The Grand Rapids Police Department (GRPD) is once again under scrutiny for the brutal assassination of Da’Quain Tre Johnson in February. The case is in the public spotlight because of the actions of community bystanders who captured the incident on video, and the work of family and community activists demanding transparency and accountability from GRPD.

As part of the effort to get justice for Johnson, his mother Angelica Johnson held a press conference with attorneys Van Johnson, Ben Crump, and Kent County Commissioner Reginald Watts on March 20 in Downtown Detroit.

The press conference replayed footage taken by a community bystander that captured the fatal shooting. The graphic video shows officers and a K-9 dog on top of Da’Quain, who is on his stomach. Da’Quain’s left arm appears to be restrained by one police officer as the dog and another officer stand over Da’Quain with his weapon aimed at his back.

The footage directly contradicts the narrative being put out by the GRPD that claims officers shot at Da’Quain because he had a gun pointed to an officer’s face. Within a minute, the video shows the police officer with the gun shooting him three times in the back while he is laid on the ground. The K-9 dog continued to attack Da’Quain’s seemingly lifeless body after the shots were fired.

Attorneys Van Johnson and Ben Crump pointed out that the police have failed to respond to a FOIA request and have not been given any video footage by the GRPD of Da’Quain holding a gun. They criticized the GRPD’s release of heavily edited footage, and their attempt to assassinate Da’Quain’s character by claiming that he had a loaded gun and crack-cocaine.

Angelica Johnson spoke at the press conference about the GRPD’s efforts to cover up Da’Quain’s murder and their harassment of community members in the apartment building next to the shooting. She said the GRPD had demanded access to their cell phones to see if they took any footage of the shooting.

Worse still, the GRPD haven’t even released the autopsy report a month after Da’Quain’s death. In fact, Ms. Johnson found out that her son was dead through social media, not the police.

An Epidemic of Police Violence

Attorney Van Johnson referred to police violence as an “epidemic” and described how Grand Rapids and Kent County have developed a deadly and brutal track record of police violence, especially against Black and Brown people.

Four years ago, Grand Rapids made national news when then GRPD officer Christopher Shurr killed Patrick Lyoya following a traffic stop. Following the release of body cam footage, which shows Shurr shooting Lyoya in the back, the officer was fired and charged with second-degree murder. He was put on trial, which unfortunately ended in a mistrial. Two years later, a Michigan State Police Officer in Kentwood, a suburb of Grand Rapids in Kent County, was charged with second-degree murder for killing Samuel Sterling with his unmarked vehicle.

Equally disturbing has been the GRPD’s persecution and repression of Black Lives Matter activists for organizing to bring accountability and transparency to the GRPD and call for an end of their brutal and murderous track record. For example, activists were arrested by the GRPD while they were on their way to attend a city commission meeting to demand justice for Patrick Lyoya, and have even been arrested for using amplified sound during protests.

We stand in solidarity with the family and friends of Da’Quain Johnson, particularly with his mother Angelica who has shown tremendous courage and strength in this difficult moment. We will continue to cover and participate in the organizing around Da’Quain and demand that the GRPD release the body cam footage, and fire and prosecute the officers involved in his murder.

The post Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump Holds Press Conference Demanding Transparency and Justice for Da’Quain Johnson appeared first on Left Voice.

From Left Voice via This RSS Feed.