra money. Social Security is not enough.”

The family is trying to raise money to pay for the return of Delfino Mora’s body to his hometown in Mexico for burial. An account for donations was created at Chase Bank in Chicago, his son said.