1 Fired and 4 others Disciplined! For Tasering A Pregnant Black Women

By African American Political Pundit.

You remember The Black Pregnant Black Women who was tasered in Ohio?. The Tasering occurred Nov. 18 when Valreca Redden, 33, went to the police department and asked officers to take custody of her 1-year-old son, the report said. well here is some good news. 1 Fired and 4 others Disciplined! For Tasering A Pregnant Black Women

West Memphis City Council Shut's Down City Gov't to Hold Police Chief Accountable

Now this is what I'm talking about when I think of black folks coming together to use their political power. Shut Down the City Government! Let's hope this show of political will makes things happen. My good brother, Villager, at Electronic Villager has been following this story of good versus evil. His post reports on how the fallout from the killing of 12-year old DeAunta Farrow continues to mount in West Memphis, AR. Sgt. Erik Sammis resigned his job on the police force four months after he shot the innocent youth [video report]. Francis Holland and the Police Brutality Blog has also been following The Killing of Deaunta Farrow.
Read more of his post and how the Killer Cop Resigns While City Council Boycotts.

Source: WREG TV

The folks at WREG TV have also been following this case and have provided great coverage of the case. Here more here and below. don't forget to send any comments you have on the WREG coverage to: shaun.chaiyabhat@wreg.com



DeAunta Farrow

Is the police shooting of 12 year-old DeAunta Farrow the reason several seats at West Memphis City Hall were empty Thursday? Every black council member was a no-show at a regular meeting of the city council, and some say it was no accident.

There's talk of a boycott to force the resignation of the city's police chief after one of his officer's killed Farrow. The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing, but that hasn't stopped calls for the badge of the city's top cop. Now a threat of a boycott to bring city business to a standstill.

Mayor William Johnson says, "I've been in office nine years and this is the first time that we've had to cancel a council meeting because of a lack of a quorum."

It may be coincidence that every black city council member was a no-show, but operation HELP says it played a role.

"We asked our councilmembers not to participate because of the indifference and the insensitivity of the African American community from the Mayor," says Hubert Bass with Operation HELP. "And whatever other reasons that the council felt that they should not participate, that's on them. But we believe that they responded to us."

Other council members were shocked, and some think a boycott may be underway. Thursday's meeting was supposed to cover passage of a city budget as well as possible discussion of pay raises for council members. More HERE

AAPP: What do you think? Should the black city council membdes shut down a city, in order to get a police commissioner to resign?

Visit: African American Opinion Video Channel

Al Sharpton Theatens to Scuttle Chicago's Olympic Bid Unless City Addresses Police Brutality

Al Sharpton's threat to scuttle Chicago's Olympic bid shows precisely the kind of creativity and leveraging that I believe it may take to fight police brutality in America.

A leading U.S. civil rights advocate vowed on Monday to wage a worldwide campaign to scuttle Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games if the city doesn't act quickly to stop what he characterized as "unchecked police misconduct."

In a news conference outside Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office, the Rev. Al Sharpton said he would take alleged abuse victims on a world tour to talk with Olympic Committee officials involved in selecting the host city if Chicago failed to start implementing reforms at its scandal-plagued police department by the end of December. Reuters via National Action Network

Whatever the result of this initiative, Al Sharpton will certainly get the attention of the "system" in Chicago. I wouldn't be surprised if it was even related, in some way, to the decision of the IRS and the FBI to investigate Sharpton's finances.

In any case, this is a perfect example of how Blacks can use economic pressure creatively to force an end to police brutality.

In Tasering Epidemic, Officer Decides to Tase Man Before Even Seeing Him

If you look at the above video, it's clear that this police officer had decided to tase this family man, who was riding with his wife, even before the man was stopped. There is no reason for the tasing except that the policeman's whim.

Hat tip to Tasered While Black.

No Protection From High Tech "Taser" Torture?

I recently posted on what I considered a video that showed the brutial tasing and torturing of a black man in Georgia back in 2004. No I'm not talking about 1904, I'm talking 2004. And no I'm not taliking about the 3 words, "hi tech lynching' used politically by snow flaker Clarence Thomas during his U.S. Supreme Court nomination. (you remember Clarence Thomas, who was nominated by, get this,Republican President George H.W. Bush).

I'm talking about a real High Tech Lynching, torture and killing of a black man in Georgia just a few years ago. After watching the video in horror, I decided to look into the federal laws against this type of high tech lynching, if any. Then I started to wonder what was the history of prosecution of lynching in America? As there seems to be no prosecution of African Americans taser torture victims, who are being tortured every day in the streets of America by means of the new high tech lynching tool, the taser.

This is what I learned:

Lynching in the United States has influenced and been influenced by the major social conflicts in the country, revolving around the American frontier, Reconstruction, and the civil rights movement.

AAPP: Now it appears the threat of lynching has been influenced by another major event, internet activism.

For most of the history of the United States, lynching was rarely prosecuted, and when it was, it was under state murder statutes. In one example in 1907-09, the U.S. Supreme Court tried its only criminal case in history, 203 U.S. 563 (U.S. v. Sheriff Shipp). Shipp was found guilty of criminal contempt for lynching Ed Johnson in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Starting in 1909, over 200 bills were introduced to make lynching a federal crime, but they failed to pass. During the Roosevelt Administration, the Civil Rights Section of the Justice Department tried, but failed, to prosecute lynchers under Reconstruction-era civil rights laws. The first successful federal prosecution of a lyncher for a civil rights violation was in 1946, and by that time, the era of lynchings as a common occurrence was over.

Many states now have specific anti-lynching statutes. California, for example, defines lynching, punishable by 2-4 years in prison, as "the taking by means of a riot of any person from the lawful custody of any peace officer," with the crime of "riot" defined as two or more people using violence or the threat of violence. Read More about Lynching HERE

Rewind!

Although lynchings became much more rare in the era following the civil rights movement, they do still occur sometimes. In 1981, KKK members in Alabama randomly picked out a nineteen-year-old black man, Michael Donald, and murdered him in retaliation for a jury's acquittal of a black man accused of murdering a police officer. The Klansmen were eventually caught, prosecuted, and convicted, and a seven million dollar judgment in a subsequent civil suit bankrupted a subgroup of the Klan, the United Klans of America.^[20]

In 1998, James Byrd, Jr. was murdered by Shawn Allen Berry, Lawrence Russel Brewer, and John William King, in Jasper, Texas. Byrd, a 49-year-old father of three who had accepted an early-morning ride home with Berry, King, Brewer, was instead beaten, stripped, chained to a pickup truck, and dragged for almost three miles (5 km). An autopsy suggested that Byrd was alive for much of the dragging and died only after his right arm and head were severed when his body hit a culvert. [3] The three men dumped their victim's mutilated remains in the town's segregated Black cemetery and then went to a barbeque. [4] Many of the aspects of this modern lynching echo the social customs surrounding older lynchings documented in Without Sanctuary. King wore a tattoo depicting a black man hanging from a tree as well as Nazi, Aryan and Confederate Knights of America symbols.

Local authorities immediately treated the murder as a hate crime and requested FBI assistance. The murderers were later caught and stood trial. Brewer and King were sentenced to death. Berry received life in prison.

In 2006, five white teenagers—Justin Ashley Phillips, 18; Kenneth Eugene Miller Jr., 18; Lucas Grice, 17; Christopher Scott Cates, 17; and Jerry Christopher Toney, 18—were given various sentences for the second degree lynching of Isaiah Clyburn, 17, a young black man in South Carolina. South Carolina law defines second degree lynching as "[a]ny act of violence inflicted by a mob upon the body of another person and from which death does not result shall constitute the crime of lynching in the second degree and shall be a felony. Any person found guilty of lynching in the second degree shall be confined at hard labor in the State Penitentiary for a term not exceeding twenty years nor less than three years, at the discretion of the presiding judge."

Source: Answers.com

I have been wondering, how come there are has been no American Crusade Against the Tasering of Black folks, like there was an American crusade against lynching?

Why is the Tasing and killing of black folks in 2007, not causing the creation of an organization, similar to the one created in 1946 and headed by Paul Robeson. Why are not black entertainers dedicated to eliminating the tasering deaths and torture of black men, women and children, the way black folks fought lynching in the United States. It's interesting that many prominent intellectuals were members, of Paul Robeson group, including one of the smartest men of the century, Albert Einstein.

Fast forward - 2003,04,05 and 06. There were limited voices being raised in the states concerning the high tech lynching of black folk. But at least the United Nations was looking at what has been going on. They say tasers are a form of torture.

Now in 2007 and as we go into 08, we have the afrospear, and afrosphere blogs like Electronic Village, Field Negro, Francis L. Holland Blog, Police Brutality, Prometheus 6, Wichita NAACP Blog, AfroSpear Think Tank, Dallas South Blog, American Journal of Color Arousal, Eddie Griffin (BASG), Pam's House Blend, over analyze it, AfroNetizen, Tasered While Black and many others who are sounding the drums, writing in the blogs, and getting into action - saying - enough is enough.

I guess most white bloggers are scared of getting labeled by the FBI and or Homeland Security. i must give up some respect to bloggers like The Liberal Journal.

I'm glad Einstein was not scared, even though he was branded as a communist sympathizer.

But I guess black folks can't be scared, the only fear we may have is the fear of our children or our children's children getting branded, tortured and Tasered While Black.

I wonder why Obama, Edwards, Hillary and the rest of the Democrats (that's who we vote for by over 80% every 4 years) have gotten a free ride on the question of black folks being Tasered 'and tortured' While Black.

Visit the Blog Tasered While Black

It appears no one in black leadership, except local branches of NAACP and the afrospear have been concerned. Maybe it's because older black leaders are more concerned about Bill Clinton being every bit as black as Barack or get this, how many black women Bill Clinton has made love with?

Thank God for the afrospear, and thank God for local branches of the NAACP.

Police Become Judge, Jury, and Brutalizer

After getting beaten by police in the, get this, "Plantation State" of R.I. this young man could not take no more, he grabbed the police officers gun, and shot him. The rest is history, he jumped out the window of the police department. Check out what happened next.

Ida Lee Delaney and Why Movements to Seek Justice Against Killer Cops Fail, Pt. 2

This article has been cross-filched from the Brobo Internationale blog, authored by BrotherKomrade.

Weeks after the first meeting, the "Purification and Standardization" began. The coalition was structured by Ada and her supporters into many committees all led by those who supported Ada. There was a media committee, a PR committee... it felt more like a marketing firm than a grass roots coalition.

But the one committee that I hated the most and what got the most love from the leadership was the so-called 'Legal' Committee. This group was mostly brothers and sister who were either paralegals and or actual lawyers. Now I'm not putting down people for being lawyers, but really, if you want something to be dragged out, watered down, and just plain overly complicated, then all you have to do is get lawyers involved. The committee was seen as the real engine behind the organization because they were working on putting together and putting forth the proposal for a Citizens Review Board for the "Powers That Be".
This CRB was envisioned by the leaders of the coalition to be made of people of color, women, men, etc., so that if an incident involving police would ever come about where someone was murdered by them (for brandishing a hair brush for example), the Citizens Review Board would have the "power" to discipline the police rather than leave it to Internal Affairs and the Police management who uphold the "Blue Wall of Silence". But what was worse was that this committee was to be reported to by the other sub-committees; so if the media group or PR group came up with fliers, or proposals to talk to the media, it all had to go through the Legal Committee.

Why? Because Ada loved her some Suits. She, like Jew Don (who proved this tendency later) was at a point in her life where she saw being a street activist as a powerless role; a loser who rages outside of society. I think Ada saw herself and those she sought alliances with to be activist dipped in dandyism; savvy in law and media.

While it does not hurt for activists to know some aspects of the law for protection and self defense in the courts, or activist to have the basic skills in writing press releases, I think we should strive to have a balance in all skills from designing Websites, coming up with tactics to outwit the police at demos, and make a good vegetarian burrito during brainstorm sessions.

But Ada wanted to put all her eggs in the Legal committee who would come up with some brilliant blueprint of a civilian review board. The thing is, Civilian Review Boards have been proposed in Berkley, Boston, New York and each one of those proposals brought forth to the Mayors of each of those cities have either been rejected or ignored. Why? In this society where the police's main role is to protect property and make sure that those who don't own anything don't fuck with those who do, we will never see the ruling class give regular folks power over the police.

There has been more than enough documentation that covers police response time for suburban dwellers vs. those who live the black community or barrios, so it's obvious who they truly answer to. I've heard of police that when they talk amongst each other they describe the non-ghetto denizens as “Tax Payers” or “Citizens”.

As I conclude this blog entry I wonder how effective my writing would have been if Weblog technology existed in the fall of 1989 when, at the onset of angry people of color forming to organize a movement to have the murderers of Ida Lee Delaney jailed?

Would the micro-managing, Democrat-shilling, Back-door Stalinist, public image-obsessed leadership have read this blog and saw that they were heading for failure and dragging all of us who thought we were fighting the good fight into the dark pit of innocence lost? I doubt it. If anything, me blogging about that movement and the leaders would have gotten me gas faces and physical threats.

The jury convicted Mr. Gonzales of voluntary manslaughter a year later. Thanks to Ada and friends' reformist manipulations with their straw man issue of chasing the CRB or fighting it, we never thought about the fact that we should have been focusing on how the cops should have been convicted knowing that this is a culture that doesn't jail the rich, the powerful, or the drones who protect them; the police. But there you go, Gonzales gets a conviction of manslaughter. If someone died on your wet front porch from a fall you can liable for it and get a manslaughter conviction.

But Gonzales and his accomplices chased somebody down for thirteen miles, emerged from their cars with guns and even though Ida had a gun and was even shooting first, they never identified themselves or even called for back-up of officers who REALLY were ON duty and not drunk.

It did come out during Gonzales's trail that he got into an argument with Delaney provoking her into the round of shooting that resulted in her death. Ada and Jew Don did ultimately become elected officials. They both served on the city council and yet killer cops have been able to continue their god work killing POC and working class people without worry of them going to jail. This disproves that "working within the system" thing.

If you want to see a movement that seeks justice for victims of police brutality have a fighting chance to see a positive end to their goals whatever they may be, then there needs to be a few factors involved:

1. Democratic Process - wasting valuable meeting time with "Who is too radical", and "Who will get us bad press" just so you can purge undesirables is bullshit. It demoralizes people and those who have no idea of the past histories of one radical group vs. the moderates will confuse and run of the fresh faces.

2. Ok, so you want a Civilian Review Board. Cool, but we can chew gum and walk at the same time; let's look at all of our options from CBRs to jailing cops and raising consciousness in the community regarding the one-sidedness of the law regarding police murders. There should be something for everyone in movements like these.

3. We Autonomists talk about the vanguardist left and the shit they do in grassroots movements. Yes, but what about the 'cult of personalty' leadership that always assumes leadership among the grassroots? We need to give ourselves the confidence it takes to to rise up and take ownership of causes without waiting for the usual suspects to come and save us. These are people who have in some ways become "brand names" and if they see themselves as products with brand names, then they will do what ever it takes to protect their names - that means no direct conflict with the state by demanding the powers to jail their protectors the cops. It's best quell the anger and creativity of a community than to fight the impossible fight.

But the fight is not impossible if we really put forth consciousness-raising efforts to get people to understand who the police really are and why they don't get jailed. If we do this, then people will understand what they are up against and there is no telling where they will be willing to go to get justice. It may seem to be an open-ended solution, but shutting them down and making them chase carrots is not a good alternative.

Tasered to Death: Reason - Excited Delirium.

Now the reason why black folks (and other folks, usually poor whites and Latinos) will be killed by police taser is because of Death by Excited Delirium. Hat Tip Over Analyze It




Yes you heard me, as reported NPR : Death by Excited Delirium may just be the greatest new diagnosis or coverup. You see, excited delirium is a controversial diagnosis increasingly used by medical examiners to explain why people die (mostly black) are suddenly in police custody.

Police agencies and police training groups are warning police: "During the restraint process, the subject will often be grunting and making animal-like noises." More HERE

(CBS) You may not find the diagnosis "excited delirium" in a medical dictionary, but it’s popping up more and more around the country, especially when people die right after brawling with the police. More HERE

Get this, The PoliceOne website says, excited delirium (ED) episodes most likely occur between Thursday and Sunday, with Sunday the most common day, Lawrence has found. The hot months, May through September, are the most common time of year. Male subjects in their early 30s are most frequently afflicted, with subjects under 20 or over 50 least likely; female ED subjects are "extremely rare." Of illegal substances potentially involved, cocaine is most common (more than half the cases). Alcohol is common, too. More HERE

Sounds like the time black folks are out having a good time to me.

So, watch out black folks, police department accross america are training about excited delirium, and black folks are the target. Warn your babies, warn your children, black males are warned. Don't forget if you get zapped by 50,0000 or so volts in succession, never grunt or make animal-like noises you will be zapped, again, and again, and again, until you are dead.

Have a safe and un-tased holiday.

Don't forget to visit the blog Tasered While Black

Freedom Technology Changes Balance of Power in Testilying Cases

The police routinely lie to get confessions, to force defendants to accept plea bargains, and to thereby get convictions. But look what happened when a defendant secretly recorded a police interrogation and then sprung that recording on a police officer in court:

NEW YORK - A teenage suspect who secretly recorded his interrogation on an MP3 player has landed a veteran detective in the middle of perjury charges, authorities said Thursday.

Unaware of the recording, Detective Christopher Perino testified in April that the suspect "wasn't questioned" about a shooting in the Bronx, a criminal complaint said. But then the defense confronted the detective with a transcript it said proved he had spent more than an hour unsuccessfully trying to persuade Erik Crespo to confess — at times with vulgar tactics.

Once the transcript was revealed in court, prosecutors asked for a recess, defense attorney Mark DeMarco said. The detective was pulled from the witness stand and advised to get a lawyer. Yahoo New

This shows the importance of the AfroSpear's Freedom Technology Christmas campaign, because if the defendant hadn't had an MP3 player to record the police interrogation, that officer's word might have been accepted as fact. Instead, the officer could be looking at some jail time.

Wichita Police Taser deaf man who could not hear verbal commands

Wichita NAACP Holding Wichita Police Department Accountable

WPD Officer uses a Taser gun on a deaf man who could not hear verbal commands

On November 20th, a man by the name of Donnell Williams, 39, was at home alone . Mr. Williams is hearing impaired, has a glass eye, and walks with a slight limp. He was taking a shower when 4 officers responding to a call of 'shots fired' knocked on his door. Mr. Williams did not (and could not) hear them and he continued to shower.

When he exited the shower, he walked into his living room, dressed only in a towel to find 4 Wichita Police Officers, one of which was carrying a bullet proof shield. Mr. Williams saw the officers gesturing to him, but could not hear what they were saying so he motioned towards his hearing aid which was sitting on his dining room table.

When Mr. Williams turned to get his hearing aid from the table, he was shot with a taser gun by one of the officers. (remember; he was wearing only a towel, and motioning towards his hearing aid which was sitting on the table) more HERE and HERE - Hearing Impaired Man Tased by Police more HERE

These types of activities are being tracked on the blog Tasered While Black

Off-Duty Officer Pleads Not Guilty in Bronx Shooting

Off-Duty Officer Pleads Not Guilty in Bronx Shooting

Text: Indictment (pdf)

Tasered Black Women Driver - Thanksgiving Day

Another Torture Victim
Tasered Black Women Driver - Thanksgiving Day

Why are black women and men being tortured throughout America and no one is saying anything? Not our congressional leadership, not one black mayor has called for an investigation for why black folk are be tortured and being "Tasered why Black." Hat Tip: AJ at the blog
over analyze it

Check out this new incident provided by statesman.com It shows an assault and torture of what sounds like a black women, because the black women did not give her registration and insurance information quick enough. See the dashboard police camera showing incident. Also check out what the women says.








Keep in mind Cpl. Thomas O'Connor begins yelling at this man 16 secs in and asks him to step out 27 seconds in.

(O'Connor's explanation) http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/statesman/pdf/09/0930video_af...
(3 day suspension document) http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/opm/downloads/TempSus_OConno...
(Other video) http://www.statesman.com/news/mplayer/other/32386

More HERE

Abuse of police power?

have you ever been concerned that America will ever become a police state? Is police violence in America only directed at blacks and the poor? Check out this video and then answer the questions for yourself.

Pregnant, Children, Autistic, Blacks are Tasered

In the US, any Black man, woman or child can be tasered at anytime, for any reason or for no reason. Pregnant, child, autistic, son of police official . . .

Taser use by police drew national attention this week after video surfaced on the Internet of police shocking a university student in Florida who persistently questioned Sen. John Kerry during a forum and refused to yield the microphone to others. The incident generated a fierce debate about free speech, use of force and the motives of the student, a known prankster. [The police always have an "excuse," don't they?]

University of Florida President Bernie Machen said the use of the Taser, with the student yelling, "Don't Tase me, bro!" was "regretful." He requested a state probe of campus police actions and placed two officers on leave.

In Ohio, another police officer was on administrative leave Thursday after video taken from his cruiser showed him jolting a woman with a Taser gun at least twice after she was handcuffed, police and city administrators said. Fox News

Black Man Tased While Black - Now Dead in Jacksonville, FL

Was this man Killed because he was addicted to drugs? Was this his crime?




African American Political Pundit says: The Congressional Black Caucus is sleeping at the wheel. There needs to be Congressional Hearings on why black women and men are being killed on the streets of America in High Tech lynchings. Black Folks are being "Tasered While Black"

Another High Tech Lynching of a Black man
Video: Cocaine, Pot, Alcohol In System Of Man Who Died After Taser Gun Shock,

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The driver who died on Tuesday after police used a Taser gun on him during efforts to take him into custody had an arrest history 14 pages long and the passenger told investigators that the two had used cocaine and marijuana and been drinking alcohol in the hours before the incident, police said on Wednesday.Police have identified the man who died as 35-year-old Conrad Lowman. He was the second man in three days to die after being shocked by a Taser gun during an altercation with a Jacksonville officer.Officers responding to a report of a hit-and-run crash in the 200 block of East 5th Street at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday found Lowman fighting with the man who turned out to be his passenger, Abdul Taylor. Mote HERE

Black Woman - Tasered While Black - holding her child and pregnant

Hat Tip: Villager at Electronic Village for breaking this story to the afrospear.
Cross posted on the new blog: Tasered While Black

November 29, 2007 TROTWOOD, Ohio -- The FBI is investigating after a Trotwood police officer used a Taser on a pregnant woman. Trotwood Public Safety Director Michael Etter said the incident happened on Nov. 18. He said the woman arrived at the police department asking to give up custody of her 1-year-old son. Etter said an officer spoke with the woman as she held onto the child outside the police department. "(He) attempted to obtain information on both the mother and the child, at which time the mother refused to give any information and became very agitated," Etter said. Surveillance video from the police department shows the woman trying to leave with the child. The officer then grabs her coat in an effort to get her to stop.

Etter said the officer was doing what he thought was in the best interest of the boy.
The video shows the woman struggling with the officer, who then takes the child from her and gives the boy to another officer. The first officer then forces the woman down on her stomach, and he then uses a Taser on her neck. Etter said the officer did not know the woman was pregnant.

"She did not disclose, even after she was arrested, that she was pregnant," Etter said. He said the woman was wearing a large winter coat and had her child on her lap when she was talking to the officer. Etter said the department is cooperating with the FBI investigation, and there is also an ongoing internal investigation to see if the use of force was warranted for the situation.

Etter said the officer involved is still on duty. Trotwood's policy on use of force states that officers should "greatly evaluate each situation with discretion when anticipating the deployment of the Taser on young children, elderly persons and pregnant females."

The woman involved in the case declined to make a statement, saying only that she feels "unjustly served," the television station reported. Officers said the 1-year-old boy was put into the custody of a family member after the incident.

Yes, Electronic Village, The Villagers are more than outraged about this story!

You have lead us to create the new blog: Tasered While Black
We plan to link to the Police Brutality Blog whenever we uncover a taser incident involving a black person.

The Killing of Deaunta Farrow

West Memphis Policeman shot and killed 12-year-old Deaunta Farrow.

The victim, DeAunta Farrow, graduated from the sixth grade at Maddux Elementary School .



DeAunta Farrow was killed June 22, 2007 when he was shot by West Memphis Police Officer Erik Sammis. Arkansas investigators have ruled that there is not enough evidence to prosecute Sammis for the shooting.

UPDATE: Special prosecutors, assigned to investigate the shooting of 12-year-old DeAunta Farrow, made their entire case public More HERE

Farrow's attorney, Javier Bailey and representatives for NAN said they were disappointed in the outcome of the investigation.

Sammis told investigators he believed DeAunta was holding a gun the night he was killed. The investigation revealed the gun found near the shooting scene was a toy.

Farrow's family says they do not believe DeAunta was holding a toy gun. They say they believe the toy was planted. Deborah Farrow says she did not see the toy gun until after the state's investigation was complete.

Farrow also said the gun is a replica of those used by the West Memphis Police Department.

Related Links

• Farrow's Attorneys React to State Police Report
• Farrow Case: No Prosecution for Officer

Slideshow

Deborah Farrow, mother of slain DeAunta Farrow, says she is disappointed in the outcome of the AR State Police's investigation.

Farrow also believes race played a role in the outcome of the investigation. She feels if the situation were reversed, with a black officer shooting a white child, she believes there would have been no investigation. She said the officer would have been arrested, not just relieved of duty with pay as Sammis was. Farrow questions why Sammis was able to continue to receive pay during the investigation.

The father of Unseld Nance also spoke during the news conference. Unseld Nance, Jr. was with DeAunta the night of the shooting. Nance, Sr. says he did not know where his son was until after police began questioning him. He feels police forced his son to answer questions in the manner in which he did.

Farrow's attorney and the NAN say they plan to fight the state's decision and also say a major announcement will be made Monday, November 26. Details of the announcement have not been released, but representatives say it is in regards to their investigation.

AAPP says: If this is a cover-up, which is the case many times with these types of shootings of black kids in urban communities, then these officers need to be prosecuted. It looks like a good ol' boy, it was only a black, red-neck cover-up to me.

If this is a case of a kid carrying a play gun, well, all parents Black parents need to teach their kids not to walk the streets with play guns or any type of gun in their hands, waist, or on themselves at all, the fact of the matter is they take their lives and place it into the hands of a cop, and they could be killed. More from my eye witness news.com

And Another One

Another unarmed black man was shot to death by police who "thought he was holding a gun." Kiehl Coppin was only 18.

A young man was fatally shot last night in a hail of 20 bullets fired by five police officers who responded to his mother’s 911 call for help in a domestic dispute in Brooklyn, the authorities said.

The police said they believed that the man, Khiel Coppin, 18, had a gun. But when the gunfire stopped, it turned out that he had been holding a hairbrush.

Officers went into the building at 590 Gates Avenue, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, about 7 p.m. The police said they were responding to a 911 call from the mother reporting domestic abuse and asking for help to “deal with this,” and that on the call a man was overheard threatening to kill her and claiming “I have a gun.”

[...]

Two bystanders who said they saw the shooting said that Mr. Coppin was not armed, but was carrying a hairbrush when he climbed out the window and that he dropped it when the firing began. The two witnesses also said they both heard one officer yelling for the shooting to stop.

According to the police, another witness described Mr. Coppin as concealing the hairbrush under his shirt, pointing it outward.

I can't believe that quote made it into the article. Could you try any harder to give the police a pass? He had dropped the hairbrush by the time the shooting started, so why would it matter if he was "concealing it"? And what exactly does that mean, anyway?

Gotta remember to leave my wallet and hairbrush at home when I go out.

Mr. Sanchez said that just before the shooting, he went outside and saw several officers there with guns drawn. Mr. Coppin approached the window, backed away, then returned and stood on the sill, Mr. Sanchez said. When an officer told him to get down, he jumped to the ground and started to go through a gate in the fence in front of the building, Mr. Sanchez said.

An officer told Mr. Coppin to put up his hands, and when he did he dropped the hairbrush and the shooting began, although one officer called out to stop the gunfire, Mr. Sanchez said.

Officers started chasing Mr. Sanchez and knocked him to the ground after, he said, he protested: “Why you got to shoot him like that, for nothing?”

A similar description of the shooting was given by Precious Blood, 16, who said she heard about 10 shots fired, most if not all by one officer. Another officer called out: “Stop, stop, stop shooting — he’s down,” she said, but the shooter kept firing, “like he was playing with a toy.”

The law enforcement official gave a different version of the encounter, saying that Mr. Coppin charged toward the officers and refused repeated orders to stop. The police said they were also exploring the possibility that Mr. Coppin was trying to prompt a shooting, a phenomenon known as “suicide by cop.”

"He wanted us to shoot him 20 times while he was unarmed."

Better hope that holds up in court.

BRUTALIZED BLACK JOUNALISTS GO TO COURT IN CANADA NOVEMBER 21

LEGAL FUNDRAISING CALL FOR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN PHOTOJOURNALIST
BEATEN BY TORONTO POLICE

November 2007- On the heels of autrocities like the Jena 6, African
American journalists Tonye Allen and Ann Brown are still in a struggle
for their freedom after being victimized by police in Toronto, Canada
over a year ago! With a looming court date of November 21, the couple
is enlisting the public's help for legal fees.
_____________________________________________________________

It has been a year since African American journalists, Tonye Allen and
Ann Brown hailed that cab last year on October 16, 2007 in Toronto,
Canada. Blatant victims of racial profiling and police brutality,
the couple has struggled since then to share their story, gain public
support, and raise funds in their bid for freedom in a foreign land.
Their case finally goes to trial on November 21, 2007.

On that fateful day, police from Toronto Division 51 detained the two
without explanation. When the couple asked questions, the police
turned violent, beating up and arresting photojournalist Tonye Allen,
while assaulting journalist Ann Brown.

Allen was eventually charged with assault and resisting arrest. The
couple had hoped by now the charges would have been dropped. The
journalists, whose combined writing and photography credits include
Essence, Black Enterprise, VIBE and Rolling Stone to name a few, have
been trapped in Toronto legal system ever since, fighting for justice
while trying to maintain their daily livelihood. Both are
professionals with no prior criminal records.

The Crown, ( the city of Toronto's office of prosecution ) has filed
formal charges and is pursuing a case against Allen; two counts for
resisting arrest and two counts for assaulting a police officer.
Allen still does not know what he was initially being arrested for,
and maintains he never fought back. Photos of his brutalization
pretty much corroborate his story.

Allen and Brown are still struggling to raise monies for lawyer fees
and their hotel bill. Their blog, which posts details of their drama,
can be accessed at www.TonyeAllenandAnnBrown.blogspot.com . To sign a
petition in their support go to

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/946246942

And finally, financial support can be forwarded to www.Paypal.com ,
Account: brownannl@gmail.com .

Their lawyer, Jason Bogle can be reached at http://www.bogleslawoffice.com .

"In recent months, the public's awareness of racial injustice has been
heightened," expresses Brown. "The plight of the Jena 6 has shown
what can happen in our own United States. It's sad to realize the
conditions we as a people are being subjected to on an international
level. Public support and outcry is our most potent weapon. We thank
the media for bringing attention to our plight and humbly ask the
public for continued support."

Jazzmyne Public Relations
email: makeda@jazzmynepr.com
phone: 661-718-8843

Genarlow Wilson: Teens Don't Know About "Statutory Rape" Laws

By SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press Writer

The tough Georgia law that sent Genarlow Wilson to prison for having oral sex with a fellow teenager has been watered down. But in Georgia — and in many other states — it's still a crime for teenagers to have sex, even if they're close in age.

Legal experts say it's rare for prosecutors to seek charges. But, as the Wilson case illustrates, they can and sometimes do.

And the rising popularity of sex offender registries can often mean that a teen nabbed for nonviolent contact with someone a year or two younger might face the same public stigma as a dangerous sexual predator.

"It's ludicrous," Wilson's lawyer B.J. Bernstein said. "In order to look tough on crime they (lawmakers) are criminalizing teen sex." ( . . . )

Wilson was freed Friday after the Georgia Supreme Court found that the 10-year mandatory sentence he received for having oral sex with a 15-year-old girl at a New Year's Eve party in 2003 when he was 17 was cruel and unusual punishment. He had served almost three years in prison.

Wilson said in an interview Monday that he hopes to use his newfound celebrity to raise awareness among high school and college students. He said sex education classes are lacking.

"Most of the time they just tell kids, 'Use condoms,'" Wilson told The Associated Press

"That's not the only thing they need to know about sex. They need to know that they can actually go to jail."

Wilson will appear on behalf of an organization set up by his lawyer to help teens learn their rights. ( . . . )

Yahoo News

Black Hip Hop Photographer Brutalized by Police in Toronto, Canada

By the Francis L. Holland Blog.

Tonye Allen after what he says was
an unprovoked beating by Toronto Police.
Sometimes, it seems that Black people can never accomplish enough professionally to be consistently treated like human beings by white police authorities. In an e-mail I received today and at their blog, Tonye Allen and Ann Brown (who writes for Black Enterprise) recount what happened when they finished a photo shoot in Toronto and checked out of their hotel:

October 16, 2006, at approximately 1:40 pm after checking out of the Econolodge Hotel (335 Jarvis Street) and while in the process of hailing a taxi, Black Americans Tonye Allen and his fiancee, Ann Brown, were assaulted by several Downtown Toronto policemen from the 51st Division. Mr. Allen, who did not resist, was beaten and pepper sprayed several times while handcuffed and in police custody. Ms. Brown was choked, shoved, and threatened with arrest as well. Tonye Allen and Ann Brown Blog

Reporting on this incident, the ThugLifeArmy.Com site says,

Mr. Tonye Allen is an African American hip hop photographer whose work has appeared in many hip hop related publications as L.A. Weekly, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, Vibe Magazine, and The Source among other. An avid traveler, he has never experienced anything like his current incident. In his 45 years, he has never once been arrested but his recent visit to Toronto, Canada, with his fiancée, Ann Brown, has shed light again in the hip hop community on the police brutality which, according to the numbers, is becoming rampant in Toronto; and now American tourists seem to also be at risk as in the case of African American hip hop photographer Mr. Tonye Allen. ThugLifeArmy.Com

The couple's press release says:

Mr. Allen was never told why he was being detained. The arresting police refused to tell Ms. Brown where they were taking Mr. Allen. After locating the correct police station, Ms. Brown spoke with a "Det. Moyer," who said he "hadn't decided" what he was going to charge Mr. Allen with. Ultimately, Mr. Allen was charged with assault of two police and resisting arrest, times two.

After Ms. Brown posted cash bail of $1,000, Mr. Allen's passport was taken by "Det. Matthew Moyer."

Mr. Allen was unarmed. He had never been arrested. He had no criminal history. He has no history of drug/alcohol abuse or psychiatric problems. Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown are seeking publicity and legal references to help fight these false charges.

They are circulating an online petition in the hopes that charges will be dropped against Mr. Allen and other Blacks won't suffer the same abuses.

Mr. Allen is a photojournalist who works professionally under the name "TRILOBITE." His work has appeared in: Essence, Vibe, The Village Voice, Rolling Stone, LA Weekly, The Source Magazine, and on the TV show "Unsolved Mysteries." He has worked for Sony Music, PolyGram Records, Def Jam Records, and Interscope Records, among others. Ms. Brown is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Essence, Black Enterprise, Upscale Magazine, The Source , and various other publications.

Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown were in Toronto on their way to South Africa.

Sgt. Jim Cassells, a Toronto Police officer who served on a special city task force investigation police abuses, said abuse of members of the public is all too common in Toronto:

Cassells said he has watched police supervisors turn a blind eye to many cases involving officers. Known for being outspoken, Cassells has had the tough job of investigating other officers and said he felt it was time to speak out even though he knows he risks losing his job.

He said he has seen "numerous cases minimized, for simple terms swept under the carpet," and "complaints against police not being processed" and "allegations of assault not being investigated fully." CBC News

Racial profiling in the city has also become a very serious problem, according to recent studies by the University of Toronto.

The first-ever study of so-called racial profiling in Canada is raising questions about police bias across the country. Conducted by the police force in Kingston, Ont., the study found that black motorists or pedestrians were 3.5 times more likely to be stopped and questioned while aboriginals were 1.4 times more likely to be stopped. Asians and Hispanics, meanwhile, were less likely to be approached. University of Toronto News

In a press release, Ann Brown says,

Tonye Allen and his fiancée, Ann Brown, had just checked out of the hotel, were at the curb attempting to hail a cab. While in the process, a police car from the 51 st Division pulled over at started asking questions of the two. When they answered, the officer said he didn't like their attitude, especially after they sought to find out why they were being questioned.

Enraged the officer, jumped out of the car, grabbed Mr. Allen and called for backup. When backup came, there was no questioning. They immediately all descended upon Mr. Allen pepper sprayed him, knocked him to the floor, hit and kicked him. Someone on the street was videotaping the incident as onlookers were appalled.
The person videotaping was told he too would be arrested.

They also told Ms. Brown she was going to be arrested for disturbing the peace when she sought to see what was happening to Mr. Allen and when she went to seek help from bystanders. She was pushed, grabbed by the throat and also subdued by another police officer. The police refused to tell her or Mr. Allen the arrest charges. They refused to tell Ms. Brown their names or badge numbers. They refused to tell Ms. Brown what division they were taking Mr. Allen to. One of the witnesses on the street told her what division the police were from.

After arriving at the police station Ms. Brown spoke with a Det. Moyer who informed her: "We get all kinds of crap from the public everyday and we don't have to take it," he told her. When she said they within their rights to question the officer as to his reason for singling them out, and that we were in a free country, Det. Moyer said, "This ( Canada) is not a free country."

Mr. Allen and Ms. Brown are both African American. According to a former officer, the problem of police brutality has gotten worse in Toronto. Sgt. Jim Cassells told CBC News. "police brass have covered up, refused to investigate or buried cases of alleged police brutality, public complaints and internal corruption for years." Tonye Allen and Ann Brown Blog

Ann Brown says,

I wholeheartedly believe we were victims of racial profiling and Mr. Allen was a victim of Toronto Police brutality. We were in front of a hotel, with several large bags as well as our pet in a pet travel bag. We were not suspicious. There was no other reason to question us other than we were black.

Please sign the Tonye Allen/Ann Brown online petition

DC Kid Shot in Head - By OFF DUTY DC COP

DC Kid Shot in Head - By OFF DUTY DC COP, by AAPP

Off-Duty D.C. Officer Fatally Shoots Youth

Why are our babies dying like this? Sounds like a cover-up coming.

Check out what the "black mayor" of DC says to the mother.

"We'll do a full investigation," Fenty said. "If I wanted to sweep this under the rug, I wouldn't be here. I would have stayed downtown."

AAPP: Thanks you Mr. Mayor for your heart felt concern, you are such a great communicator.

The 14-year-old youth shot last night by an off-duty D.C. police officer in Southeast Washington has been identified

Teen Killed After Firing at Police Officers

Videos

The 14-year-old youth shot last night by an off-duty D.C. police officer in Southeast Washington has been identified as Deonté Rawlings.

The officer shot the youth while searching for a minibike that he believed had been stolen from his home, D.C. Police chief Cathy L. Lanier said. She would not identify the officer.

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) went from a morning news conference with Lanier to the Rawlings home in the 3900 block of Cole Boulevard SE, where more than a dozen distraught family members confronted him with angry questions.

"Why do you train police officers to shoot him in the brain?" the youth's father, Charles Rawlings asked.

Carolyn Rawlings, 51, a cousin of Charles Rawlings, said the family doesn't believe that the youth shot at the officer. "If there was a gun, the police would have it by now," she said.

"We'll do a full investigation," Fenty said. "If I wanted to sweep this under the rug, I wouldn't be here. I would have stayed downtown."

Charles Rawlings said his son had transferred just this week from Hart Middle School to Ballou Senior High School. The elder Rawlings, who runs his own cleaning service, said he relied on his son to fill out papers and documents for him. He was the smart one in the family, he said. He also said his son mowed neighbors' lawns. More HERE

By AAPP

Son of Retired NY Police Lieutenant Tasered Four Times

17-year old Alex Lombard, III still has burn marks from the stun gun. He was stun-gunned four (4) times in one incident. His father, a retired police Lieutenant from the same New York City Police force, said, "I was just hurt by what happened, to think that members of the service, of the police department I worked on, could do this to my son."

When you're a Black man in the United States, you and your family are NEVER safe, no matter who you are, how much education you, who you work for, and no matter how many years of contributions you may have made t

CBS New says, "These pictures speak for themselves."

Why Do Blacks Riot, You Ask?

This video is infuriating. As the first post at this blog, I posted this video with a transcript of the voice over. The white police officer insists (incorrectly) that he has been short-changed at Wendy's, and then he maces and arrests a 17-year old Black waitress, even after the restaurant manager has proved to the police officer that he has received correct change.

Now, read how this injustice was "resolved."

"Judge Upholds Rehiring of Cop Who Sprayed Girl"
DAYTON, Ohio — A judge has upheld the reinstatement of a policeman fired after using pepper spray on a worker at a fast-food restaurant.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Froelich ruled Monday that the city is bound by an arbitrator's order to rehire policeman Michael McDonald.

City officials are considering whether to pursue the case, spokesman Tom Biedenharn said Tuesday.

Officer McDonald used pepper spray on Brandy Martin, then 17, while arresting her in February 1998. He said she refused to go with him to his cruiser and receive a summons after he accused her of shortchanging him at the drive-through window.

Officer McDonald, 35, was found not guilty of misdemeanor assault in June 1998. But Police Chief Ronald Lowe fired him a few weeks later, saying OfficerMcDonald's actions were callous and brutal. Tristate Digest

American Justice? Esteban Carpio - Was he railroaded?

Police brutality - Rhode Island Style

Trooper testifies he punched murder suspect Carpio

PROVIDENCE -- A white plastic mask obscuring his severely bruised face, Esteban Carpio, the man accused of fatally shooting a Providence detective inside police headquarters early Sunday, was arraigned yesterday on murder charges and ordered held without bail.

Carpio, 26, was charged in Providence District Court with killing Detective James L. Allen with the officer's gun around 12 a.m. Sunday as the veteran officer questioned him about the stabbing of an 84-year-old woman.

Assistant Attorney General Paul Daly said in court that Carpio grabbed Allen's pistol in a third-story interview room, shot him twice, blew out a window with another gunshot, and jumped 60 feet to a grassy mound. He was captured after what police described as a violent struggle several blocks away, about 45 minutes later.

Carpio's relatives gasped when court officers led in the shackled man, his eyes red, swollen slits.

''Oh, my God, look what they did to him," one of Carpio's relatives wailed, adding a vulgarity about the police officers.

Carpio's weeping mother, Yvonne Carpio, a teacher at Hennigan Elementary School in Jamaica Plain who lives in Roslindale, shouted, ''Steve, tell him not guilty," referring to Chief District Court Judge Albert E. DeRobbio. Esteban Carpio is called Steve by his family.

Court officers quickly grabbed several of the relatives by the arms, including Carpio's mother, and led them out of the courtroom as family members accused police of brutality. Carpio could be heard saying, ''I love you, Mom," but his words were muffled by the mask, which court officials said was a ''spit shield" intended to protect others from blood and other fluids.

The back wall of the crowded courtroom was lined with police officers, including several detectives who glared at Carpio, a tattoo of a dragon on his left wrist.

Outside the courtroom, Carpio's uncle, Edward Thimas, expressed sorrow over the slaying of Allen, a 27-year veteran of the department. But Thimas said he was disgusted by the physical condition of his nephew. ''He's obviously been beaten very badly," Thimas said. He added that the family had tried repeatedly in recent days to get psychiatric care for Carpio, to no avail. Court documents said Carpio was a barber.

During a midafternoon news conference at police headquarters, Providence Police Chief Dean M. Esserman said Carpio was injured jumping out the window and in the struggle with law enforcement, near the AS220 art space downtown. Two State Police troopers, an FBI agent, and a Providence officer were the first to apprehend Carpio, and more police responded.

''When I saw him, he was pretty cut up," said Esserman, who said he saw Carpio soon after his arrest. Esserman said he had no evidence that officers used excessive force, although he promised to review the matter after Allen's funeral, slated for Thursday. More HERE

Hat tip to Sarhya for the link to the above video.

Esteban Carpio, has been convicted of the murder of Providence Police Detective Sgt. James Allen on April 17, 2006 and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Carpio was being questioned by the Providence Police for the stabbing of an 85 year old woman. One of the detectives left the third floor interview room, leaving him alone with Allen. Carpio then took Allen's gun away and proceeded to shoot Allen twice, killing him. He then shot out and jumped from the window, but was apprehended 45 minutes later. Carpio was thought to have been physically abused by police after his capture, due to the obvious signs of trauma to his face. An investigation into the matter concluded that Carpio was not abused and that the damages to his face were likely caused by his landing from his jump from the third story window. His trial began June 8th, 2006.

On June 27, 2006, a jury found Esteban Carpio guilty of the murder of Detective Sgt. James L. Allen and the stabbing of Madeline Gatta. The jury rejected Carpio's insanity defense, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Ft. Lauderdale Justice?

Fort Lauderdale Police Shot Unarmed 15 Year Old in the Back

(CBS4 [HERE]) FORT LAUDERDALE The family of a teen that was shot during a struggle with a police officer is pondering whether or not to file a lawsuit against the Fort Lauderdale Police Department.

The family has hired the law firm of Searcy Denney Scarola Barnhart & Shipley to investigate the actions of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Lawyers held a news conference on Tuesday to discuss a significant case that they are investigating on behalf of Dwuan Crooms and his family.

The 15-year-old boy, who remains in critical condition at the Broward General Medical Center, was shot during a struggle with a Fort Lauderdale police officer Jason Hersh late Friday night following a two county car chase. More HERE from BrownWatch