New Union County group supports people who lost children to violence
Marilyn Brinkley has had an emptiness inside of her since her 18-year-old son, Rashaka Blackprince, was shot and killed last July in east Charlotte.
The pain is still fresh, she said, and she’s been looking for support, especially with court cases coming up when she’ll be face-to-face with her son’s accused killer. But on Thursday night, in a small room in Indian Trail Town Hall, Brinkley said she may have found a group of people who understands what she’s going through.
She was one of about 13 people who attended the first homicide victims support group hosted by Mothers Advocating for Real Change and Unwavering Support, known as MARCUS.
Named after the son of the founder, Tina Sykes-Mosley, MARCUS is a nonprofit organization that will support parents like Brinkley who have lost loved ones to violence. It is the first homicide victim support group in Union County, organizers said.
Thursday night’s meeting brought people from across the Charlotte region who have lost family of all ages and backgrounds, and who were interested in seeing what the group had to offer.
Some lost their loved ones decades ago and some have already been through trials and seen their cases closed.
Others, like Brinkley, are beginning the process and have questions about what comes next.
“I was there when he died,” Brinkley said. She still hears the gunshots and sees the image of her son lying on the ground in front of her, dying. “I want it to go away.”
Others have urged her to move on, she said, but she can’t. Especially when the process is only beginning.
But for Brinkley and other families, one person who will understand is Sykes-Mosley.
“I always say … there’s no hope for me. I just don’t see any hope for me whatsoever,” Sykes-Mosley said in an interview with The Charlotte Observer. “But I just feel like, out of everything, all my pain and everything I’ve learned, perhaps I can help someone else.”
Finding purpose again
Sykes-Mosley, a mother of three, has lived in Union County for 27 years. Her middle son, Marcus Gerard Mosley, was killed on Sept. 29, 2020, in Burlington. When Marcus died, Sykes-Mosley said she began searching for any kind of local support.
“I learned Union County has absolutely nothing here for grieving mothers,” she said. Living without her son was difficult, and she said she struggled to find purpose in her life. She began participating in services in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, such as going with other mothers to court hearings to support them.
Sykes-Mosley wanted something more local, she said, which is what inspired her to start MARCUS.
Similarly, Union County District Attorney Trey Robison said he’s had an idea for years to start a support group like MARCUS in the region. So when Sykes-Mosley approached him he was on board.
On Thursday, Robison, as well as Union County Sheriff Eddie Cathey, Indian Trail Mayor David Cohn, and law enforcement officers from nearby towns made themselves available to answer attendee questions.
Since organizing MARCUS, which came together relatively quickly and without many road bumps, Sykes-Mosley said, she’s found a purpose again. And she thinks her son would be proud.
“Marcus was so incredible. He was a magnet … Everyone attached themself to him, and he loved his mom,” she said. “For him to see me in the depression state that I’m in, and now I’m turning it into something powerful to help others, I know he’s thrilled about it.”
She was joined on Thursday by MARCUS volunteers who wore red shirts with the organization’s name on them. Some of her son’s best friends were there.
MARCUS will support families in several ways, she said, including at meetings, attending court hearings with parents and bringing them food, and making sure their kids receive childcare.
They will also make sure families understand their victims’ rights, such as speaking against bonds or at parole hearings. The group has partnered with a local daycare and will cover the cost for families, Sykes-Mosley said.
“God knows, we want the DA to not be distracted, and we certainly do not want the jury to be distracted by crying babies,” she said at the meeting.
The group will also push for reform and legislation to strengthen sentences and deny bail for people charged with murder.
Attendees say region needs this
Several people attending Thursday’s meeting said they were happy to have something closer to where they live and planned to attend more meetings. Among them was Glenda Bailey, whose son, Jaleel Nivens, was killed in April 2022 at 24-years-old.
Jan and Dennis Webster said they looked for support after their son, Rick Mooney, 44, was killed in 2019 during a robbery, but could only find things in Charlotte. That was too far, they said, and they weren’t sure what area of Charlotte the support programs would be in.
But now, they said, they’re happy to have something closer. The group also attracted some people from outside of Union County, including Justice Barnes, whose child, Khalil Barnes, 31, was killed in 2018 near Albany, New York.
Barnes said he lives close to Harrisburg, but decided to come to the meeting because it was only about 20 minutes from his home.
He said he was grateful that Sykes-Mosley gave him and others the space to talk about their loved ones.
Attendees trickled in as the meeting started, and sometimes struggled to introduce themselves or talk about their loved ones and how they died. But as the meeting progressed, the discussion grew.
The conversation grew lively when the group was given the opportunity to ask the DA, sheriff, and homicide detectives questions. They ranged from questions about sentencing of juveniles versus adults to questions about how law enforcement extracts text messages from cell phones.
They took turns talking about their grief, where they are emotionally, and what they do to help themselves navigate.
People had differing views, especially on learning to forgive their family members’ murderer. And by the end, people thanked Sykes-Mosley for bringing them together, and joined her for a group photo in front of a MARCUS backdrop.
The support group is due to meet again on June 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. But the organization is also planning a rally to honor Gun Violence Awareness Month before then.
On June 8, from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., the group will organize in front of the Union County Judicial Center courtyard in Monroe for a rally and press conference. Attendees are encouraged to wear orange and bring a pair of their loved one’s shoes to display in a line.
On Friday, Sykes-Mosley said she thought the first meeting went well and she was pleased with the group’s participation.
“I think that this is going to really be totally beneficial for the community,” Sykes-Mosley said. “Unfortunately, it’s something that’s needed.”
Additional information about MARCUS can be found on its website and Facebook page.
This story was originally published May 19, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
