One-Punch Murder: John Massie Killed In Bizarre Las Vegas Casino Fight

LAS VEGAS -- A racial comment in the restroom of a Las Vegas Strip casino restroom preceded a single fatal punch that left a tourist from Utah dead and a Florida tourist jailed in Nevada on a murder charge, authorities said Wednesday.

Benjamin Gerard Hawkins, 37, of Gainesville, Fla., took offense to John Massie's comment about "a black man in a yellow shirt" while both men were in the restroom at O'Sheas Las Vegas Casino shortly before the fatal 12:45 a.m. confrontation, according to a police report.

Moments later, Massie was felled by a single punch to the jaw.

"One punch," police homicide Lt. Lewis Roberts told The Associated Press. "He was out. Never got back up."

Hawkins is black. Massie was white. Massie was pronounced dead less than 30 minutes later at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas.

Massie's hometown wasn't immediately available. The police report released by the Clark County district attorney's office doesn't provide them, and the Clark County coroner declined to release the dead man's identity pending completion of the medical examiner's report.

Hawkins was held at the Clark County jail pending a Thursday court appearance in Las Vegas. It wasn't immediately clear if he had a lawyer, and he police said he refused jailhouse interview requests.

Police said the fatal confrontation was captured on casino surveillance videotapes. Roberts said detectives also questioned casino witnesses.

The slaying was the third on the Las Vegas Strip in less than two weeks, including the stabbings of a 21-year-old man Monday on a pedestrian walkway between casinos and the another 21-year-old Las Vegas man in a pre-dawn confrontation June 25.

Las Vegas police convened an afternoon news conference to note that arrests had been made in all three cases, to declare that the incidents were not connected, and to assure the public that the area's marquee tourist attraction was safe.

The one-page police report of Wednesday's slaying offered a glimpse of a men's room slight escalating to tragic consequences at a rollicking Irish-themed casino offering "discount entertainment" including a Viper Vixens stage show, a resident psychic, a cigar bar and beer pong competitions.

"Massie made some comment to Hawkins to the effect of `a black man in a yellow shirt,'" the police report said. "Hawkins told him to shut up."

Police said the two men squared off after exiting the restroom. Massie stopped in a food court area, put his hands in his pockets, and spoke to Hawkins.

Hawkins told police Massie challenged him with a comment such as, "What are you going to do about it?"

Hawkins told detectives he interpreted Massie's actions as aggressive.

"Hawkins said he feared if he turned his back on Massie he would be punched in the back of the head, so he punched Massie one time in the jaw with his right hand," the police report said.

O'Sheas, owned by Caesars Entertainment Corp., is between the Harrah's and Flamingo resorts – across busy Las Vegas Boulevard from the company's flagship, Caesars Palace.

Caesars Entertainment spokesman Gary Thompson declined comment about the slaying and referred questions to police.

Comments

[BombsAwayBoys]

10:48 AM on 07/13/2011

The White guy was just joking, making a play on Chris Farley's line in Tommy Boy "Fat guy in a little coat...", "Black guy in a yellow shirt". That was all the execuse the Black guy needed to be voilent and kill someone.

[moonwolfph]

06:59 PM on 07/11/2011

SO, THIS GUY WAS TOO STUPID TO FIGURE OUT THAT IT'S NOT WORTH SPENDING TIME IN JAIL over some dude commenting on your clothes - whether it's a rude comment or a compliment- EVEN FOR A SIMPLE ASSAULT CHARGE? If it was righteous to punch someone's lights out over an ignorant, rude, knuckle-dragger's comment, there'd be a lot of past tense Phillies fans strewn all over South Jersey.

[Edward Madahbee]

03:33 PM on 07/11/2011

sucks to be both these guys, i don't care what was said, racial intentions or not, the man did kill someone unintentionally, although he may not have wanted him dead he did die from an attack that was meant to hurt him, so there is intent, the outcome far worse than what the black guy wanted to do, maybe 3rd degree murder, all i know is i am glad i am not either of these guys

[emmcc199]

07:27 AM on 07/11/2011

Kids these days go out looking for fights period. Their are gangs everywhere. Learn how to protect yourself because these animals are everywhere.

[Biggpoppas]

07:05 PM on 07/10/2011

or if ones hand in the pocket or out of the pocket is threating or not; did Mr. Hawkins hit him with a sucker punch? or not. None of this matters in the real world people! The only way this could matter in one's life is if we used this opportunity to try and understand one another as a people and try to better our situation as a country. There is no wonder why the world laughs at The United States Of America; because we are a nation racist, bigots and hypocrites. What really matters is the sick way people spew their hatred on the Internet from the comfort of their homes. These people wouldn't dare try to pull a John Massie alone in public. Don't be so concerned about living and stand up for what is right. What is the point of life if it is not meaningful?

[wcdaley6754]

09:37 AM on 07/10/2011

A white man could have punched him out too... claiming it was a SEXIST comment, "A Black MAN in an yellow shirt"... hey, just illusrating the absurdity of saying it was a RACIST comment.

[ImaBeast]

11:16 PM on 07/09/2011

Ask any Police Officer how they feel when someone puts their hand(s) in their pocket.
Threatened? Weapon?

[phlmlk]

04:27 PM on 07/10/2011

OKAY! THIER DEAD!

[pyates1022]

11:12 PM on 07/09/2011

Hum what a nice story so far. If you talk to an African-Amercan everything is racist! Just saying a yellow shirt is duh. Means you should be attacked ? If your hand is in your pocket trying to hold on to your money it`s a crime by a white person, because if a Police Officer tell`s a person being checked out for a crime say`s don`t pull out a weapon out of your pocket. I can`t touch a person unless they have a weapon or a friend ( 2nd person) and it`s not just a punch but also a slap or push/shove with my hand`s or feet. Fed Law So does that mean in this BS, than now when my kid`s in my hood say they want to kill me cause I`m to white I can hit them ???

[phlmlk]

04:27 PM on 07/10/2011

Aftr 400 yrs of disc do u think it will leave overnight have u walked in thier shoes? have u been denied housing educ the ability to get paid for work have u had to try to work 22 hrs a day and wear little or nothing..l have u been pulled over DWB assaulted by a police man called racial epithers etc?? The man said that massie called him names in the bath..he has to prove it but based on what i know (i live here) Massie was searching for a fight and the punk was too trifling to say what he said in pubic so he follows a guy to the bath??? Then gets in public and confronts him..Google the story and get the facts. manslaughter invol

[JingoBets]

09:43 PM on 07/09/2011

He hit a man that had his hands in his pocket, a sucker punch. He's guilty of
2nd degree murder. Doesn't matter what was said in the bathroom, you can't have people going around hitting others while their hands are in their pockets. If this were reversed, Al Sharpton would be screaming "hate crime!!!"

[Zork4]

06:05 PM on 07/09/2011

I'm white and no prouder of it than I would be of any other skin color, there is only the human race in my book.

I had a look at the Nevada criminal code and from the circumstances, it sounds like this is a case of voluntary manslaughter at most.

[Fred in China]

05:37 PM on 07/09/2011

I just spent two very long years in the middle of the Sichuan mountains serving in the Peace Corps. As a white dude with blonde hair and blue eyes, that meant two years in seconds (because it literally lasted every SECOND) of being stared at, shouted at, photographed, pointed at and yelled at by the Chinese. And sometimes they even screamed and ran away if they were children or very old. God knows it drove me crazy but I just kept smiling on the outside and kept at my service til the end.

You, Mr. Hawkins, probably would've lasted no more than 3 minutes at my site. I hope you will find strength and peace in prison and that one day the victim's family will forgive his ignorance and your weakness.

[Zork4]

06:06 PM on 07/09/2011

Did you feel under physical threat of attack?

[GatorAtLarge]

07:42 PM on 07/09/2011

Sooo somehow your 2 yrs in Sichuan Mountains someone equates to over 400 yrs of racism and racial relationships in the country.

WOW!! I guess all white people should go to china now. Reminds me of one day in college a white kid walked up and said that he was called a "mic" in high school so he knows how black people feel and should be able to use the N-word

[phlmlk]

04:14 PM on 07/10/2011

OKAY!! anf why? should he use it ..Because we do or because he is trying to stroke hate..When Africans desc use it we use it in love that is not the case with the average white man.He uses it as a hate language..knowing he cannot duck,

[jsduwilco]

05:49 PM on 07/12/2011

400 years of Racism Wow how old is America ?? and How long was it before your forefathers rounded up there unwanted and sold them off to the highest bidder..Blacks were not here for over 100 years after the birth of America.... Hey How Many White's Died freeing The Slave's ??? Better Look at American History and check your fact's. You Might also want to take a look at The Slave trade still going on in YOU MOTHER LAND..aka Africa....Now Let's Talk about Black Crime in America..More Blacks need to step up and be Mentors to the youth

[RightThinkin]

05:06 PM on 07/09/2011

Well what can I say ?.The white guy said somethin he shouldn't have to the black guy the black guy gets mad and hits the white guy "HARD" I don't blame the black guy the white guy though should have ducked.Do we really need this to be complicated?.Has everyone learned from this if you say somethin mean to someone else be prepared to duck.Thats common sense people.Remember three things when your about to get hit- duck,tuck and fold.duck tuck and fold duck tuck and fold.

[phlmlk]

04:09 PM on 07/10/2011

Right keep ya mouth shut or learn to duck

[Jay Diggity]

10:15 AM on 07/13/2011

no doubt

[scrappydoodle]

05:03 PM on 07/09/2011

how can someone be physically intimidating when they have their hands in their pockets ?... the "puncher" should never leave prison.

[Zork4]

06:11 PM on 07/09/2011

You haven't spent much time on the street, a hand in a pocket in a confrontation says 'weapon'. You show your empty hands and indicate your peaceful intentions by keeping them low by your side. It you don't want to get into it with others (especially in a bar) it's best not to talk smack.

Which isn't to say I think Hawkins acted correctly, but Massie contributed to his own demise.

[GatorAtLarge]

07:43 PM on 07/09/2011

Thanks for answering cos I wouldnt have put it so nicely.

[scrappydoodle]

09:28 PM on 07/09/2011

that's such b s ... a guy with his hands in his pockets is obviously not a threat WHILE the hands are in the pockets... he was obviously within punch distance so any weapon he might have had in his pockets couldn't be brought to bear without time to react.

[southpawman]

04:55 PM on 07/09/2011

See what happens to intolerance. he learned the hard way. rt on. im wht and proud of it. but

what goes around

[jmartinlegal]

03:34 PM on 07/09/2011

Hawkins must have read my book about the secret ninja-warrior death punch which I published after being a ninja assassin and U.S. Postal Mail Carrier for ten years. The death force flows up from the soles of your feet, is turbo-charged near your buttocks, and reaches a level of power that is equal to a lightning bolt when it leaves your ninja fist. Don't mess with Hawkins or Yoda, that's all I've gotta say.

[mPowerServices]

08:34 AM on 07/13/2011

LOL hey can you punch my ex for me? :-)