Robert Sandifer
Encyclopedia
Robert "Yummy" Sandifer garnered
national attention in September 1994 after his murder by fellow gang members in Chicago, Illinois. He appeared on the cover of TIME
magazine in September 1994.
Nicknamed Yummy because of his love of junk food, Sandifer was a young member of the street gang the Black Disciples
. After committing murder
, arson
and armed robbery, he was executed by fellow gang members who feared he could be turned snitch
. Coverage of Sandifer's death and retrospectives on his short, violent life were widely published in the American media, and Sandifer became a symbol of the gang
problem in American inner cities, the failure of social safety netting, and the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system.
addict who had her first son at age 15. Yummy was a victim of abuse from an early age, and was sent to live with his grandmother by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
after one of his brothers, Victor, went blind from a neglected eye infection. His grandmother's residence contained as many as 19 children on some occasions. Sandifer, at age 8, quit regularly attending school and took to the streets stealing cars
and breaking into houses
. The year before his death he was removed to a DCFS shelter on Chicago's north side, which he ran away from.
neighborhood of Roseland
. He liked luxury cars such as Lincolns
and Cadillac
s and, remarkably, was able to drive them despite his small stature (he was still beneath the height limit for many of the rides at nearby amusement park Six Flags Great America
). Many of his 23 felonies and 5 misdemeanor
s were committed in the course of running errands for street gangs. The penal system had no way to keep him out of trouble and the courts were helpless to lock him away because he was too young for juvenile detention and too dangerous to be placed with children his age.
For the next three days, gang members from the Black Disciples
kept Yummy on the move, evading the police investigation of the shootings. Yummy was last seen by a neighbor on August 31, waiting for his grandmother to pick him up, but instead two brothers (14 and 16 years of age [Derrick and Cragg Hardaway]) from his gang arrived. Telling him they were going to take him out of the city, he was brought to a viaduct underpass and executed. He was found later in a muddy pool of blood with two gunshot wounds in the head.
After Yummy was found dead the police went to look for the killers
national attention in September 1994 after his murder by fellow gang members in Chicago, Illinois. He appeared on the cover of TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine in September 1994.
Nicknamed Yummy because of his love of junk food, Sandifer was a young member of the street gang the Black Disciples
Black Disciples
The Black Disciples is a large African American street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. The gang is considered extremely violent and is known to engage in drug trafficking and distribution, in addition to other criminal activities. The street gang is estimated to have in excess of 24,000 members...
. After committing murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
and armed robbery, he was executed by fellow gang members who feared he could be turned snitch
Snitch
Snitch may refer to:* Informant* Whistleblower* "Snitch" , a song by Obie Trice* Monument Ave. or Snitch, a 1998 thriller film-See also:* Golden Snitch, a ball in Quidditch in the Harry Potter series...
. Coverage of Sandifer's death and retrospectives on his short, violent life were widely published in the American media, and Sandifer became a symbol of the 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...
problem in American inner cities, the failure of social safety netting, and the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system.
Early life
Yummy's mother was a prostitute and a crack cocaineCrack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
addict who had her first son at age 15. Yummy was a victim of abuse from an early age, and was sent to live with his grandmother by the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)
Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services is the name of a governmental agency in many states of the United States that responds to reports of child abuse or neglect. Some states use other names, often attempting to reflect more family-centered practices, such as "Department of Children & Family Services"...
after one of his brothers, Victor, went blind from a neglected eye infection. His grandmother's residence contained as many as 19 children on some occasions. Sandifer, at age 8, quit regularly attending school and took to the streets stealing cars
Motor vehicle theft
Motor vehicle theft is the criminal act of stealing or attempting to steal a motor vehicle...
and breaking into houses
Burglary
Burglary is a crime, the essence of which is illicit entry into a building for the purposes of committing an offense. Usually that offense will be theft, but most jurisdictions specify others which fall within the ambit of burglary...
. The year before his death he was removed to a DCFS shelter on Chicago's north side, which he ran away from.
Criminal behavior
Yummy was known for bullying and extorting money from local children and the community in the ChicagoChicago
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...
neighborhood of Roseland
Roseland, Chicago
Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland...
. He liked luxury cars such as Lincolns
Lincoln (automobile)
Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
and Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
s and, remarkably, was able to drive them despite his small stature (he was still beneath the height limit for many of the rides at nearby amusement park Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
). Many of his 23 felonies and 5 misdemeanor
Misdemeanor
A misdemeanor is a "lesser" criminal act in many common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished much less severely than felonies, but theoretically more so than administrative infractions and regulatory offences...
s were committed in the course of running errands for street gangs. The penal system had no way to keep him out of trouble and the courts were helpless to lock him away because he was too young for juvenile detention and too dangerous to be placed with children his age.
Homicide
On August 28, 1994, Yummy walked up to 14-year-old Kianta Britten and asked him to which gang he belonged. Kianta responded that he did not belong to any gang, and Yummy opened fire on him with a semiautomatic pistol, hitting him in the stomach with one bullet and also catching a nerve with another bullet leaving Britten partially paralyzed. Later on that same day, Yummy shot at some rival gang members. One stray bullet hit Shavon Dean in the head and killed her as she walked home from a friend's house.For the next three days, gang members from the Black Disciples
Black Disciples
The Black Disciples is a large African American street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. The gang is considered extremely violent and is known to engage in drug trafficking and distribution, in addition to other criminal activities. The street gang is estimated to have in excess of 24,000 members...
kept Yummy on the move, evading the police investigation of the shootings. Yummy was last seen by a neighbor on August 31, waiting for his grandmother to pick him up, but instead two brothers (14 and 16 years of age [Derrick and Cragg Hardaway]) from his gang arrived. Telling him they were going to take him out of the city, he was brought to a viaduct underpass and executed. He was found later in a muddy pool of blood with two gunshot wounds in the head.
After Yummy was found dead the police went to look for the killers