PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Lori Sitler
Phone: (302) 577-8314
Pager: (302) 247-1132
Date: June 28, 2002

DEFENDANT GUILTY IN THEFT OF SEPTEMBER 11TH RELIEF FUNDS

(Wilmington, DE): Attorney General Brady announced today that Anthony Monroe pled guilty Thursday in the Court of Common Pleas in Wilmington to misdemeanor theft charges for stealing a Red Cross donation jar containing funds for victims of September 11th terrorist attacks. The donation jar, on the counter at an Edgemoor area 7-11 convenience store, held about $150 earmarked for victims of the September 11th tragedy. Monroe was sentenced to 10 days in prison, one year probation, was ordered to pay restitution to the American Red Cross and to undergo a substance abuse evaluation.
Monroe apologized in court to the manager of the convenience store, saying that he wrongly stereotyped the manager as being part of the same ethnic group as the foreign terrorists responsible for the September 11th attacks and therefore did not believe that the manager would turn over the donations to the Red Cross. Monroe also stated that he realized he was wrong to profile the store manager and knew how it felt to be judged because of race/ethnicity. He apologized for the theft.
Ipek Kurul, the Deputy Attorney General who prosecuted the case said,
"This was the worst crime I've seen come through the Court of Common Pleas. It felt good to know, though, that the defendant realized what he did was wrong and was remorseful." Margaret Chabris, a spokesperson for 7-11's corporate office in Dallas, Texas commented, "We're very pleased that the police were able to identify and arrest the thief of the collection canister with money that was going to the American Red Cross to benefit victims of the September 11th terrorist attack. We are also pleased that he was sentenced appropriately for his crime."
Media coverage was instrumental to the Delaware State Police in identifying the suspect. Several calls were received by Troop 1 after the convenience store video surveillance tape was broadcast on local television stations said Corporal Steve Mayberry of the Delaware State Police.
 
 

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