MCSO News Release – Arrest in Homicide of James Edward Campbell
3-28-12
News Release
Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart reports that an arrest has been made in the homicide of James Edward Campbell. Investigators from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Third Circuit State Attorney’s Office have obtained an overwhelming amount of evidence against Gary Givens, B/M, DOB 03/10/1994. The suspect was arrested last night, 03-27-2012, and charged with homicide, burglary, grand theft, theft and credit card fraud. Charges are currently pending on a second suspect in the case.
Evidence in the case included witness statements from citizens in the community as well as photographs of two suspects using the victim’s vehicle and other items stolen from the victim’s home. At this time the investigation is on going. Anyone with any information regarding this crime is urged to call the Madison County Sheriff’s Office at 850-973-4001.
Mr. James Edward Campbell was a very well respected member of the educational community in Pasco county. He was for me, a mentor, instructor, the Dean of my high school, and most importantly, a good friend. Stories are told of people in most everyones past that have profound effects on their lives. “Mr.C” was a person who had that kind of effect on a lot of people whether it was a member of his staff or his students. There were many occasions when he would be called upon to resolve issues with any number of problems that could arise on any given day at Gulf High School. It seems he solved them with ease (some dear friends know the inference).
He was a generous, kind man who tried to help when the situation would benefit from his intervention.
He retired to enjoy his final years in peace. I believe he did until his last day. Rest in Peace Mr. C, you’ll be fondly remembered.
STOP WITH ALL THIS ISHH MAN!!! YALL ARE MAKING THIS OUT TO BE A RACIST THING! IT HAS COMPLETELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE SITUATIONS!!! LET THESE MURDERED PEOPLE REST IN PEACE DROP ALL THE NEGITIVE COMMENTS AND JUST DROP IT! WHAT IF IT WAS YALL OR YALL”S FAMILY?! THIK ABOUT THAT FOR A CHANGE NOW ALL OF YALL LET THESE PEOLE REST IN PEACE. ZIMMERMAN AND THE GUYS IN THIS CASE NEED AND DESERVE TO BE IN PRISON. #ENOUGH SAID!!!!
Dear Sweet Citizen of Madison. Oh, Lordy, Lordy Lordy. You are exactly right that I am not that educated. No PhD here! While Princeton was my first choice, they did not accept me, so I guess you are right again. And I have traveled further than the Georgia line, as you have to go all the way into Lake Park to buy a bottle of wine. At least 5 miles. As for me suspecting you were educated in the Madison system, I hold up for inspection your remark…”the law doesn’t states”
I am pondering that one, but I don’t think it remotely resembles a sentence – and without a preamble, I doubt it could stand alone and have anyone know what to what you were referring. And then we have “Secondly, one can use open fire in a public place”. Well, yes, lots of public parks have grills, and a fire is perfectly acceptable. Frankly, I probably agree with you about the Zimmerman case. I think the man was a wannabe cop that didn’t make the grade. Stand your ground means exactly that. You do not have to retreat in the face of danger. But it does not mean someone can chase you and force a confrontation. I think Zimmerman chased the kid and the boy turned on him and challenged him. Like, “Why are you following me?” And then the situation escalated and the boy wound up shot. I suspect that the kid was a lot tougher than the man following him. And in the end, I imagine there will be an arrest, the guy will be charged with manslaughter and that will be that. An unfortunate incident, but not racial and not worth all this nonsense with marches and speeches. Seems like all these marchers have a lot of time on their hands. I wonder do they have to go to work tomorrow?
@ former resident Im not going to argue your point. As, an African American its not remotely about race with me, but rather the polices of the Florida legislature. I have been voicing my sorrow on the death of ed campbell while also explaining that its incomparable with the Trayvon Martin case. Not black against white. You people are making it about race. I know white people who wants justice for Martin also, so what do you all call them? In fact, i know gary givins, and to be honest, he could have killed an elderly black person. The young man is an overall heartless criminal. His own family wants little to do with him. Im not anti white at all. I’d like it if these comments stayed on Mr Campbell because i want to know what kind of human being he was. I want justice for him.
@ Frank Rathburn Who are you to insult my intelligence? are you educated? whats your Alma matter? Harvard, Yale, or Princeton. I doubt it, as all Madisonians your a good ole southerner who never traveled further out of state than the Georgia line. You asked how does a gun law kill someone? The stand your ground law is too vague for anyone to claim self defense. First, the law states if one feels threatened.What exactly falls in the threatened category? the law doesn’t states. Secondly, one can use open fire in a public place. That alone raises concern for innocent bystander’s. Also, Zimmerman had countless run in’s with the law, he should not be the owner of a weapon
Mr. Voice, can you please close the comment section? This man’s death has started an uproar within Madison County. Let Martin and Campbell rest in peace. May their souls rest!!!!
@Frank:
You are correct, in that Mr, Martin is no angel. I believe that he is exactly where he should be. (Maybe, the place he should HAVE been?)
That is one major difference between the immediate law enforcement reaction in Madison and Starke cases. Our cretin is locked up.
To: Sweet Citizen of Madison….I take it you are yet another product of the Madison School System.
Exactly how does a gun law kill someone? The Martin case is being handled, appropriately, by the authorities. As more information comes to light, it seems that young Mr. Martin might not have been the angel so many are touting. Where is the outrage over the New Black Panther Party and their bounty? How about that racist, Spike Lee? Mr. Zimmerman and his wife evidently mentored two young black kids struggling in school. Doesn’t sound very racist to me. The fact that the president felt that he had to get involved makes me think he has too much time on his hands. Oh, thats right! It’s an election year!. Don’t miss an opportunity to pander for votes. Seems like the black folks, led by Sharpton and Jackson, will not let an opportunity to rabble rouse, get on TV and stir up the masses pass them by. This incident was not about race, more likely fear.
This incident has nothing to do with gun laws. Poor decisions are just that.
@sweet citizen, where you been hiding? Various witness have come forward and say martin was beating on zimmerman. also he was handcuffed and taken to jail and questioned….hmmm, I guess this is not enough, yet in floriday this week a woman was let off on same law….because a man was beating her…..so she should be in jail, give me a break…….get the facts before you speak.
@ Former resident. This is about ed campbell , an innocent elderly man who was killed by a neighborhood thug, not Trayvon Martin a young man who was killed by a irresponsible gun law. That being said, I am fully aware of what im talking about. You, however, must know according to various news sources, no witness saw an altercation between Zimmerman and martin. In fact, the only scene witnesses report was screams of help. New video footage of Zimmerman shows know images of a broken nose, or bloody head. Like I said in a previous post, He stalked Martin which technically makes it premeditated murder. I know campbell’s alleged killer, I want that boy in prison. Its not about black and white, its about the law.
@patriot I have agreements on most points in your statement, as a black person I have encountered discrimination in my life. Trayvon martin’s murder was solely based on racial profiling. To really get at the core of martin’s death, rallies should be held at the Sanford police department for not following law enforcement protocol when a homicide took place;regardless of a self defense claims, or a the Florida legislature for passing a vague gun law to appease the NRA (campaign donations). I will also say, that discrimination not only affects African Americans, but also various racial groups, religions, and socioeconomic levels as well. To me, justice for Trayvon martin is not about race, but rather holding our politicians accountable for unnecessary gun laws. As for Gary Givens, I know him and he is the quintessential neighborhood thug; the reason why you would want buy a Pitt or rottweiler to guard your home. I didn’t know Mr. Cambell, I heard he befriended gary and the other young men who took his life. He had no clue how dangerous those young men were. I pray the Campbell family find justice as well as the martin family.
What do you mean, zimmerman hunted down little old Martin! Martin was 6’3″ it was also a witness saw martin on top of zimmerman beating him……now the stand your ground law kicks in…..so know what you talking about. Mr. campbell was “hunted” and killed by this guy, and he should be put to death asap, then maybe people in madison can be secure.
Rebecca,
Based on the grammar, writing, and overall level of common sense you show, I am going to take a gander and say you are not the Rebecca I work with/am friends with. I for one am not on the “we have racist cops in Madison” bandwagon but if a cop stops a black man to question him, that does not in my opinion mean they are racist. I have been stopped by a cop in Madison while walking, she pulled up beside me, rolled her window down and after being asked I told her what I was doing and then told her to have a wonderful, safe, and blessed day & she then drove off. Although there were several other pedestrians in the vicinity, she was simply just checking on me (doing her job in case you didn’t know) to make sure I was not up to something bad because if I was a crook (which I’m not) I could have been preparing to break into the florist or One 11 Grill, I would never do such a thing. End of Story.
Usually the people who avoid cops know they are doing something illegal and are afraid of being caught, or at least that is my understanding of it. My biggest crime is driving 44 in a 35 on US 90, or at least I thought it was 35 until I saw the guy change it to 40, oops!
lets not be racist and hateful to the blacks, i will admit that i think our own local police force has been racist but i cant prove it. just because u cops c a black man walkin down the street does not meen u should stop him & question him if he is mindin his own business.
The young men who did this are in jail, Zimmerman’s still free to shoot someone else that’s the difference
This is very disturbing! How many homicides have occurred in Madison this past year?
As I scroll down the comments posted and people try to compare the Murder of Mr. Campbell and the Martin case in Stanford, I see some similarties with both.
First Mr. Campbell had been a customer of mine and was a man who relocated to the area to just live out his life.
The young man who is accused of the Murder has been in trouble with law for years,and just one of many young men running the streets of Madison County.Most of these young men have no respect for anyone or anything espeically themselves.And the only reason he choose Mr. Campbell was Mr. Campbell was physically weaker and could only offer little fight if any at all.Sounds alot like the Murder at the Health Department last year.
Now if a group of White men got on TV and offered a $ 1,000,000 bounty for either of these two Black men that committed the murders of two elderly white men in Madison County in less than a year. How do you think the country would react?And what if White political figures also got on TV or held rallies how would the country react?
The bottom line is we are a country of laws,are they perfect the answer is no.But let the courts sort out the crimes and hand down the punishment.Now unless you live on the dark side of the moon,you can’t believe that with all the attention that the Martin case has received that if Zimmerman is guilty of something that it will not come out and if guilty or innocent the Martin family is going to go after a wrongful death suit.But when political figures or racial groups get involved all this does is create more racial tension.In the country we live in it’s all about being politically correct and anytime a white person steps forward and complains or makes comments about anything to do outside his or her race they are labeled a racist or attemping to keep another group of persons down.But at the same time a Black group can get on TV,have rallies, march on the capital,wear the wrong attire in the US Congress and the list goes on,but in the country of politically correct this deemed alright and certainly is not deemed to be racial.
Now back to the similarities between the two cases,two people have been killed.One was murder and we will have to wait on the outcome of the other.But there are two families that will have a void in their hearts because of both,one family Black and one White.But all AMERICANS.
GOVERMENT,EVEN ITS BEST STATE,IS BUT A NECESSARY EVIL;IN ITS WORST STATE, AN INTOLERABLE ONE.
“IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PATRIOT TO PROTECT HIS COUNTRY FROM ITS GOVERMENT”
Thomas Paine 1776
violence is violence and it has nothing to do with background they come from. People have the right to make the right choices but some don’t. But this has nothing to do with anything but what he did. Not what any one else has done. Because if we go there the paper would be nothing but who did what to who. Just stick to the case. A man was killed.
I am an African American female , just thought you all should know, after all these post are anonymous. Comparing Gary’s inhumane act on an elderly man to the unjust death of Trayvon martin is inconsistent to a debate on right and wrong. Stand your ground, a law, in my opinion, that gives individuals the right to shoot anyone was not used properly in the Trayvon Martin situation. Zimmerman did as any hunter eyeing for a prey would do, he stalked his victim. That’s not what stand your ground is. I know Gary, his family, and well familer with his criminal mentality because he lived in my neighborhood. He smoked weed used insulting slurs for addressing females and partook in other things . The young man had no home discipline; he would fight his mother and aunt,so its no surprise he would end the life of an elderly man . This young man is highly dangerous to humanity, and like Zimmerman he preyed on weaker people. For the sake of tax paying, law abiding citizens lock both of those s%43 up.
@rda: Very well said, elegant, even. Thanks.
Get a clue. How would you like it if your kid was followed by a grown man with a gun against the advice of law enforcement? If you were the kid, how would you feel? Would you, perhaps feel that you had to “stand your ground?” what would you do? If you were a parent, what would you do? The man who stalked and killed your child is still free.
Givens is arrested, and justice is proceeding along its normal path. Why should anyone weigh in on that, black or white?
You need to examine your own racial biases if you think these two situations are alike except for the races. Get serious!
As a citizen of Madison, my heart goes out to Mr. Campbell’s family and all those who knew and loved him. This is truly another sad time for our county. I beg that we do not compare this incident to the one in Sanford, FL. Each case is important in its own right and are totally different. In the Sanford case, the crime was being swept under the rug with no one being punished for killing an innocent individual. The case here in Madison will not be dealt with in that manner. The suspects will and have been arrested. President Obama, Rev. Sharpton, and Rev. Jackson did not respond because a white man killed a black boy. They responded because injustice was occurring in Sanford. I feel that these men will respond to any injustice, no matter what the race of the victim is. But just in case u didn’t notice, these men are not the only ones responding to the Sanford case. People of all races all over the country have responded just as people of all races in this county are saddened and angry about what happened to Mr. Campbell. No one deserves what he had to endure. Neither of these cases is an issue of race, but is an issue of wrong versus right.
@ Greenville & Former Resident;
Your comments bring certain phrases, that I was taught as a child, to mind: “lack of couth”, “no decency”, “poor decorum”, and “animal husbandry” are the first, but only a few.
ED CAMPBELL was my coach & teacher at gulf high.I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him.he was one of a kind.he was like you’re teacher & friend at the same time.we spoke a few months ago planning lunch for his next trip down..how many people stay in touch with there teachers for over 40 yrs..I’ll tell you,everyone in this community are outraged over this senseless killing.coach Campbell did not deserve this..but i can only hope and pray that this poor excuse for a human gets everything he justly deserves..
So, where is the NAACP, Obama, and Sharpton on THIS case where a black person kills a white person???????? Just wondering…..
Wait, with all the public outrage at the shooting in sanford, when Zimmerman shot Martin, and the president got involved, along with sharpton, Jackson, and all the others so upset. Now a black kid, kills a white man. Where is all the outrage at this? Where is Sharpton, Obama, and Jackson, calling for Justice.
It makes me sick, to think of someone doing this to another person for money. And it is not like it is a lot of money. A life is worth a lot more and Mr Campbell was a very nice man and did not deserve to die this way. I think something stronger needs to be done to these people when they are young to let them know the court system means business. But I lot of them when they are younger get a slap on the wrist and sent on their way. Then go on to be arrested again and again and then finally commit murder. I have no pity for this kid or any other. At a young age I knew the difference between right and wrong and there is no excuse for anyone else not to know. Stealing is wrong and what happens while in progress is something that could be expected so to me it is premeditated!!! So that means the death penalty is the best option. Take a life, you should have to give up your own!! I don’t care if your black, white, red or yellow. All should be equal for punishment when it comes to doing wrong!
Knew Gary as a bright handsome young boy with an anger management problem. Had a very sweet grandmother that tried her best to keep him on the straight and narrow, but sometimes the best intentions are in vain. Watched him grow into a troubled young man with a chip on his shoulders. Sorry to say I wasn’t surprised to see him in such trouble, just wish more people, including myself, had seen the writing on the wall, and had taken a stronger stand. But school rules disallowed any intervention so I guess we as a people get what we pay for. Just ashame someone had to die before something was done.
I pray that both families are able to get though this. I can’t even begin to feel their sorrow.