Press TV has conducted an interview with Caleb Maupin, International Action Center, New York about the issue of Mayor Michael Bloomberg defending the 'stop and frisk' policy in the United States.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
5 Bronx Men File Lawsuit Against The NYPD Over Discriminatory Mary Jane Arrest Practices Toward Blacks And Hispanic
And they wonder why people love the song “F**k The Police” so much…
Via NYTimes
Bronx Men File Lawsuit Against NYPD For Racist Drug Arrests
One man was walking home with groceries. Another was on a break from his job at a meat market. A third was walking down the street listening to headphones.
That is when the men say police officers confronted them, sometimes violently, searched their clothing and discovered small amounts of Mary Jane, according to a federal civil rights lawsuit that is expected to be filed on Thursday in United States District Court for the Southern District, in Manhattan.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of five Bronx men, contends that New York City police officers routinely stop black and Latino men without cause and then charge them with low-level misdemeanors when their pockets are emptied and small amounts of Mary Jane are found.
In each of the cases, the amount of Mary Juana found on the men would have amounted to little more than noncriminal violations punishable by a fine of up to $100 for first-time offenders. But the lawsuit contends that the charging officers falsely claimed the Mari Jane was in public view, making it a low-level misdemeanor under Section 221.10 of the New York Penal Code, which allows for sentences of up to three months in jail.
Critics of the Police Department say the practice, which they call manufactured misdemeanors, is widespread. The arrests are often the outgrowth of the department’s stop-and-frisk program, which is being challenged in federal court for, among other things, disproportionately targeting black and Hispanic men.
The lawsuit names the city, the department and several officers and supervisors as defendants. It was filed by the Bronx Defenders, which represents low-income defendants, and the law firm of Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady L.L.P. A similar lawsuit filed by the Legal Aid Society is pending in state court in Manhattan.
The Police Department charged more than 50,000 people with Mary Juana misdemeanors in 2011. More than 84 percent were black or Hispanic, a disparity that is even more pronounced in the Bronx.
In an effort to limit these arrests, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has made decriminalizing small amounts of Mary Juana in open view one of his top goals this legislative session. The Legislature failed to act on a similar measure last year, despite support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the police commissioner, Raymond W. Kelly.
Good luck with your lawsuit gentlemen, but we all know damn well that these kind of petty punk-azz arrests keep the court and prison system funded and profitable.
NYC Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly Says “70 to 75 Percent Of People Committing Violent Crimes Are African American”
This is one of those situations where even if you think something, you are not suppose to say it out loud. We will just call this Raymond’s “teachable moment.”
Raymond Kelly Says Blacks Commit 75 Percent Of Violent Crimes
According to NY Daily News
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly credited the controversial stop-and-frisk tactic for helping to push New York’s crime rate to record lows.
In a television interview, New York’s top cop defended his department’s use of the crime fighting tool and blasted critics who say it targets a disproportionate number of blacks and Latinos.
“The stark reality is that crime happens in communities of color,” Kelly told “Nightline” co-anchor Bill Weir Wednesday.
“About 70% to 75% of the people described as committing violent crimes — assault, robbery, shootings, grand larceny — are described as being African-American.
“The percentage of people who are stopped is 53% African-American,” he continued. “So really, African-Americans are being understopped in relation to the percentage of people being described as being the perpetrators of violent crime.”
The commissioner also countered allegations by a Brooklyn teenager that aggressive “proactive policing” like stop-and-frisk creates divisions between communities and police.
“When things like this happen, there’s no trust,” said Kasim Walters, 17, of Flatbush.
“We are trying to save his life,” Kelly responded. “And we are trying to save the life of other young people who are disproportionately victimized.”
The “Nightline” segment also touched on the fatal shooting of Brooklyn teen Kimani Gray by police in March and featured comments by City Councilman Jumaane Williams (D-Brooklyn), a stop-and-frisk critic.
The city Health Department reported this week that gun deaths in the city dropped nearly a third from 2000 to 2011.
Kelly’s comments come during a lengthy federal trial on stop-and-frisk and a day after Mayor Bloomberg hammered his potential successors for criticizing the NYPD tactic.
City Controller John Liu has described stop-and-frisk as racial profiling and called for its end, while other mayoral wanna-bes have said it needs to be reformed.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, two other Democratic contenders, have also been vocal in their support for a bill that would create an inspector general to oversee the NYPD.
The federal class-action lawsuit filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights against stop-and-frisk has entered its seventh week of trial.
The trial is expected to conclude May 16.
Hate to break it to you Raymond, crimes happen in whitey’s part of the neighborhood too.
Despite Battered Condition Of His Face, Police Rule Accidental Asphyxiation As Cause Of Georgia Teen’s Death [Graphic Photo Inside]
Young black men are still dying suspicious deaths in the South.
Via ABC Local News
The family of a Lowndes High School student who died at school tonight is demanding a federal investigation.
Today, investigators officially ruled 17-year old Kendrick Johnson’s death an accident.
That announcement came just an hour before friends, family and civil rights activists marched outside Lowndes High School demanding justice.
The family believes Johnson was murdered. His body was found inside a rolled-up cheerleading mat in the old Lowndes High School gym January 11th. Investigators believe he was in the gym alone, reached into the mat to get something he dropped, and got stuck. Today’s final autopsy report ruled the death an accident as a result of positional asphyxia.
“I’m frustrated that my nephew was supposedly found in a mat, when that doesn’t make sense,” said Johnson’s Aunt, Stacy Roe.
Civil Rights activists with Reverend Al Sharpton’s National Action Network and The United Justice League led the rally, calling for a federal investigation.
“We want an independent investigation, lets just say by an agency with higher credentials than Lowndes County. There’s been a number of what we feel are inconsistencies, are mishandlings, and for that very reason is why we want another set of eyes,” said Atlanta’s National Action Network Chapter President, Marcus Coleman.
The family says they expected the autopsy report would rule the death as an accident. And they plan to keep rallying until federal investigators step in.
“When you have the body that’s been moved, when you have the Coroner’s Office being notified hours later, when you have the misplacement of his clothing, which could be a direct indicator of any evidence needed to move forward,” said Coleman.
Lowndes County Sheriff’s officials say the statements of his body being moved and his clothes being misplaced are untrue. But Coroner Bill Waston has voiced his anger that he wasn’t notified until hours after Johnson’s body was discovered. The Sheriff’s office says the investigation still remains open.
The Johnson Family organized another rally Saturday at Serenity Christian Church in Valdosta at 5:00 p.m. Reverend Al Sharpton is scheduled to speak
* * * * *
According to rumors: It wasn't an accident. He got into a fight with a police officer son. They came back and retaliated and beat the kid. It's all a cover up with the "blue code of silence". The police are clearly hiding the real information and facts.
Getting Locked Up For Drinking an Arizona Ice Tea
Xstrav and Tino Brown were at the ABC Liquor store, in Fayeteville North Carolina, waiting for their friend, Money Mal, to come so they could purchase some liquor. Suddenly, an undercover cop approaches them and demands to see what Xstrav is drinking.
Xstrav shows him that its an Arizona Half and Half Ice Tea. The undercover demands that he hand it to him so that he can read the ingredients. Once Xstrav denies handing over his can, the cop tells him to leave the property for trespassing. Out of nowhere an actual drunken stranger walks up and starts giving "shout outs" while smelling of liquor. He is OBVIOUSLY drunk, but is ignored and allowed to walk away without incident.
The cop then tells Xstrav to put his hands behind his back because he was being arrested for trespassing. This is just a classic case of a cop taking advantage of his power and arresting a black man for not doing things the way HE wanted them.
Xstrav was asked to show him what was in the can. After showing the cop that it was Arizona Tea, that should’ve been it. But, the cop was upset and decided to put any charge on him.
The second video shows the actual cop car showing up and arresting him.
Read more at http://bossip.com/767683/the-joys-of-being-black-man-arrested-for-drinking-arizona-arnold-palmer-video/#j1D1ab5lPQAZp0vL.99
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