A Walk For Justice

A Walk for Justice, May 30 (media release)MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release: May 19, 2015
Contact: Destiney Sanders, sister to Nathaniel Sanders, II, 512-######

A Walk for Justice
Saturday, May 30, 2015
9:00am:  Meet in Givens Park (3811 E. 12th St.); speakers: Destiney Sanders; LaKiza Jackson; Byron Carter, Sr.
10:00am: March 2.6 miles to Walnut Creek Apartments (site of Sanders' death: 6409 Springdale; transportation available for those not able to walk that distance)

A gathering in memory of Nathaniel Sanders, II - on what would be his birthday: May 30th.May 30th, 2011, happens to be the date of Byron Carter, Jr.'s death by APD's hands.Larry E. Jackson, Jr.'s July, 2013 death, the most recent of APD's MOST egregious killings, still weighs heavy on our community as court proceedings move forward.

There are many more: Ahmede Jabbar Bradley, Devin Contreras, Kevin Brown, Daniel Rocha, Michael Clark, Jessie Lee Owens, Joel Hernandez, Steven Bernard Scott, Erick McDonald, Rodney Wickware...back to Evans Eikye and Gril Couch, all men of color, most unarmed - or where armed, either not pointing the gun at anyone/threw it on the ground before being shot/begged for their life before being killed/or allegedly on the seat next to the sleeping Sanders.
 
There are other unjust killings including Sophia King, who if police had done their job right, there never would have been a need for any force, much less the excessive deadly shooting v. shooting to disable or using less lethal force - Coffey was close enough to do so (APD commonly said she was a "300 pound woman with a butcher knife" when, in fact, she was 200 pounds with a common kitchen knife).

These events in Austin, as they are nationwide, are not anomalies. They are part of a systematic failure of justice; and work to undermine the very essence of public safety.

The deaths by the hands of police have ALL been wrongly portrayed as truths seep out sometimes years after the fact. Even when truths are revealed, no corrections or apologies are made. The Keystone Report (following the Sander's death) should have resulted in firings, starting with those who covered up the truth, and at least one conviction. The lies exposed in the civil case around Carter's death (the officer's injury "at the scene" was, in fact, weeks earlier/a witness testified they did not announce themselves, etc.) should have changed the story, despite the case's outcome due to perverse state law protections of officers who may kill based on subjective "fear." The medical examiner's report on Jackson should be raising eyebrows nationwide, but has yet to do so: "...two fractured ribs with overlaying contusions...tear and contusion of the colon...(and) scattered abrasions, contusions and small lacerations..." and the gun went off "accidentally" - in the back of the neck?

Perhaps the fact that EIGHT victims since 2003 were shot in the back or in the back of the head or neck should be enough for us to say there is a SERIOUS problem in Austin, TX. One that reflects concerns across the nation; we are not "better" than anywhere else on this issue despite APD's claims. Our police are unaccountable; our justice system is flawed, so we shall Walk...and continue to work hard for a better day when young men of color aren't scared of police.

A Walk for Justice is a walk for all who have wrongly died or injured, physically or otherwise, at the hands of APD.

###Destiney Sanders and guests will be on KAZI Radio, 88.7 FM, Tuesday, May 26th, 7:15-7:45am and on KOOP Radio, 91.7 FM, People United, Friday, May 29th, 1pm