Dernell Stenson
Encyclopedia
Dernell Renuald Stenson (June 17, 1978 - November 5, 2003) was an American
outfielder
in Major League Baseball
. He batted and threw left-handed
. He was 6'1" tall and weighed 230 lbs.
at LaGrange High School in LaGrange, Georgia
, the same high school attended by MLB outfielder Mike Cameron
. There, Stenson attracted the attention of scouts for the Boston Red Sox
, and he was selected in the third round with the ninety-first overall pick of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
.
Stenson advanced quickly through the low minor leagues before reaching a plateau at Triple-A. He spent parts of four seasons at the Red Sox' affiliate in Pawtucket
before leaving the organisation as a six-year minor league free agent. Stenson signed with the Cincinnati Reds
for the season, and after performing well in the minors, he was called up in September. Stenson appeared in a total of 37 games, primarily as a left
or right fielder
, batting
.247 with three home run
s in 81 at-bats. After the season, Stenson was chosen to represent his organization in the Arizona Fall League
(AFL).
While playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions
of the AFL, Stenson was murdered, for reasons that are still unclear. The AFL suspended play for two days after Stenson's murder, and the league subsequently inaugurated the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, given to a player who displays the values of perseverance and humility. His number was posthumously retired by the Reds' Double-A team, the Chattanooga Lookouts
.
; Stenson was bound, shot in the head and chest, and then run over with his own SUV. Information which surfaced following the murder indicated that it may have been the culmination of a more elaborate scheme.
Stenson had received threatening text messages from former girlfriend, Jennifer Gaddis, including one that said "U better pray I never see you U again. I swear Dernell U R worth a Murder charge 4 & that is all U R worth." She had engaged in odd behavior before, having faked both a pregnancy and a suicide in order to attract Stenson's attention. Police searched Gaddis's home and place of work and questioned her extensively, but concluded that she was not involved.
Four men were ultimately arrested for the crime, with robbery stated as motive. Reginald Riddle and David Griffith were both charged with six felonies
, among them first-degree murder, kidnapping
, and armed robbery. Reginald Riddle agreed to a plea to avoid a possible death sentence. He received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison
in exchange for testifying against his co-defendant, David Griffith. Prosecutors elected to seek the death penalty for Griffith. Kevin Riddle (Reginald's half-brother), pled guilty to charges of auto theft, hindering prosecution, and attempted hindering prosecution. He received a sentence of eight years and nine months in prison. Charges against a fourth man, Robert Maye, were dropped after it was determined that he was a protected federal witness who had testified against the Chicago
-based Gangster Disciples
street gang
.
In December 2007, Griffith was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. Riddle pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in 2006 as a part of a plea bargain; on January 25, 2008, he was sentenced to life in prison but will be eligible for parole after 25 years.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He batted and threw left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
. He was 6'1" tall and weighed 230 lbs.
Baseball career
The youngest of eight children, Dernell was the son of lumberjack James Stenson and his wife Cora. He starred in baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
at LaGrange High School in LaGrange, Georgia
LaGrange, Georgia
LaGrange is a city in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de La Fayette, who visited the area in 1825. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census...
, the same high school attended by MLB outfielder Mike Cameron
Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has previously played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and Florida Marlins.Cameron has won 3...
. There, Stenson attracted the attention of scouts for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, and he was selected in the third round with the ninety-first overall pick of the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft
1996 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1996 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 4 and 5, 1996...
.
Stenson advanced quickly through the low minor leagues before reaching a plateau at Triple-A. He spent parts of four seasons at the Red Sox' affiliate in Pawtucket
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
before leaving the organisation as a six-year minor league free agent. Stenson signed with the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for the season, and after performing well in the minors, he was called up in September. Stenson appeared in a total of 37 games, primarily as a left
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
or right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
, batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.247 with three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 81 at-bats. After the season, Stenson was chosen to represent his organization in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
(AFL).
While playing with the Scottsdale Scorpions
Scottsdale Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They play their home games at Scottsdale Stadium....
of the AFL, Stenson was murdered, for reasons that are still unclear. The AFL suspended play for two days after Stenson's murder, and the league subsequently inaugurated the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, given to a player who displays the values of perseverance and humility. His number was posthumously retired by the Reds' Double-A team, the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
.
Death investigation
The incident initially appeared to be a carjackingCarjacking
Carjacking is a form of hijacking, where the crime is of stealing a motor vehicle and so also armed assault when the vehicle is occupied. Historically, such as in the rash of semi-trailer truck hijackings during the 1960s, the general term hijacking was used for that type of vehicle abduction,...
; Stenson was bound, shot in the head and chest, and then run over with his own SUV. Information which surfaced following the murder indicated that it may have been the culmination of a more elaborate scheme.
Stenson had received threatening text messages from former girlfriend, Jennifer Gaddis, including one that said "U better pray I never see you U again. I swear Dernell U R worth a Murder charge 4 & that is all U R worth." She had engaged in odd behavior before, having faked both a pregnancy and a suicide in order to attract Stenson's attention. Police searched Gaddis's home and place of work and questioned her extensively, but concluded that she was not involved.
Four men were ultimately arrested for the crime, with robbery stated as motive. Reginald Riddle and David Griffith were both charged with six felonies
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
, among them first-degree murder, kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, and armed robbery. Reginald Riddle agreed to a plea to avoid a possible death sentence. He received a sentence of 25 years to life in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
in exchange for testifying against his co-defendant, David Griffith. Prosecutors elected to seek the death penalty for Griffith. Kevin Riddle (Reginald's half-brother), pled guilty to charges of auto theft, hindering prosecution, and attempted hindering prosecution. He received a sentence of eight years and nine months in prison. Charges against a fourth man, Robert Maye, were dropped after it was determined that he was a protected federal witness who had testified against the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based Gangster Disciples
Gangster Disciples
The Black Gangster Disciple Nation is a gang which was formed on the South-side of Chicago in the late 1960s, by David Barksdale, leader of the Black Disciples, and Larry Hoover, leader of the Supreme Gangsters. The two groups united to form the Black Gangster Disciple Nation .The gang has made...
street gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
.
In December 2007, Griffith was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to murder, armed robbery and kidnapping. Riddle pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in 2006 as a part of a plea bargain; on January 25, 2008, he was sentenced to life in prison but will be eligible for parole after 25 years.