Milwaukee, January 18, 2024
Justice Delayed, But Delivered: Family Finds Closure in 2012 Wisconsin Killing
After 13 years, the family of corey Stingley is seeing accountability in the death of their son, following a rare restorative justice process and guilty pleas from two men.
- Robert W. Beringer and Jesse R. Cole pleaded guilty to felony murder in connection with the 2012 death of Corey Stingley.
- The plea deal followed a restorative justice process involving the Stingley family and the defendants, Robert W. Beringer and Jesse R. Cole.
- the case remained inactive for years until pressure from Stingley’s father, Craig Stingley, led to charges and a controversial resolution.
Thirteen years after 16-year-old Corey Stingley died inside a Wisconsin convenience store during an alleged shoplifting attempt, his family is finally experiencing a measure of justice the system long denied them. Last Thursday, January 15, a Milwaukee judge accepted guilty pleas from Robert W. Beringer and Jesse R. Cole, charged in connection with Stingley’s death, bringing to a close a yearslong fight led by Craig Stingley to have his son’s death treated as a serious crime.
According to reports, Beringer and Cole pleaded guilty to felony murder under a deferred prosecution agreement, meaning they will avoid jail time if they comply with court-ordered conditions and remain crime-free. Corey was killed in 2012 after Beringer and Cole helped restrain him inside VJ’s Food Mart in West allis,Wisconsin. A third man involved in the restraint, Mario Laumann, died in 2022. Stingley, who was unarmed, had allegedly attempted to steal $12 worth of alcohol. The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office steadfast he died from asphyxiation during a “violent struggle with multiple individuals,” ruling his death a homicide.
“What happened to corey Stingley should have never happened. His death was unnecessary, brutal and devastating,” Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne stated in a letter to the judge. The case progressed through restorative justice, a rare approach in such circumstances. Ozanne recommended the agreement after extensive face-to-face meetings between the two men and the Stingley family, which he described as “healing for all involved.”
Why Corey Stingley’s Case Remained Unresolved for So Long
Corey’s death occurred the same year as the shooting of Trayvon Martin, the Black Florida teen whose death and the subsequent acquittal of his killer sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. While Martin’s case garnered national attention, Corey’s death, involving three white men restraining a Black teenager, did not receive widespread notice outside of Wisconsin.
For years, the legal system remained stagnant.Initial prosecutorial reviews declined to file charges, citing a lack of intent to kill. Despite this, Craig Stingley persistently sought justice. two separate prosecutors reviewed the case without result. In 2020, Craig utilized an obscure “John Doe” statute, allowing private citizens to petition a judge when prosecutors are unwilling to act. This petition triggered another review, ultimately leading to charges, as reported in 2023.
During the January 15 hearing, Corey’s parents addressed the judge. “Corey was my baby. A mother is not supposed to bury her child,” Alicia Stingley told the court. Following the proceedings, she embraced Beringer, and Cameron, the family’s surviving son, shook hands with both men.
Craig Stingley characterized the moment as a turning point, stating his 13-year struggle “has turned into triumph.” The family, in a statement filed with the court, emphasized that their pursuit wasn’t about retribution. “We sought not vengeance, but acknowledgement, of Corey’s life, his humanity, and the depth of our loss,” the statement read.
Though, the deal serves as a stark reminder of the realities surrounding cases involving racial violence: even when families pursue every available avenue, justice frequently enough arrives slowly and may not take the form they anticipate.
