Why did Devante spiral out of control like he did?...Always wanted to know.I know about the addiction but how did he go from that to fading out completely?
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
07-28-1993
TEANECK SINGER TARGETED, COPS SAY -- JODECI MEMBER ROBBED OF JEWELRY
By JIM CONSOLI, Staff Writer
Date: 07-28-1993, Wednesday
Section: NEWS
Edition: All Bergen Editions -- 3 Star, 2 Star B, 1 Star Late, 1 Star Early
Three men who threatened to murder a member of the rhythm-and-blues
group Jodeci before escaping with $150,000 in jewelry from his Teaneck
house had targeted the popular singer for robbery, police said Tuesday.
"There's no doubt in our minds it was a well-planned robbery of a
member of a group that has gained a lot of attention in the media lately
because of its popularity," said Teaneck detective Lt. Warren White.
Jodeci's current single, "Lately," is the country's top-rated
rhythm-and blues-song, and ranks seventh on the rock/pop charts. The
group's debut album, "Forever My Lady," has sold 2 million copies. The
group's music videos appear regularly on MTV, and it recently performed
on the popular MTV show, "Unplugged."
A police report released Tuesday revealed new details about the
Friday night robbery. Police initially put the value of the stolen
jewelry at $20,000, but said in the report that it was worth $150,000.
The report also revealed that the trio briefly posed as police
officers searching for drugs, but dropped their charade only after
23-year-old Donald DeGrate of Jodeci told them there were no drugs
inside his house because he didn't use them.
"They started to pose as police, but then decided to give that up
when they were told there were no drugs," said White.
The robbery began about 10:30 p.m. when a man entered the luxurious
house on Queen Anne Road through an open garage door, and encountered
another resident of the house, Charlucci Finney, 28. The suspect --
described Tuesday by police as being about 30 years old, well-groomed,
and wearing a grey suit, brown shoes, and white surgical gloves --
confronted Finney with a handgun.
According to the report, he told Finney, "Turn around and put your
hands behind your back. If you move, I'll blow your brains out."
Moments later, the man let in his two accomplices, and they tied
Finney with electrical wire and taped a baseball cap over his face with
duct tape, the report states. Finney was later kicked by the men, police
said.
The man dressed in the suit went upstairs to DeGrate's room and
found him sleeping. After awakening DeGrate, who uses the stage name
Devante Swing, he told him to "shut up and turn around," the report
states.
He then identified himself as a police officer and asked, "Where
are the drugs?"
When DeGrate told him he didn't use drugs, he pointed his gun to
the back of DeGrate's head and threatened to kill him, the report
states. After DeGrate tried to flee, he was tied up and pistol-whipped,
police said.
Moments later, another man -- described as about 30, with short hair
and wearing a white-striped shirt and dress pants -- came into the
bedroom. He called the suited man, "Sarge," apparently to give DeGrate
the impression he was a police officer, the report states.
They then stole DeGrate's jewelry: a Rolex watch with the name
"Devante," engraved on its back, a chain bracelet, a diamond necklace, a
three-carat diamond ring, and two 1 1/2-carat diamond earrings, the
report states.
They also took a gold necklace from Finney, it states.
Police said DeGrate and Finney were unable to provide a detailed
description of the third intruder.
In April, DeGrate and another member of Jodeci were charged with
sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman and threatening her with an
assault rifle at his house. Both men have denied the charges, which are
pending presentation to a grand jury, officials have said.
At the time, an attorney for DeGrate suggested that the victim
might be trying to exploit his client because he was "financially
advantaged."
Keywords: TEANECK. ROBBERY. MUSIC. PROFESSION. THREAT
Copyright ¿ 1993 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
(This attack made him paranoid, jumping from house to house, his whole demeanor changed. Not to mention him being around Suge didn't help)
