www.newsandletters.org
|
|
NEWS & LETTERS, October 2004Police violence targets familyChicago--A South Side neighborhood meeting in support of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) on Sept. 14 was followed by a violent incident at 72nd and Woodlawn, according to Craig T. Carrington, of Loop Legal Services. "Hands Across the Community" was the theme of neighborhood meetings all over Chicago. This was an effort to bring religious leaders, CAPS police and residents together to help the police secure and protect Chicago neighborhoods. Carrington, who supported "Hands Across the Community," said a rock-throwing incident caused the police to victimize his sister Karine and her children, Chrell, 12, Anthony, 15, and Randy, 13. Without making sure they had the actual offenders, police went after neighborhood teens with their billy clubs and handcuffs. Chrell, a 40-pound, 12-year-old girl, was leaving a store when she was arrested. They slammed her against the squad-roll, knocked her down and pulled her along the curb, badly bruising her back and leaving finger bruises on her neck where police were holding her, said Carrington. When her brothers got wind of these doings, they rushed to the scene yelling, "That's my sister!" The police turned on the brothers. Anthony was knocked unconscious with one blow, cuffed and thrown into the car. He woke up at the police station. In the meantime, they sprayed Randy, an asthmatic, with pepper-spray in his face. Enter Karine, the three children's mother. She resisted how the police were treating her children, so they slammed her against their car, yanked her arm all the way back and arrested her. A bystander, Yvette Franklin, had words with the police and in return received racial epithets and was called the "B" word several times. Upon arriving at the station, the police were surprised by a crowd of between 200 and 300 local residents demanding information. At this point, police apologized to Chrell for mistaking her for a boy, but still issued charges against her as a juvenile. But, Carrington said, some of Chrell's charges were transferred to her mother where they carried more weight, she being an adult. Residents got together on Sept. 17 at Park Manor Christian Church to exchange information and try to understand exactly what happened. According to Carrington, many neighbors stood up and expounded on the incident, saying that the police were out of line and were using excessive force on children. How much force do adults carrying side arms need against unarmed children? How could the whole family be disrupted, the mother incarcerated with an injured arm and shoulder, the children brutalized, in such an incident? The case was discussed at a Sept. 30 meeting of Enough is Enough!, a community anti-police brutality organization. At the time of the meeting, all were facing charges. Karine was still in custody. Her children were released after being held overnight. Karine needs $2,500 in bond money. The public defender has tried to get the bond reduced, but no dice. So far, $1,100 has been raised. --January |
|
Home l News & Letters Newspaper l Back issues l News and Letters Committees l Dialogues l Raya Dunayevskaya l Contact us l Search Published by News and Letters Committees |
