Winnetka Murder Victim's Sister Turns Gun Control Activist
In the 22 years since Nancy Bishop Langert's murder, her sister Jennifer Jenkins-Bishop has become a passionate control advocate.
In 1990, Nancy Bishop Langert, who was three months pregnant, was shot to death along with her husband, Richard Langert, in their Winnetka townhome. Twenty-two years later, her legacy continues to inspire others — demonstrated by the fact that she used her last few minutes of life to spell out one last message of love.
“She dragged herself to her husband and drew a heart and ‘U’ in her own blood,” Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins, Nancy’s sister, explained at a New Trier Democrats panel on gun control held Sunday.
The Langerts had been shot with a .357 Magnum in the basement of their Winnetka home by David Biro, a New Trier High School senior, according to an April 9, 1992 Chicago Reader article. Biro, who was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, never gave a clear reason for why he killed the Langerts.
However, the Reader article states, Biro was “notorious within the police department,” and in the past had attempted to poison the milk in his family’s refrigerator, shot a 7 year old with a BB gun, set another child’s clothing on fire and fired a BB gun at a woman in a car, shattering her windows.
Bishop-Jenkins, a former high school teacher, has actively sought to end gun violence since her sister’s murder. She has served on the board of the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty, as the state president for the Million Moms March/Brady Campaign and is a volunteer with the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence.
“That event changed my life,” Bishop-Jenkins said about the murders. “That event helped me to understand that there are so many people that have suffered because of gun violence.”
Her dedication to preventing other families from having to experience what she went through, as well as the countless hours that she’s spent counseling families of murder victims, made her especially upset by the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA) email sent out to get pro-gun advocates to attend the New Trier Democrat’s panel.
In the email, Bishop-Jenkins — as well as the other panelists — are described as “the people who don’t care if you or your family members are raped, robbed and murdered by violent criminals. They only care about one thing — disarming you.”
“There are no words,” Bishop-Jenkins said of the email, as she choked back her tears. “I’ve spent the last 22 years working every day with the victims of violent crime. This is a horrible thing to say.”
She continued, noting that the line in the email about wanting to disarm gun owners wasn’t true.
“Disarming you — that’s not true,” she said. “We do not support bans. We only support three things — uniformed background checks, no military-style assault weapons in the hands of citizens and regulating the traffic of guns.”
“You cannot address the problem of guns with more guns,” she continued. “We have to prevent guns from getting into the wrong hands. It’s not a threat to their interpretation of the second amendment. … They’re paranoid.”
The New Trier Democrats panel on gun control was delivered to a lively audience, made up largely of pro-gun advocates. You can read more about the event here and about the Illinois State Rifle Association's plan to pack the audience here and here.
Dan Cox
9:19 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
When the people of this Nation, take a stand, for the protection of our Constitutional Rights, it is a beautiful thing and should be celebrated. The term "GunViolence" is a creation of the Anti-Second Amendment Groups. Common sense tells you, that a "person", committed the violence, not the object. We never hear the term "Knife Violence" or "Blunt Object Violence", because it would be silly. The real issue that I see here is to pattern of blaming the object and relinquishing the blame of the person committing the crime. We need to be more concerned with being "responsible" and raising "responsible children". I take my 5 children hunting and shooting at the Shooting Range, after they have been trained in gun safety, by a NRA Certified, Gun Safety Instructor. I have introduced Gun Safety to many kids and had nothing but positive results. We need to understand that in our society, that people will have Mental Health issues and we need to take responsibilty for those people, when they are our family members. Lauri Dann, had Mental Health issues, so did David Biro... but somebody was irresponsible in there care and in the storage of a Firearm in both cases. Both Dann and Biro, obtained their weapon, from their own home. Somebody is responsible for that weapon being left in an unsecured place, while a Mentally Ill person was present in the home. Responsibilty folks, that is the issue here. If I took your car, went to Chicago and drove over 50 people... is it "Car Violence"
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
10:32 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan - you are misinformed about the source of the gun in my family's murder case. And your irresponsible delusions that the gun has nothing to do with what kinds of people can commit what kinds of crime renders your position not credible. The vast majority of gun owners support background checks (no loopholes) - you should too if you care about the mental health issue as you say.
Dan Cox
11:19 am on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
David Brio, was a High School Senior at New Trier High School, at the most, a 19 Yr. old. You must be 21, in Illinois, to purchase or possess a Handgun and must have a valid Illinois State Firearms Owners Identification. That FOID Card is issued by the Illinois State Police and requires a Criminal Background check. To purchase a Firearm, anywhere in the State of Illinois, legally, you must present your Foid Card and have a Criminal Background Check performed. Then you must wait 72 hours, before you can pick up that Hand gun, from the place of sale, 24 hour waiting period for long arms, I.E. Shotgun or Rifle. David was not old enough to purchase a Handgun or possess a Handgun legally. So, no law, that you propose would have any effect, what so ever, on how he obtained the gun or possessed the gun or used the gun. Credible, yes, Knowledgeable, most certainly. Irresponsible-delusional, no... I deal in facts, not "fact stacking" and while I can understand your anger and frustration, sense of loss and utter contempt for the person, that did this to your beloved Sister, her unborn Baby and Brother in-law. Please understand, I have faced the kind of evil, of which your Family was a victim to, I would not be here today, if it were not for my abilty and Right to own a gun. These killers are not rational, they are not in a state of mind, in which you can logically converse with them, like we are now...
Sully
4:22 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan, one can go to any gun show and easily purchase weapons without having one's background checked.
So I'll go back to part of the ruling in the DC versus Heller case that you clearly don't understand. It states "Like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose"
That is the issue, Dan. Keep your little toy gun- I don't care. But there is no reason to own weapons that are meant to be used by the military or law enforcement.
Paula Skaggs
12:04 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
We at Patch sincerely appreciate everybody's comments — this is a hot-button issue (to say the least), and this open debate in the community has been so interesting to follow! I'd like to invite all of you to blog about your opinions for Patch. If you're interested, simply go to this link — http://wilmette.patch.com/blog/apply — and please email me at paula.skaggs@patch.com when it's up, or if you have any questions/concerns (or would like me to connect you with the editor in a different Patch town!).
Thanks!
Paula
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
12:24 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan you need to stop trying to act as if you know more about the details of my sister's murder. There is a long story about how the killer got the gun - he stole it, in short, and he also got a fake FOID card (not the infallible system you pretend it to be) which his parents intercepted. He had traded identities with an older friend. I don't let gun fanatics ruffle me but I do have to say how DARE YOU question my credibility with regards to the facts of my sister's crime and my definitive knowledge about how Illinois gun laws work, which I know well. You have attacked a victim, looking like a fool, and you need to be quiet now.
Dan Cox
3:56 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
JBJ You seem to forget, you brought your Family into this discussion, had their names along with the name of the killer printed in this article, not me, so quit playing the role of a victim. I did not even know your family was murdered in Wilmette, until you, gave the information out to the media. As far as me being quiet, forget it, I will never stop fighting for my Rights. You are throwing around words like paranoid, fanatics and delusional, in a quest to try and discredit the facts, of which I present, but you are failing. I am correct, nothing that you have proposed, would have prevented your families murder. A stolen gun, in the hands of a mentally ill, young man, that should have been removed from society, long before he could have done, such a terrible thing. But, in the Liberal, Wilmette area, people want to believe that no harm can come to them, they have the Police and 911. No need to have a weapon of self defense, we have great Police. This is a common mistake, made by people who do not realize, that bad things can happen to good people. Responsibility, that is the issue at hand here. The parents were irresponsible, the gun owner was irresponsible and so was your Brother in-law. He failed to take the necessary measures to insure his families safety, he was reliant on somebody else to provide his families security, SCOTUS Ruled, that the Police are not responsible for protecting a citizen from imminent harm, it is the citizens responsibilty to defend themselves.
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
12:39 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan, also please stop talking about the killer and giving him and his name any publicity at all. You are disrespecting our family in so many ways by trying to use what happened to us to talk about your bizarre objections to any reasonable restrictions on the easy access to dangerous guns by dangerous people that we currently have thanks to activists such as yourself. People are dying, and have died. Stop leaping to ridiculous and faulty conclusions about the facts of the crime against our family in a public forum. If you want to discuss the facts of our crime or my work for reasonable universal background checks and illegal gun trafficking regulations then call me and lets discuss it for real. My phone is listed publicly.
Dan Cox
4:19 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
JBJ, I have said what needed to be said, you openned yourself up to this , when you went public, with your families info. and chose to fight against my Constitutional Rights and ability to keep what happened to you family, from happening to mine.
MD
4:04 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Jennifer,
I am so sorry for your loss, and I thank you for your work toward a more responsible gun culture in this country. There was another shooting at a college in Texas today. I can't help but wonder where and when the next tragedy will take place - because this is just going to continue until we do exactly what you are working toward: uniformed background checks, no military-style assault weapons in the hands of citizens and regulating the traffic of guns.
Thank you for doing what you do - you give from the motivation of your own personal tragedy, and you are undoubtedly attacked every time you speak (or write). I see this type of irrational response everywhere. One cannot speak about wanting an open, honest conversation about guns in this country without being told accused of wanting to abolish the 2nd amendment. This is simply not true. Nowhere have I seen anyone talk about doing away with the 2nd amendment. I just don't want my child, or brother, or husband, to be next. There has got to be a middle ground here.
By the way, I went to the forum on Sunday but was turned away at the door.
Sully
4:27 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
I too attempted to get in, but was unable. Sure did appreciate being blocked out of an informative forum by people who showed no respect or class whatsoever, and only cared about causing disruption. Yep, very classy.
Dan Cox
5:03 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sully, I really enjoyed the meeting and so did my Son, D.J., we did not see any disturbances or dis-respect, from the Pro-Second Amendment Patriots. We were willing to stand out in the freezing cold to defend our freedoms, that is Patriotic. Those people who wish to dismantle the Second amendment are the same people, who get killed in their own home, unable to defend their family, from an armed intruder. Sad, but you would rather be killed, than defend yourself and your loved ones. Support Concealed Carry in Illinois.
Sully
5:16 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Funny because I wasn't too far away from you. Perhaps when you agree with the rudeness and disrespect, you don't notice is so much. I'm sure you're real proud of what your son learned- if you don't agree with what someone says, just keep screaming and shouting platitudes until he shuts up. We don't need no civility anyway. Way to teach your son respect, Dan. Thumbs up. By the way, since you and your buddies took over the forum, I'm not sure how you can complain about being mistreated. The gun regulation crowd was about nil.
Sully
4:36 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan, you are truly ridiculous. Hey I've got one for you- according to the constitution, abortion is legal. Are you out there fighting for women to not lose THEIR rights?
Dan Cox
11:36 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Typical diversion tactic, change subject and go off topic. N.W. University Anti-Gun Debate Tactic, when you can not win the debate... change subject!
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
5:32 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Dan, we never speak the name of the killer - that was the choice of the Patch folks. And laws DO matter - a safe storage mandate in Illinois would have saved my sister's life. Further you continue to discredit yourself when you say ridiculous things like we would "rather be killed than defend ourselves". NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE YOUR GUNS AWAY, Dan, unless you start acting irresponsibly. Relax. No one is attacking your rights. Scalia said in the Heller ruling for the majority of the Supreme Court that the right to have guns must be REGULATED (as in "well-regulated" from the Second Amendment). Background checks for every gun exchange is common sense supported by almost everyone in the nation, including most gun owners.
Thanks and sorry to those who came and could not get in. We will have this discussion. And without the disruptive bullies from outside our community who DID act inappropriately at times (denouncing one of the speakers as "Jewish" and many shouts of veiled threats such as "you don't know which one of us are carrying - many of us in this room ARE armed - you will not know who").
Dan Cox
7:21 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
JBJ, Thank You, I could never have discredited you, as well as you just did. You want us to believe, that people walked into a Police Station and threatened you, that they were armed, in front of the Police Officers present? It is Illegal to bring a loaded gun on the property of a Police Facility or into a Police Facility. It is a very serious Weapons Offense, called Aggravated Unlawful Use of Weapons, AUUW and is a Felony Offense, which would be grounds to confiscate all weapons owned by that person, voiding FOID Card and ending with a Felony Conviction and Incarciration in a Penitentary. 1/6/13 Il.Senate President John Cullerton, sponsored a Assault Weapons Ban Bill, which included a provision that would allow the Illinois State Police to confiscate, all guns included in the list. 100 year old Pump Shotguns, were included inthe list. We killed the Bill!
Sully
6:23 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Jennifer, I can't tell you how many times I've said or written that we don't want to take their guns away. It goes right over their heads. Whatever Wayne LaPierre says is the gospel truth.
Dan Cox
10:02 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sully, Please comment on the Bill SB2899, that Illinois Senate President John Cullerton sponsored and wanted to have Passed, during the Lame Duck Session, on 1/6/13 It clearly was to Ban and authorize confiscation of guns, from Illinois citizens. How do you explain this and at the same time, claim that "No one, wants to take your Guns"? Double talk and non-sense!
Sully
6:27 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
They were armed in a police station? Hmm. I'm sure there were an equal number of armed folks outside too.
Dan Cox
7:26 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Sully, Do you know that it is a Felony Offense to Conceal Carry in Illinois? it is even more serious if you bring a loaded gun, on Police Facility Property? AUUW/UUW Law. It is also a Felony to imply a threat, and you want people to believe that this happened in a Police Station, with Police present? Really?
Sully
6:50 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Did the maintenance man in this shooting have the right to not be shot?
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/shooting-texas-college-campus-reports-191439016.html
Dan Cox
7:28 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Conceal Carry, it works!
Sully
8:40 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Oh, so if the maintenance man had just had a gun, he would not have been shot? Don't think so. Dan. Bystanders don't usually look or plan for being shot.
Dan Cox
11:40 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Sully, still waiting on your response to SB2899... the Gun Confiscation Bill, brought by Il. Senate President John Cullerton on 1/6/13.
Dan Cox
9:52 pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Peoria, Illinois area school officials are considering the Arming of school staff. They know, it is what stops a killer.
Jennifer Bishop Jenkins
10:42 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Dan - you continue to charge that what actually happened on Sunday in Glenview is simply not possible - that those in the room shouted repeatedly that "no one knows who of us in here are carrying" and "some of us are carrying!" etc - There were no police in the room and I have it on tape. I have invited you before, and I repeat it, to contact me directly and I will play the tape for you.
Dan Cox
12:08 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
I will not call you and have you make false caims about me, as you have my fellow Patriots. We do not want anything to do, with the enemies of freedom.
Simon
10:47 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Dan - it must be terrible to live a life so full of hate and paranoia! What a fine example for your son to follow!
Dan Cox
12:05 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Simon, I am a realist and a Constitutionalist. You may find yourself, looking at an Armed Intruder in your home and have nothing to defend your family with but a baseball bat. You Sir, will be dead, and the intruder will probably kill your family as well, to eliminate witnesses. Ask JBJ, how that unarmed and defenseless strategy worked for her Brother in-law and pregnant Sister. The were not paranoid, but, they are dead!
Dan Arenov
12:34 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Dan, you sound like a reasonable person to me. I read your posts and don't see much in the way of 'hate'. Not sure if Simon here is a liberal, but i find it to be pretty common for liberals to handle a disagreement with another person by saying that the person is full of hate or is a racist, etc. It's tough to find common ground with that approach, but they keep doing it.
JBJ, so sorry about what happened to your sister. What an awful tragedy.
Sully
9:11 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
No Dan. You are an immature, frightened little boy.
Here's some reading material for you.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/187610601.html?refer=y
anita straus
3:36 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
These lunatics who gun down and kill innocent people should be monitered by their mental health and the family members who know them..The NRA is a detrement to our country..The founders of this country and the 2nd ammendment has lived way past its original intent. This is not a wild west, but a cgun-crazed population of people who maim and kill without care.
Dan Cox
8:52 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013
anita straus, The NRA, does not represent me. I am Represented by the Second Amendment Foundation and the Illinois State Rifle Association. I agree with you 100% about the Mentally Ill being monitored and secured. I do not understand, the Wild West comment though, can you help me, with that? Chicago had 506 Murders in 2012 and as many as 958 a year, back in the early 90's. No place west of the Mississippi, ever had that many murders in any city during the 1800's. Over 100,000 Gang Members are in Chicago, Illinois and the Court System does not know how to handle them, so they just send them back on the street, to commit more crime. CPD has a 25% solve Rate for Murders and that is the worst rate in over 20 years. That means 75% of the murders are not being solved and those killers are killing again and again and again.