Revolution #212, September 26, 2010
September 17, 2010
Statements read at press conference at 6th & Union, Los Angeles:
Justice for Manuel Jaminez Xum (Manuel Jaminez) and Standing with the People of Pico/Union/Westlake in Protest of the Police Killing
- Rev. Richard Meri Ka Ra Byrd, Senior Minister KRST Unity Center Of Afrakan Spiritual Science, Los Angeles; Member October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation.
- Statement from Tomás Olmos, Attorney, past President, Mexican American Bar Foundation* & Dean Emeritus of People's College of Law*
- Frances Olson, UCLA* Law Professor and Feminist Legal Scholar
- Paul Von Blum, UCLA* Lecturer and Attorney-at-Law
- Statement from James Lafferty, Executive Director, Los Angeles Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild
*Organization affiliation for identification purposes only
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Blessings,
Rev. Richard Meri Ka Ra Byrd, Senior Minister KRST Unity Center Of Afrakan Spiritual Science, Los Angeles; Member October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation
I join with you this day to express my outrage over the police execution of Manuel Jaminez and the thousands of other cases of murder, brutalization and criminalization of black and brown people in America, including the so-called war against terrorist being illegally waged by U.S. Forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine; sovereign nations of Africa and even the Drug wars costing Mexico thousands of innocent lives.
The whole world is suffering from the racist and imperialistic European powers since they launched themselves against the indigenous people of Africa and the Americas 500 years ago. It is an ongoing story of destruction unparalleled in human history and each day another page of its horror plays itself out in our lives.
Ours is a call for a true reclamation of our human brotherhood. We must join together in UNITY realizing that we black and brown need each other along with the conscious whites in order to recreate the world on behalf of the people of the world.
The murder of Manuel presents us with another opportunity to recognize that we are the majority in the world and by working together we can take civilization back!
Meri Ka Ra
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Statement from Tomás Olmos, Attorney, past President of Mexican American Bar* Foundation & Dean Emeritus of People's College of Law*
I am proud to add my name to those people of conscience who support the Pico Union community in demanding justice for Manuel Jaminez. The police killing of Manuel Jaminez is an outrage that must be condemned and in this intensifying climate of pushing immigrants more into the shadows and to be silent about the situation they face here, as they are being labeled as "less than human beings" and terrorized. I will never forget that as early immigrants to this country, my family faced the same experience, as we were not welcomed.
If supporting this just cause renders me an "outside agitator," I will proudly wear that badge of honor. Although I am not a resident of the Pico Union community, I have lived in Los Angeles for over 30 years and believe that I have an absolute right, and moral obligation, to support my fellow brothers and sisters, wherever they may live. The attempt to denigrate and demonize the supporters of Pico Union as "outside agitators" reminds me of the "freedom riders" who came from all over the United States to join in defense of our African American brothers and sisters. These "outside agitators" were targeted by local law enforcement, jailed and some were killed. These "outside agitators" are now viewed as courageous heroes of the civil rights movement. Those who have and are continuing to protest in the wake of police killing of Manuel Jaminez are very courageous.
We must not allow ourselves to be divided. We must stand together and give notice that an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us.
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Statement from Frances Olson, UCLA* Law Professor and Feminist Legal Scholar
I am sorry I cannot be there with you today in person. But I am with you in
spirit and support you.
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Statement from Paul Von Blum, UCLA* Lecturer and Attorney-at-Law
Unfortunately my schedule does not permit me to be there today, but please know that I have been following and will continue to follow what happened to Manuel Jaminez. I am very concerned about the conduct of—and how people of color are treated by—the LAPD. You have my support.
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Statement from James Lafferty, Executive Director, Los Angeles Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild
The Los Angeles Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild has condemned Mayor Villaraigosa for his statement in the wake of the LAPD shooting death of Manuel Jaminez, to the effect that while an investigation was necessary, the Mayor was "certain" that at the end of that investigation the police officers involved would be found to be "heroes." Such a statement from the Mayor not only fatally prejudices the investigation in advance, should the officers involved be exonerated of wrong-doing (which is the usual outcome of these so-called 'investigations' of the police by the police), no one in L.A. will have any reason to believe the investigation was fair and accurate.
Furthermore, as we in the Lawyers Guild have learned more about the prior conduct of the officer who killed Mr. Jaminez, and the actions of the LAPD in the Westlake area of Los Angeles, in general, we have become more and more disgusted with the apparently routine disregard of the rights of the immigrant community living in the area. Daily, illegal harassment... and worse... seems to be the norm of police conduct in Westlake.
The Lawyers Guild demands that, on this occasion, there be an honest, thorough, and transparent investigation into the shooting death of Mr. Jaminez; that if the officers involved are found guilty of wrongdoing in the shooting they be prosecuted appropriately; and that there be a change of LAPD use of force policy, to the end that ways short of death will be employed in situations where mentally incapacitated individuals are confronted by the LAPD.
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