Taser Protests in Chicago Seek Justice in Death of Darrin Hanna

I don't know if Darrin Hanna was a good man or not. The police were called to his home in November 2011 for a domestic violence complaint. There is never a good reason to lay your hands on a woman. Period.

That being said, I'm uncertain when there is a good time for police officers to beat an unarmed man ... then electrocute him with 50,000 volts of electricity up to 11 times with their taser guns ... then lie about the whole thing in their police report. It is the inability of the community in Chicago to see any justice in this taser-killing that is causing the current uproar. Thousands of people marched in the streets of Chicago this past weekend. They simply want to see some justice ... which means some consequences for the police officers that killed Mr. Hanna.

Here is a video that provides some of the details in this case of police brutality against Darrin Hanna. You be the judge:



Something is wrong in this country when police feel that it is OK to kill a suspect without taking him to trial ... and feel free to lie about it on their police reports about the incident ... and there are few, if any, consequences. How do call ourselves a nation of laws if the police are allowed to flaunt them as clearly as they've done in this case?

NAACP Leads Fight Against Voter Suppression Tactics

My favorite era in American history was known as 'Reconstruction'. This was the era after the end of slavery when our nation had more African Americans in congress, Senate, state legislatures and statehouses than any other time in our nation's history. Of course, the white power structure couldn't stand to see people of color doing so well in politics ... so they began to find ways to 'block the vote'. Poll taxes. Counting jellybeans in a jar. White sheets and hoods. The era of 'Jim Crow' came into fruition and Blacks were driven out of congress, Senate, state legislatures and state houses.

Fast forward to 2008. The first election of an African American to the presidency. An unprecedented number of Black and Latino voters. The white power structure couldn't stand to see people of color doing so well in politics ... so they again began to seek out ways to 'block the vote'. Several states have passed laws requiring voters to present specific types of photo identification and proof of citizenship to vote; creating new rules for voter registration drives; reducing early voting days and voter registration periods; and further preventing ex-felons from voting. 'James Crow, Esquire' hopes to drive President Obama out of the White House.

There are 14 states who have passed such laws this year: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

These are some the findings documented by the NAACP in their recently-released report: 'Defending Democracy'.

NAACP: Defending Democracy Report

View more documents from Wayne Hicks

The NAACP collected this information about early voting advocacy by Black churches in Florida, hoping to convince the Justice Department to strike down a slew of new state voting laws it claims are intended to thwart growing minority participation at the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election.

NAACP President Ben Jealous said the NAACP wants to diligently document how the laws affect African Americans and Latinos, and provide the attorney general ample evidence for finding the laws unconstitutional.

"In some ways, these tactics are not Jim Crow. They do not feature Night Riders and sheets … This is in fact, James Crow, Esq.,” said the Rev. William Barber, NAACP North Carolina president and a pastor. ”...Jim Crow used blunt tools. James Crow, Esq. uses surgical tools, consultants, high paid consultants and lawyers to cut out the heart of Black political power."

For example, a law passed in Florida reduced its early voting period from 14 to 8 days, including the last Sunday before Election Day.

In 2008, 54 percent of Black voters in Florida cast their ballots early, and Blacks comprised 32 percent of the entire statewide turnout on the last Sunday before the election, said Ryan Haygood, director of political participation for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

"It’s widely known in Florida that Black churches would organize what they called ‘Get Your Souls to the Polls’ where they urged their members, after fulfilling their spiritual duties on Sundays to discharge their civic ones by voting," Haygood said.

Florida’s Black and Latino populations grew during the past decade, inching it closer to being a majority-minority state.

Supporters of the new laws, including at least one group funded by the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, have said the new laws are designed to prevent voter fraud. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, said voter ID laws have wide support, including in the Black community.

“It’s hard for me to believe a serious group like the NAACP would come out to say there’s some grand conspiracy to deny people the right to vote,” von Spakovsky said.

Actually, the only person in the Black community that I know who is supporting these 'voter suppression' efforts is Artur Davis. Anyhow, the NAACP has planned a protest march and rally that will start at the Koch brothers’ offices in New York on Saturday. This blog encourages all 'villagers' in the New York area to participate in this protest march.





We also encourage all 'villagers' to sign the online 'Stand for Freedom' pledge.

Show Solidarity with Wisconsin; Rally in All 50 States on Saturday, February 26

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered in Wisconsin and Ohio over the past week to protest over attacks being made on the American Dream. The call is being made for concerned citizens in all 50 states to join the protests on Saturday, February 26 @ noon in front of your state's capital building.

Many villagers will recall that the Republicans won the mid-term elections last November with a battle cry of "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs". Instead of creating much needed jobs, it appears that these right-wing wackos are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich all while cutting funding for education, police, emergency response, and vital human services.

We learned during in November 2010 that elections have consequences. It is time that we wake up and realize that the effort by Wisconsin governor Scott Walker is only the first battle in the right wing’s attempts to destroy the American Dream. We must stop it before it spreads to other states.






Show Solidarity with Wisconsin! Join the Saturday rally to save the American Dream.

Denver Citizens Demand Justice for Taser-Killing of Marvin Booker

I encourage Denver-based villagers to head over to the New Denver Jail to join the West Denver Copwatch, Aurora Copwatch and other concerned community member on Thursday July, 22nd at 6:00pm, for a rally and vigil to demand justice for the brutal pre-judicial electrocution of Marvin Booker.

The rally organizers are demanding:

1. Justice for the brutal murder of Marvin Booker
2. Transparency regarding the brutal murder of Marvin Booker
3. Release of any and all relevant information regarding the brutal murder of Marvin Booker
4. Release of any video surveillance regarding the brutal murder of Marvin Booker
5. Punishment for the brutal murderers of Marvin Booker to the fullest extent of the law

If you have questions or wish to discuss further you should contact the West Denver Copwatch folks by email (westdenvercopwatch@riseup.net) or phone (720.878-3658).

March Protests Taser-Murder of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas at San Ysidro Border Crossing

Several dozen people chanting “justicia” marched at the San Ysidro border crossing to protest the death of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, a Mexican citizen who died after being electrocuted with 50,000 volts from the taser gun of unidentified U.S. border agents. Hernández-Rojas, 42, had lived in San Diego since he was 14 and had five American-born children. [SOURCE]

As evening rush-hour commuters streamed past, the protesters gathered at the southbound pedestrian crossing, just yards from where the incident took place.

“We’re touched by the story, the fact that this man was in the United States for so long,” said Donna Havrilak, who drove down from Fallbrook. “He was treated inhumanely.”

The protest was organized by the Raza Rights Coalition and the American Friends Service Committee.

AFSC staffer Christian Ramirez said, "The story of Anastasio is the story of many migrants who have been ripped apart from their families as the result of our failed immigration system. Tragically, this particular incident will end in death."

SCLC Protest Taser-Killing of Derrick Humbert

The powers-that-be in Bradenton want us to believe that 38-year old Derrick Humbert's death was 'accidental'. One moment Humbert is riding his bicycle home from a trip to the neighborhood store. The next moment he is pounced on by two undercover police officers in an unmarked car ... they chase him ... taser him with 50,000 volts of electricity ... and he dies. Where is the accident in this scenario?

That is one of the questions raised by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during their weekend march in downtown Bradenton to protest the Taser death of Humbert and to raise awareness of the Bradenton Police Department's "quality of life" policies.

The chairman of the SCLC Florida chapter, Arthur Rocker, met with Police Chief Michael Radzilowski to discuss Humbert's death.

"The chief of police says it's 'quality of life.' He stops people for small crimes so they don't commit bigger crimes, such as riding a bicycle without lights or walking on the wrong side of the road," Rocker said.

"We talked with him yesterday and asked, 'If a person in one of these communities was wearing a suit, would he be stopped for riding a bicycle or walking?' We believe these things are happening in low income communities and the reason that people walk and ride bicycles is because they have no other way to get around," Rocker said.

More than 60 people took part in the weekend protest march. "We all feel that it was an unfortunate situation but it gives us the opportunity to make some changes," Rocker said.

Rocker would like the Bradenton Police Department to start sensitivity training for its officers. "We must respect people's cultures and allow them the opportunity to understand them more," Rocker said.

The department of Justice is investigating Humbert's death. Rocker said there is no timetable set. "We're not in a hurry. We just want a quality and thorough investigation."

This blog joins with SCLC leadership around the country whenever they stand up to protest taser-related deaths. These deaths are happening on a weekly basis in America. More of us need to stand side-by-side with SCLC.

Family Accuses Roseville Police of Excessive Force in Taser-Killing of Paul Martinez

The family of Paul Martinez publically protested his taser-related death. [VIDEO] Martinez's family held a protest outside the jail Sunday, holding signs accusing police officers of using excessive force against a man who was disabled in one arm. [SOURCE]

"We want to know, why was my ex-brother-in-law Tasered?" said Alison Watts. "He only has one arm, he's legally crippled, he had an SSI case pending. He was shot a year ago."

Martinez's family acknowledged his drug use and arrests, but said his past shouldn't turn the focus away from his death in police custody.

"He shouldn't have had meth on him, but because he had a drug problem he deserved to die?" Alison said.

Public Rally to Protest Police Response to Taser-Killing of Michael Jacobs

This blog has been reporting on the increased number of taser-related deaths in America since the beginning of the year. One of the men killed was 24-year old Michael Jacobs. Ft. Worth police officer Stephanie A. Phillips shocked Jacobs twice with a Taser — once for 49 seconds and once for five seconds. Phillips told a detective that the first jolt was longer because "she unknowingly kept the Taser trigger engaged." She remains on active duty.

The decision by the police to allow Officer Phillips to remain on duty was the catalyst for over 50 people to march through downtown Fort Worth. The protestors called for police to stop using Tasers and punish Phillips for her involvement in the April death of Michael Jacobs, a mentally ill man. [SOURCE]

Jacobs’ death was ruled a homicide by the Tarrant County medical examiner and will be reviewed by a grand jury.

"I’m really grateful to this big old crowd for speaking on behalf of my son," said Charlotte Jacobs, Michael’s mother.

The protesters walked from the Fort Worth municipal building to the Tarrant County Courthouse carrying U.S. flags and signs, some of which read "Lazy Cops Taser" and "Tasers trample the Constitution."

The death occurred after police responded to a call from Jacobs’ parents that he was being disruptive. Police said the officer used the Taser after Jacobs became combative.

Jacobs’ family has filed a wrongful-death suit. Last month, an attorney for the family said witnesses have disputed claims that he fought with police.

On Oct. 16, Police Chief Jeff Halstead announced that his department had finished its investigation of Jacobs’ death and provided copies of the report to the FBI and Justice Department. He said officers would get more training in how to deal with mentally ill people and in the use of force. Personally, I hope that we hear more from the federal government ... either the Justice Department or congressional hearings.

Rev. Kyev Tatum, president of the Tarrant County chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and organizer of the protest march, said that Tasers inflict cruel and unusual punishment on the community and that their use must stop.

I encourage all bloggers to join the Day of Blogging for Justice: Stop Taser Torture scheduled to take place on December 4, 2009. It's time to break the cycle of taser-related deaths in America!

'Justice for Jamaal' is Rally Cry for Protest March on La Marque City Hall

Jamaal Valentine died Sunday night when three La Marque police officers tried to arrest him after people reporting him walking down the middle of main street and rolling in the grass on the side of the road. One of those eye witnesses said that he called police asking for medical help for Valentine who claimed he thought he was having a heart attack. The police used tasers on Valentine instead of getting him medical help.

Valentine, 27-year old father of two toddlers, died.

The good people of La Marque peacefully marched on city hall to protest this taser-related death. About 60 police brutality and anti-taser protesters spoke out against taser torture. These protestors, fearing a tainted investigation by the local district attorney's office, want the investigation conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.

La Marque Mayor Geraldine Sam and Councilman Keith Bell addressed the crowd at city hall asking for patience and support of police officers during the ongoing investigation. Mayor Sam was sworn in last week as the first woman and first African American to be mayor of La Marque TX. Her leadership is being tested early!

I encourage the La Marque protestors to join with the AfroSpear in urging for congressional hearings on the rising number of taser-related deaths in America. Do any of us feel that Jamaal Valentine will be the last one?

Family of Robert Mitchell Call for End to Taser Torture

Robert Mitchell is the teenager killed by taser fire from Warren (MI) police officers. The powers-that-be have yet to provide clear answers or accountability for his untimely death. More than 100 family members, friends and anti-brutality advocates assembled yesterday for a peaceful march they hope will change taser torture policies in the local police department.

"Robert Mitchell is going to be the catalyst for peace. He didn't die for nothing," Sandra Hines of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality told the crowd. "It's so important to bridge together between Warren and Detroit. We want peace."

The protestors also called for the termination of Warren police officers who chased Robert Mitchell into an abandoned house in Detroit on April 10 after he fled police during a traffic stop.




You can read more here and here.

Enough Is Enough Protest of BET Honors Award

Drumbeats from WAOD pointed us to the video clip of the Enough Is Enough protest held outside the BET Honors Award show in Washington DC. We shared information on the protest earlier this month. Take a moment to hear directly from Pastor Delmon Coates on the reason for the protest.

There is power in Coates' words at the end of the video. If the denigrating images about Jews, gays or lesbians were shown on public television it would be called a a hate crime ... however, when denigrating images about Blacks are shown on public television, it is called Entertainment. What's up with that?