Murdered Chicago man had been using his 'second chance' to keep kids out of gangs By STMW NEWS John Blackman CHICAGO - John Blackman was using the tough lessons from early in life to steer others toward a better way. The 38-year-old father of two worked to keep kids from gangs in Englewood, after he himself had suffered setbacks as a young man because of "youthful indiscretions," according to his father, Jonya Blackman. Blackman was also five years into a career as an electrical apprentice for Aldridge Electric. And he was excelling. "It was his second chance," Jonya Blackman said. "He was given an opportunity and he jumped on it."