Greetings:
In just 19 days, 4 unarmed Black men died at the hands of one department: Miami-Dade Police. And they want the right to carry shotguns.
On Saturday, November 24, 2007, beginning at 4:00PM, the community will rally for justice and against police abuse at the Miami-Dade Police Intracoastal Station, located on Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. in North Miami. The rally will follow the funerals of Michael Knight and Frisco Blackwood, two men shot dead by Miami-Dade Police on November 12.
Virtually anywhere else, the violent deaths of four unarmed people by one police department would trigger headline news and federal investigations. However, in 2007's Miami-Dade County, the deaths have not been tied together by the media or even elicited any public statements by elected officials, not even the Black ones. The shocking silence of the elected officials and the unwillingness of the media to ask questions, speaks volumes about the state of Black people in this part of the United States.
However, in a real demonstration of people power, the Haitian-American and African-American communities, along with people of good will of every race and nationality, are joining for a single rally for justice for all victims of police brutality. This rally might usher in a new day in communities fighting injustice together, rather than separately.
Over the past few months, Miami-Dade Police have launched a series of aggressive police sweeps, targeting Black communities and people. These aggressive police units- locally known as the "jumpouts"- feature police jumping out of unmarked cars with guns drawn and pointed while barking orders to scared and confused people. Men, women and children in Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown, North Miami and other Black communities are forced to lay down on the ground, take off their shoes and socks and endure disrespectful treatment, even when doing nothing wrong at all. The end result was predictable: the same police encouraged to and rewarded when engaged in overly-aggressive police tactics, killed four unarmed Black men in 19 days.
On October 25, 19 year old BG Beaugris talked with his younger brother and two friends a mere 100 feet from his own apartment, having just completed his father's laundry. Undercover "jumpout" Christopher Villano saw four Black men and, according to Villano's lawyer, considered them "suspicious." Villano jumped out of his unmarked car, gun drawn, and ordered the young men against the wall. After finding nothing illegal or dangerous, Villano engaged in a verbal argument with BG before jumping on him and placing him in a headlock. With his free hand, Villano drew his weapon and shot BG once. As he lay on the ground injured, Villano shot BG twice more, killing him.
On November 7, Roger Brown was apparently driving erratically before being stopped by school and Miami-Dade police. Several cops jumped on the 40 year old Brown, claiming he was resistant, behavior typical of individuals suffering a mental health crisis. According to witnesses, after tasing Brown, police kicked him in the face and beat him with night sticks before placing him in a "hogtie" position and throwing him in the back of a cruiser. Brown stopped breathing and was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
On November 12, Frisco Blackwood and Michael Knight were dropping a friend off at her Little Haiti home. A marked Miami-Dade police car followed them and eventually pulled them over, allegedly for running a red light. The rented SUV pulled into a dead end- leaving the three with nowhere to run, even if they wanted to- and the police jumped out of their cruiser with guns drawn on the car, all for running a red light. The guns and barked orders made Blackwood nervous and police open fired when the vehicle did not do exactly what the cops wanted it to. After getting hit by multiple bullets, Blackwood's body convulsed uncontrollably, throwing the vehicle into reverse. The female passenger in the back seat was shot in the leg and survived watching her friends die at the hands of the police.
These deaths would not happen in wealthy white neighborhoods, not because there are no criminals there, but because police do not jumpout with guns drawn on traffic stops or on white people doing their laundry. We urge all people of justice to demand an end to the unfair police practices in the Black community.
Attend the rally on Saturday, November 24, 4:00pm at the Miami-Dade Intracoastal Station, Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. We also urge you to attend services for Frisco and Michael.
Services for Michael Knight
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 6:00PM-9:00PM • Poitier Funeral Home • 2321 NW 62nd St. • Liberty City, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 10:00AM • Jordan Grove Baptist • 5946 NW 12th Ave • Liberty City, FL
Services for Frisco Blackwood
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 9:00AM-9:00PM • Wright Funeral Home • 15332 NW 7th Ave. • Miami, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 2:00PM • Westview Baptist • 13301 NW 24th Ave. • Opa-Locka, FL
CopWatch • Haitian American Grassroots Coalition • Power U Youth • Miami Workers Center • Haiti Solidarity Committee • Bolivarian Youth • Veye-Yo • South Florida Peace & Justice Network • Miami-Dade NAACP
forward,
Max Rameau
CopWatch
a project of the Center for Pan-African Development
Friday, November 23, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
4 Dead in 19 Days. Rally Against Police Abuse Saturday 4:00PM
Greetings:
In just 19 days, 4 unarmed Black men died at the hands of one department: Miami-Dade Police. And they want the right to carry shotguns.
On Saturday, November 24, 2007, beginning at 4:00PM, the community will rally for justice and against police abuse at the Miami-Dade Police Intracoastal Station, located on Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. in North Miami. The rally will follow the funerals of Michael Knight and Frisco Blackwood, two men shot dead by Miami-Dade Police on November 12.
Virtually anywhere else, the violent deaths of four unarmed people by one police department would trigger headline news and federal investigations. However, in 2007's Miami-Dade County, the deaths have not been tied together by the media or even elicited any public statements by elected officials, not even the Black ones. The shocking silence of the elected officials and the unwillingness of the media to ask questions, speaks volumes about the state of Black people in this part of the United States.
However, in a real demonstration of people power, the Haitian-American and African-American communities, along with people of good will of every race and nationality, are joining for a single rally for justice for all victims of police brutality. This rally might usher in a new day in communities fighting injustice together, rather than separately.
Over the past few months, Miami-Dade Police have launched a series of aggressive police sweeps, targeting Black communities and people. These aggressive police units- locally known as the "jumpouts"- feature police jumping out of unmarked cars with guns drawn and pointed while barking orders to scared and confused people. Men, women and children in Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown, North Miami and other Black communities are forced to lay down on the ground, take off their shoes and socks and endure disrespectful treatment, even when doing nothing wrong at all. The end result was predictable: the same police encouraged to and rewarded when engaged in overly-aggressive police tactics, killed four unarmed Black men in 19 days.
On October 25, 19 year old BG Beaugris talked with his younger brother and two friends a mere 100 feet from his own apartment, having just completed his father's laundry. Undercover "jumpout" Christopher Villano saw four Black men and, according to Villano's lawyer, considered them "suspicious." Villano jumped out of his unmarked car, gun drawn, and ordered the young men against the wall. After finding nothing illegal or dangerous, Villano engaged in a verbal argument with BG before jumping on him and placing him in a headlock. With his free hand, Villano drew his weapon and shot BG once. As he lay on the ground injured, Villano shot BG twice more, killing him.
On November 7, Roger Brown was apparently driving erratically before being stopped by school and Miami-Dade police. Several cops jumped on the 40 year old Brown, claiming he was resistant, behavior typical of individuals suffering a mental health crisis. According to witnesses, after tasing Brown, police kicked him in the face and beat him with night sticks before placing him in a "hogtie" position and throwing him in the back of a cruiser. Brown stopped breathing and was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
On November 12, Frisco Blackwood and Michael Knight were dropping a friend off at her Little Haiti home. A marked Miami-Dade police car followed them and eventually pulled them over, allegedly for running a red light. The rented SUV pulled into a dead end- leaving the three with nowhere to run, even if they wanted to- and the police jumped out of their cruiser with guns drawn on the car, all for running a red light. The guns and barked orders made Blackwood nervous and police open fired when the vehicle did not do exactly what the cops wanted it to. After getting hit by multiple bullets, Blackwood's body convulsed uncontrollably, throwing the vehicle into reverse. The female passenger in the back seat was shot in the leg and survived watching her friends die at the hands of the police.
These deaths would not happen in wealthy white neighborhoods, not because there are no criminals there, but because police do not jumpout with guns drawn on traffic stops or on white people doing their laundry. We urge all people of justice to demand an end to the unfair police practices in the Black community.
Attend the rally on Saturday, November 24, 4:00pm at the Miami-Dade Intracoastal Station, Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. We also urge you to attend services for Frisco and Michael.
Services for Michael Knight
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 6:00PM-9:00PM • Poitier Funeral Home • 2321 NW 62nd St. • Liberty City, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 10:00AM • Jordan Grove Baptist • 5946 NW 12th Ave • Liberty City, FL
Services for Frisco Blackwood
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 9:00AM-9:00PM • Wright Funeral Home • 15332 NW 7th Ave. • Miami, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 2:00PM • Westview Baptist • 13301 NW 24th Ave. • Opa-Locka, FL
CopWatch • Haitian American Grassroots Coalition • Power U Youth • Miami Workers Center • Haiti Solidarity Committee • Bolivarian Youth • Veye-Yo • South Florida Peace & Justice Network • Miami-Dade NAACP
forward,
Max Rameau
In just 19 days, 4 unarmed Black men died at the hands of one department: Miami-Dade Police. And they want the right to carry shotguns.
On Saturday, November 24, 2007, beginning at 4:00PM, the community will rally for justice and against police abuse at the Miami-Dade Police Intracoastal Station, located on Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. in North Miami. The rally will follow the funerals of Michael Knight and Frisco Blackwood, two men shot dead by Miami-Dade Police on November 12.
Virtually anywhere else, the violent deaths of four unarmed people by one police department would trigger headline news and federal investigations. However, in 2007's Miami-Dade County, the deaths have not been tied together by the media or even elicited any public statements by elected officials, not even the Black ones. The shocking silence of the elected officials and the unwillingness of the media to ask questions, speaks volumes about the state of Black people in this part of the United States.
However, in a real demonstration of people power, the Haitian-American and African-American communities, along with people of good will of every race and nationality, are joining for a single rally for justice for all victims of police brutality. This rally might usher in a new day in communities fighting injustice together, rather than separately.
Over the past few months, Miami-Dade Police have launched a series of aggressive police sweeps, targeting Black communities and people. These aggressive police units- locally known as the "jumpouts"- feature police jumping out of unmarked cars with guns drawn and pointed while barking orders to scared and confused people. Men, women and children in Liberty City, Little Haiti, Overtown, North Miami and other Black communities are forced to lay down on the ground, take off their shoes and socks and endure disrespectful treatment, even when doing nothing wrong at all. The end result was predictable: the same police encouraged to and rewarded when engaged in overly-aggressive police tactics, killed four unarmed Black men in 19 days.
On October 25, 19 year old BG Beaugris talked with his younger brother and two friends a mere 100 feet from his own apartment, having just completed his father's laundry. Undercover "jumpout" Christopher Villano saw four Black men and, according to Villano's lawyer, considered them "suspicious." Villano jumped out of his unmarked car, gun drawn, and ordered the young men against the wall. After finding nothing illegal or dangerous, Villano engaged in a verbal argument with BG before jumping on him and placing him in a headlock. With his free hand, Villano drew his weapon and shot BG once. As he lay on the ground injured, Villano shot BG twice more, killing him.
On November 7, Roger Brown was apparently driving erratically before being stopped by school and Miami-Dade police. Several cops jumped on the 40 year old Brown, claiming he was resistant, behavior typical of individuals suffering a mental health crisis. According to witnesses, after tasing Brown, police kicked him in the face and beat him with night sticks before placing him in a "hogtie" position and throwing him in the back of a cruiser. Brown stopped breathing and was pronounced dead at the hospital a short time later.
On November 12, Frisco Blackwood and Michael Knight were dropping a friend off at her Little Haiti home. A marked Miami-Dade police car followed them and eventually pulled them over, allegedly for running a red light. The rented SUV pulled into a dead end- leaving the three with nowhere to run, even if they wanted to- and the police jumped out of their cruiser with guns drawn on the car, all for running a red light. The guns and barked orders made Blackwood nervous and police open fired when the vehicle did not do exactly what the cops wanted it to. After getting hit by multiple bullets, Blackwood's body convulsed uncontrollably, throwing the vehicle into reverse. The female passenger in the back seat was shot in the leg and survived watching her friends die at the hands of the police.
These deaths would not happen in wealthy white neighborhoods, not because there are no criminals there, but because police do not jumpout with guns drawn on traffic stops or on white people doing their laundry. We urge all people of justice to demand an end to the unfair police practices in the Black community.
Attend the rally on Saturday, November 24, 4:00pm at the Miami-Dade Intracoastal Station, Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St. We also urge you to attend services for Frisco and Michael.
Services for Michael Knight
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 6:00PM-9:00PM • Poitier Funeral Home • 2321 NW 62nd St. • Liberty City, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 10:00AM • Jordan Grove Baptist • 5946 NW 12th Ave • Liberty City, FL
Services for Frisco Blackwood
Viewing • Friday, November 23 • 9:00AM-9:00PM • Wright Funeral Home • 15332 NW 7th Ave. • Miami, FL
Funeral • Saturday, November 24 • 2:00PM • Westview Baptist • 13301 NW 24th Ave. • Opa-Locka, FL
CopWatch • Haitian American Grassroots Coalition • Power U Youth • Miami Workers Center • Haiti Solidarity Committee • Bolivarian Youth • Veye-Yo • South Florida Peace & Justice Network • Miami-Dade NAACP
forward,
Max Rameau
Friday, November 16, 2007
BG Beaugris Funeral Saturday 10AM
The funeral for Gracia "BG" Beaugris, killed by Miami-Dade police office Christopher Villano, will be held on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 10:00am at the New Birth Baptist Church, 2300 NW 135th St. in Opa-Locka.
BG was shot to death on October 25, less than 100 feet from his own front door. After completing his father's laundry, BG stood yards from his home with his brother and two friends when Miami-Dade police officer Christopher Villano jumpout out of his unmarked cars because the young men looked "suspicious." After searching each of them, Villano found nothing- no weapons, drugs or stolen goods- and the youth began asking why they were targeted. Villano physically attacked BG, ultimately shooting him a total of three times, two while BG lie on the ground.
Since BG's slaying, three others have been killed by Miami-Dade police, including Roger Brown who on November 8 was tased, kicked in the face and beaten with batons before being hogtied and thrown in the back of a police car on 95th Street and NW 17th Ave. Brown died a short time after.
Childhood friends Michael Knight and Frisco Blackwood were driving a friend home on November 11 when police stopped the vehicle, allegedly for running a red light, and surrounded it with weapons drawn. Fearful for his life, Blackwood followed orders to lower his window, but he accidentally put the vehicle in neutral rather than in park. As the SUV resettled on the uneven ground, police open fired, killing the two unarmed men and wounding the female passenger.
These killings are the direct result of the latest round of aggressive police tactics targeting Black communities such as Liberty City, Little Haiti, North Miami and elsewhere.
Several community organizations, including CopWatch, planned a demonstration in front of the Miami-Dade police station for Saturday to protest BG's killing. However, due to the funeral arrangements, the protest will be postponed. That means the 2:00pm protest at the Miami-Dade police station is canceled.
The viewing for BG Beaugris will be held on Friday, November 16, 2007 from 6:00pm until 10:00pm, at the St Fort Funeral Home, 16480 NE 19th Ave.
We encourage everyone to attend the funeral.
Forward,
Max Rameau
CopWatch
a project of the Center for Pan-African Development
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Vigil for 2 Killed by Miami-Dade Police Monday
Candlelight Vigil for 2 Men Shot Dead by Miami-Dade Police
Once again, community members and organizations join a grieving family to remember an unarmed person shot and killed by Miami-Dade police. The candlelight vigil will commemorate the lives of Michael Knight and Frisco Blackwood, both killed in a hail of Miami-Dade County Police bullets. Another passenger was shot, but survived. The vigil will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 at 6:00pm at the location of the killing, 65th St. and North Miami Avenue in Little Haiti.
Police were conducting a traffic stop on the evening of Monday, November 12. After the car pulled over without incident, police surrounded it with weapons drawn. The driver followed police orders to lower his window, but when told to put the car in park, he accidentally shifted into neutral instead. As the vehicle re-settled from the gear shift, police opened with a barrage of shots, mortally wounding both men.
While police claim they fired because the vehicle backed up into a police car, witnesses believe the vehicle did not move backwards until after the shooting began, raising the possibility that gunshots forced the driver into shifting gears and accidentally hitting the gas pedal.
The killings mark the third and fourth deaths at the hands of Miami-Dade police in less than 20 days. On October 25, Miami-Dade "jumpout" police stopped and searched an unarmed 19 year old Gracia "BG" Beaugris, who stood 100 feet from his own front door talking to his brother and two friends. After finding nothing, officer Christopher Villano shot Beaugris three times, including twice while Beaugris laid on the ground. On November 7th, Miami-Dade police surrounded 40 year old Roger Brown on 95th St. and NW 17th Ave., for acting "erratically." According to witnesses, Brown was tasered, kicked in the face and beaten with night sticks before being hogtied and thrown into a police car. Brown died at North Shore Medical Center.
The men killed by Miami-Dade police were unarmed and no drugs were in the vehicle. Michael Knight celebrated his 21st birthday on Friday.
The vigil is being organized by CopWatch, which is not only concerned about this shooting, but the aggressive police tactics police are employing in Black communities. Liberty City, Little Haiti, North Miami and other Black communities are flooded with cops behaving aggressively as they pull over cars for minor, or no, infractions and force men, women and children onto the streets at gun point. These tactics are not being employed in wealthy white neighborhoods.
These types of shooting deaths are the direct result of the public policy of aggressive police tactics. Jumpouts and other aggressive forces are encouraged to make large numbers of arrests and are rewarded for abusing the rights of the poor and the Black. Because the victims are poor and Black, neither internal affairs nor the state attorney nor the courts nor the media believe them when they complain of police misconduct.
As these police tactics continue- in fact they seem to be escalating, not declining- there will be more unarmed dead Black men across Miami-Dade County and no cop will ever be punished, and certainly not by Katherine Fernandez Rundle. We must take to the streets and demand justice for the victims and their families. Equally as important, we must demand an end to the aggressive police programs which generate those victims.
JUSTICE FOR MICHAEL KNIGHT AND FRISCO BLACKWOOD!
PUT KILLER COPS IN JAIL!
END THE JUMPOUTS!
Max Rameau
CopWatch
Friday, November 09, 2007
Rally for Justice for BG Beaugris
Greetings:
Join the Committee for Justice for BG Beaugris for the Rally for Justice on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 2:00pm at the Miami-Dade Police Intracoastal Station, located on Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St.
On Thursday October 25, 2007, an unarmed BG Beaugris was shot in the head by Miami-Dade police, after picking up his father's laundry, just a few steps from his home.
Miami-Dade "Jumpouts" harassed and searched several young black men who were talking to each other. Police found NOTHING on the men and started beating on BG. Office Christopher Villano then shot BG once in the chest and twice again while he lay on the ground. This was a murder.
DEMAND JUSTICE FOR BG AND HIS FAMILY!
Committee for Justice for BG Beaugris
CopWatch • Haitian American Grassroots Coalition • Veye Yo • Power U Youth • Haiti Solidarity • Bolivarian Youth • Miami-Dade NAACP
Join the Committee for Justice for BG Beaugris for the Rally for Justice on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at 2:00pm at the Miami-Dade Police Intracoastal Station, located on Biscayne Blvd. and 156th St.
On Thursday October 25, 2007, an unarmed BG Beaugris was shot in the head by Miami-Dade police, after picking up his father's laundry, just a few steps from his home.
Miami-Dade "Jumpouts" harassed and searched several young black men who were talking to each other. Police found NOTHING on the men and started beating on BG. Office Christopher Villano then shot BG once in the chest and twice again while he lay on the ground. This was a murder.
DEMAND JUSTICE FOR BG AND HIS FAMILY!
- Prosecute Christopher Villano!
- Stop Harassment of Youth in North Miami!
- End the Jumpouts!
- Stop Police Brutality!
Committee for Justice for BG Beaugris
CopWatch • Haitian American Grassroots Coalition • Veye Yo • Power U Youth • Haiti Solidarity • Bolivarian Youth • Miami-Dade NAACP
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)