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Commercial Appeal Articles on the Death of Rosmari Pleasure
SUSPECT SURRENDERS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF MIDTOWN WOMAN - WEDNESDAY, March 4, 1998 EX-BOYFRIEND HELD, FACES CHARGE OF MURDERING MIDTOWN WOMAN - THURSDAY, March 5, 1998 PASTOR SEES GOD'S LOVE THROUGH HIS OWN PAIN - SUNDAY, March 15, 1998 SCHOLARSHIP FUND OPENS IN MEMORY OF PLEASURE - TUESDAY, April 14, 1998 EX-BOYFRIEND GUILTY OF MURDERING MIDTOWN WOMAN, GETS 51 YEARS - FRIDAY, March 3, 2000
SUSPECT SURRENDERS IN SHOOTING DEATH OF MIDTOWN WOMAN Date - WEDNESDAY, March 4, 1998 Section: News Page: A10 Memo: obituary Edition: Final A suspect in the shooting death of an editorial assistant at The Commercial Appeal turned himself in to police late Tuesday night. The suspect in Monday's shooting of Rosmari Pleasure, 34, had not been charged. Pleasure was shot and killed Monday afternoon outside her apartment building at 203 Hawthorne. Police Insp. R. G. Wright said Pleasure apparently knew her attacker. Services for Pleasure will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Springdale Baptist Church. She will be buried at New Park Cemetery. N. J. Ford and Sons Funeral Home has charge. She is survived by her father, Rev. Mose Pleasure of Memphis, former Tennessee Department of Human Services commissioner; a stepmother, Jo Sutton Pleasure of Memphis; sisters Billi J. Rucker of Atlanta and Perci A. Simpson of Louisville, Ky.; brothers Mose Pleasure III of Dallas, Robert William David Pleasure of Memphis and Derek A. Dallas of Atlanta; grandmothers Lavenia Parker of Birmingham, Celestine J. Pleasure of Gilford, Conn., and Willie M. Sutton of Louisville, and a grandfather, William Parker of Birmingham. She was preceded in death by her mother, Bernice Pleasure. A scholarship is being set up at the University of Memphis in her name. All content herein is © 1998 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
EX-BOYFRIEND HELD, FACES CHARGE OF MURDERING MIDTOWN WOMAN Date: THURSDAY, March 5, 1998 Section: Metro Page: B2 Illustration: photo Source: By Chris Conley The Commercial Appeal Edition: Final The 30-year-old ex-boyfriend of an editorial assistant at The Commercial Appeal was charged Wednesday in her shooting death. Vincent Hatch, a University of Memphis student, was charged with first-degree murder for twice shooting Rosmari Pleasure, fatally wounding her. He was being held without bond Wednesday at the Criminal Justice Center. About noon Monday, Hatch went to Pleasure's home at 203 Hawthorne and parked his gray Volkswagen Jetta in the rear parking lot and waited until Pleasure came home for lunch, according to an affidavit filed in the case. About 12:25 p.m., Pleasure arrived. Hatch got out of his car, gun in hand, and ran toward Pleasure. She screamed when she saw him. Pleasure called to a neighbor that Hatch had a gun and asked the neighbor to call police. When the neighbor, Ashley Oates, turned to reach a telephone, she heard a shot. She looked out her window and saw Hatch standing over Pleasure, who was lying on the ground. Oates then saw Hatch shoot a second time. Pleasure was shot once in the knee and once in the back of the head, the affidavit says. Hatch, who immediately became a suspect after the shooting, notified homicide detectives through his grandmother on Tuesday that he wanted to surrender. He was arrested at the grandmother's house at 337 Essex shortly after 4 p.m. and questioned. Police have said the shooting was the result of a domestic dispute. Pleasure was active in the Evergreen Historic District Association and recently became the first non-homeowner elected to its board. She was the daughter of Rev. Mose Pleasure, a former commissioner of the state Department of Human Services. Pleasure said his last day with his daughter, which was Sunday, began with services at Antioch Baptist Church in Whiteville and ended with a family dinner that evening. Mose Pleasure is the associate minister at the church. Mose Pleasure and the public relations firm Harvest Reapers Communications opened a journalism scholarship fund Wednesday at the NBC bank branch, 2632 Frayser Blvd. The goal is to establish a scholarship at the University of Memphis, which Pleasure attended. The bank branch in Frayser is accepting donations to the fund. Regina Burns of Harvest Reapers said arrangements are being made for all NBC branches to accept donations by this weekend. Harvest Reapers has more information on the fund at 332-8616. To reach reporter Chris Conley, call 529-2595 or E-mail conley@gomemphis.com Vincent Hatch. All content herein is © 1998 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
PASTOR SEES GOD'S LOVE THROUGH HIS OWN PAIN Date: SUNDAY, March 15, 1998 Section: Metro Page: B1 Source: David Waters Memo: Faith Matters Edition: Final It was chilly that Sunday morning, so Rosmari sat in the sunshine in her father's church. The seat warmed body and soul. She sang. And she prayed. She was so joyful. The next day, her father, Rev. Mose Pleasure, stood in the shadows of the morgue and identified her body. He felt so cold. He cried. And he prayed. He was so angry. If anyone has a right to be angry with God, Mose Pleasure does. In 1968, his close friend and mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man of God, was murdered in Memphis. In 1985, Rosmari's mother Bernice, a schoolteacher and faithful churchgoer, was abducted from her Memphis home, raped and murdered. On March 2, his 34-year-old daughter, a prayerful and devoted Christian herself, was shot and killed outside her Midtown apartment. Police have charged an ex-boyfriend. Rosmari Pleasure liked for people to call her ``Roz.'' Her father called her Rose. She was his gift from God. He baptized his daughter when she was 10. She loved to pray, even as a child. ``I would say, `Baby, let's pray,' and it was as if I was serving dinner,'' he said. Rosmari was sustained by prayer, nurtured by worship. She lived to go to church and invited everyone to go with her. She was always aware of God's presence. Her father says that's why she was so trusting, the most trusting person he's ever known. ``Rose was all empathy,'' he said. ``She always looked for the God-ness in people.'' Rosmari's faith held even after her mother was murdered, Pleasure said. She wanted to know who did it, and why. She never questioned God or doubted her faith. He won't start now. ``God gives us free will,'' Pleasure said. ``The tangled web of choices we all make leads us to intersections in life where good or ill can happen. ``That man's life path led him to that point. Rose's path intersected with his. What happened was not God-directed. ``Rose's life was a statement of faith, not her death.'' To Mose Pleasure, faith is a way of seeing. Because of Rosmari's faith, she saw life and death with spiritual eyes. Her eyes allowed her to see wonder amid horror, joy amid sorrow, God's gifts amid the world's garbage. Rosmari had her father's eyes. The day before she died, her father preached in two churches. She went with him to both. They rode together, worshiped together, ate lunch and dinner together. That afternoon, on the way back to Memphis, she told her father about the house she was going to buy in two years. That evening, she joked and laughed and ate catfish smothered in hot sauce. ``We were together for 12 1/2 hours Sunday,'' he said. ``It was 12 1/2 hours of intensive, joyous togetherness. It wasn't until Tuesday that I realized we had never spent that much time alone together in one day in her entire life. ``I didn't realize what a gift Sunday was until Tuesday.'' Sunday she spent with her father. Monday, she died and a part of him died with her. Tuesday, Rosmari was resurrected in his heart. Now, through Mose Pleasure's spiritual eyes, he sees his Rose sitting joyously in the sunshine, not lying lifeless in the shadows. The sight warms his soul. To reach reporter David Waters, call 529-2399 or E-mail waters@gomemphis.com. All content herein is © 1998 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
SCHOLARSHIP FUND OPENS IN MEMORY OF PLEASURE Date: TUESDAY, April 14, 1998 Section: Metro Page: B2 Source: John Semien Memo: METRO & MID-SOUTH BRIEFS Edition: Final The father of Rosmari Pleasure, an editorial assistant at The Commercial Appeal who was shot to death on March 2, has started a journalism scholarship fund in her memory at the University of Memphis. Rev. Mose Pleasure Jr. started the Rosmari Pleasure Memorial Scholarship Fund at National Bank of Commerce. It has climbed to more than $1,000 through donations. Eventually the fund will be used for scholarships at the university, where Rosmari Pleasure studied. Tax-deductible contributions may be made at any NBC branch. For more information, contact Harvest Reapers Communications at 332-8616. All content herein is © 1998 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
FRIEND'S DEATH BY VIOLENCE INSPIRES RUN FOR LIFE 5K TO FUND RETREAT AT HER CHURCH AND SCHOLARSHIPS Date: MONDAY, October 19, 1998 Section: Metro Page: B1 Illustration: photo Source: By Jacinthia Jones The Commercial Appeal Memo: See Information Box at end of text Edition: Final As Rosalyn Nichols attended the funeral of a third childhood friend - another victim of what she calls `relational violence' - she thought to herself, ``What can I do to prevent this from happening again?'' "It bothered me," said Rev. Nichols. "I didn't want this to be just another case where we grieve and go on. I guess having experienced it two other times, it said to me that the only way you're here is by grace." That was in March. A few months later, Nichols came up with the idea of "Sisters 4 Life," a small group of women united after the loss of their friend, Rosmari Pleasure. Police said Pleasure, 34, was shot and killed outside her Midtown apartment by ex-boyfriend Vincent Hatch on March 2. He is charged with first-degree murder. She was an editorial assistant for The Commercial Appeal. On Nov. 14, Sisters 4 Life will host the Rosmari Pleasure Memorial 5K Walk/Run at Handy Park on Beale. It's designed as a way to bring attention to violence, specifically relational violence as Nichols defines it. "It's not just about domestic violence between a husband and wife," says Nichols, who grew up with Pleasure at Metropolitan Baptist Church. "There's violence between people with all kinds of relationships." More than 400 misdemeanor and felony arrests for domestic violence are made in Shelby County each month, according to the county government Victim's Assistance Office. And domestic violence counselors estimate that only 1 in 10 cases is ever reported. For the sisters, the 5K run is a way to start a dialog about a problem that stretches across all social and economic backgrounds. "In a larger sense, it's about the community coming together to celebrate life itself and (to show) what we lose when these types of acts of violence are allowed to persist," Nichols said. "It's not exclusive to women because it's as much about the men that we lose because of these acts. "It's kind of like family taking care of itself, trying to stop a silent but pervasive problem in our community." "In the African-American community we especially seem to be so hush-hush about (domestic) violence," said Judy Davis. "We refuse to talk about it." Davis also grew up in the church with Pleasure and later roomed with her at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. After the run, the group, based at Metropolitan Baptist, plans to become involved in other women's issues, such as health and finance. The group is not exclusive to church members. Proceeds from the run will go toward the women's retreat at the church in February and the Rosmari Pleasure Memorial Scholarship Fund, established earlier this year for journalism students at the University of Memphis. Memphis native and Olympic track star Rochelle Stevens has agreed to be the host runner during the race. The group also has garnered corporate sponsorships from Nike, Buns On the Run, Backyard Express, AutoZone, American Healthcare Inc., Sales and Marketing Concepts and Kraft Foods. They are looking for volunteers as well as other sponsors. Explaining the group's sponsorship efforts, Nichols said, "We called, we rattled some phones, we begged. Rose's life affected so many that when we tell people this story, they automatically know, they remember and they want to do something." For more information on the 5K Run, contact Rev. Nichols at 948-3179. Entry fees are $15 for runners and $10 for walkers and are available the day of the race. INFORMATION BOX: Staff Trouble ahead Domestic violence experts have compiled a list of behavioral signs that are often exhibited in men who have the potential to become violent. The more signs, the stronger the chances for violence. In some cases, only a couple of signs may be exhibited in a very exaggerated manner, such as extreme jealousy. 1. Jealousy 2. Controlling behavior 3. Quick involvement or whirlwind courtships 4. Unrealistic expectations 5. Forces isolation from friends and family 6. Blames others for problems 7. Blames others for feelings 8. Hypersensitivity or feelings hurt easily 9. Cruelty to animals or children 10. Playful use of force in sex 11. Verbal abuse 12. Rigid gender roles 13. Sudden mood changes 14. Past instances of battering 15. Threats of violence 16. Breaking, beating, throwing objects 17. Any force during arguments, including restraining person from leaving Source: Project for Victims of Family Violence, Inc., Fayetteville, Ark.; Center for Battered Women, Austin, Texas To reach reporter Jacinthia Jones, call 529-2780 or E-mail jjones@gomemphis.com Caption: By Kent Phillips (Color) A sign on the counter at Fino's on Madison asks for contributions to the Rosmari Pleasure scholarship fund. Pleasure was killed in March and a former boyfriend is charged. All content herein is © 1998 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
EX-BOYFRIEND GUILTY OF MURDERING MIDTOWN WOMAN, GETS 51 YEARS Date: FRIDAY, March 3, 2000 Section: Metro Page: B1 Illustration: photo (2) Source: By Lawrence Buser The Commercial Appeal Edition: Final A jury Thursday took just 30 minutes to convict the ex-boyfriend of an editorial assistant at The Commercial Appeal of first-degree murder, rejecting his claims of momentary insanity. Vincent L. Hatch, 32, was automatically sentenced to life in prison, a minimum of 51 years, for the execution-style shooting of Rosmari Pleasure, who was killed in her Midtown driveway two years ago. Prosecutors called it "a cowardly and cold-blooded murder.'' Hatch, who represented himself, said he was "not in my right mind'' that day and asked for an acquittal. Pleasure, 34, was killed shortly after noon March 2, 1998, outside her apartment at 203 Hawthorne, where she had gone for lunch. Hatch was waiting for her as she got out of her car. She screamed to a neighbor that he had a gun and to call police. "Rosmari was crouched down and Vincent Hatch looked up at me and said kind of sarcastically `Yeah, you better call police,' '' said Ashley Oates, who knew them both. "I started to call police and then heard a shot. I looked out the window and he was standing over her and then I saw him shoot her again with two hands on the gun.'' Pleasure was shot in the knee and in the back of the head and had injuries to her face that indicated she may have been pistol-whipped, medical examiner Dr. O. C. Smith testified. Hatch, who was living in a dorm at the University of Memphis, where he was a student, was arrested the next day in South Memphis. He gave police a three-page confession. In the two-day trial before Criminal Court Judge John Colton Jr., Hatch blamed his behavior on mental and emotional problems brought on by family difficulties and a troubled childhood. "Just look at me as a person with genuine problems,'' Hatch pleaded with jurors Thursday, adding that he was prone to crying spells and had attempted suicide in jail. "I would never hurt her in my right mind.'' Prosecutors James Wax Jr. and Scott Gordon noted that a psychologist found Hatch to have personality problems but no serious mental illness that would keep him from knowing right from wrong. "He won't take no for an answer, that's his problem,'' Gordon argued, urging jurors to reject Hatch's claims. " `Dr. Hatch' knows more than the psychologists. `I'm insane. Take my word for it.' This is a license to kill that he's asking for.'' Pleasure was the daughter of Mose Pleasure, a former commissioner of the state Department of Human Services and associate pastor at Antioch Baptist Church in Whiteville. In 1985, her mother, Bernice Pleasure, a teacher, was abducted from her Memphis home and murdered. To reach reporter Lawrence Buser, call 529-2385 or E-mail buser@gomemphis.com Caption: Vincent Hatch, Rosmari Pleasure All content herein is © 2000 THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL and may not be republished without permission.
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