Letter from Precious Edwards, sister to Dakota Bright

"We have to take a stand and the time is now"

October 19, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper | revcom.us

 

Hi my name is Precious Edwards and I am the older sister to now 18 yr old Dakota Bright. My brother, then 15-yrs old, was hounded down and brutally murdered by Chicago police Nov. 8, 2012. He was chased thru a dark alley where he was brought to his death by one fatal shot to the back of the head at point blank range. Police harrassed and tried intimidating our family starting the day he was murdered, followed by his funeral being invaded and guns being drawn on the family at the burial. They went so far as to telling my mother they would kill her with a rifle pointed in her face. They've been issuing illegal tickets for everything under the sun to our family, friends, and even the community for seeking justice for the last three years. We've done nothing wrong our loved one was taken from us. All we ask is for answers, its been three long years and we've got none.

Only two people know what happened in that alley and as they say in law enforcement terms a dead man tells no lies. Why would a 15yr old boy who is obviously in fear for his life (because he is running from people who are supposed to protect him but are chasing him with guns drawn) be shot in the back of the head at point blank range then be handcuffed ? Why was the family never informed? Why are the police constantly harassing the family? Why are they at every memorial in rememberance of Dakota? Are they lookin for trouble so they can kill again because who wants the murderer of the person they love around at a time like this? Why were there 15 cops surrounding a dead handcuffed body of a 15 yrold unarmed baby boy? All questions that cause me not to be able to sleep most nights . I see sisters get to send their brothers off to college or welcome home their first nieces/nephews something they took from me I'll never experience those things, just like Dakota never experienced life.Its only getting worse victims are getting younger! Victims are getting older they prey on the weak and us as black and brown people are the weak because we are weak minded we pay so much attention to the media and so little to our everyday lives we need everyone to come out not for one day but for all three days, October 21-24, rise up black brown white pink and purple people because this is not an issue of race, its an issue of immorality. How long will we be tortured and remain silent?  How many of our own do we have to lose before we realize every life does matter. Come to NYC.  Say the names, if you've never lost someone to police brutality come listen to the name. Please buy a ticket, support our family in this trying time, support your friends and family in this trying time, support a neighbor or even a familiar face from the news.

They take the lives of less fortunate so some of us can't afford to just get up and go, but with your help we'll be there and our voices will be louder than ever because it wont just be me, it will be us, and it'll take us to get our voices heard. Lets start our own black panther movement we have to take a stand and the time is now. Please if you can't buy a ticket due to lack of money and can't attend due to lack of time, please donate $10.  Every supporter is recognized and I send my sincere gratitude from my brother Dakota Bright and the whole Bright/Edwards family.

 

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