jeremiah Chass

[shira]

we need a lot more to memorialize Jeremiah than a tree or a concert. We need to lead at least our Sebastopol community in a broad education program on racism and on white priviledge which supports racist actions. There is no denying what happened to the Chass family has its base in hatred and fear. I'm all for gathering a small group of Sebastopudlians to meet with our mayor and our ciity council to candidly examine racism here in our town and what we can do about it. We need to put enough pressure on our city officials to bring bout an independent (not Santa Rosa police force) investigation of the incident. Anyone willing to join me? Call me Writeright.

trees and concerts and nice words are just one more way to whitewash a difficulty.. yes, pun intended. W

[joan]

See "Deadly Force" an article in "The Boheman" by Peter Byrne, 3.31.2007, a well written, comprehensive report. I see this terrible scene as nothing less than an execution. Eight shots into a thin, 16 year old body!

Officer Misita did not have his required Taser; he is said to have used pepper spray to no effect. Does he need more training in the use of the spray? or how to have all his required gear with him? His volatility seems to make him a candidate for office duty, rather than people exposure.

The official police reviews for the press are sickening untruths e.g. - references to a "hostage situation". We will never know the truth from the police investigation, where everyone will gather and protect each other.

[shira]

we need to pressure for an investigation by an outside authority, not the santa rosa police investigating their same buddies who hogged our seats at the civil rights hearing many years ago. Maybe even an out of state investigative agency. There are too many unanswered questions about the behavior of the sheriff's deartment: why did they detain the family after murdering jeremiah? why did they invade the chass home? why, for god's sake, did they have to pour eight bullets into that boy? ]

hello sebastopol! can we build a strong movement using our heads, our computers and wacco?

wrightright

[nurturetruth]

Thank you so much for suggesting the idea of getting an "outside authority" , and NOT the santa rosa "buddies" to investigate the situation.

I FULLY agree! I have no idea whether they are "buddies" or not... but if I were an attorney, I would have suggested this a LONG TIME AGO!!!
When I first heard Santa Rosa were investigating, my heart shrunk a bit and I did not know why I felt this way. But I guess I was expecting someone "higher up" than the Santa Rosa Police ..

I did send Amy Goodman an email with links to the article.

I was not aware the family was "detained" afterwards...

one would assume the harsh reaction of peppery spray and a couple bullets in the extremities would be quite enough!! I mean.. Geez... WHY 8 Bullets?! Seriously!! I am so with you, "Shira" 100% . Perhaps people could find a way to accept it and "look the other way" if there had only been 1, 2, or just even 4 bullets. (cynicism here..)

It is appalling. shocking. and thank you for not "looking the other way", hoping "IT" will just go away or fade away. Thank you for DOING something !






we need to pressure for an investigation by an outside authority, not the santa rosa police investigating their same buddies who hogged our seats at the civil rights hearing many years ago. Maybe even an out of state investigative agency. There are too many unanswered questions about the behavior of the sheriff's deartment: why did they detain the family after murdering jeremiah? why did they invade the chass home? why, for god's sake, did they have to pour eight bullets into that boy? ]

hello sebastopol! can we build a strong movement using our heads, our computers and wacco?

wrightright

[tommy]

The tragedy of Jeremiah's death in no way justifies a lack of compassion for those in our community who we've chosen to keep the peace.

Solving the problem of how to respond to people like Jeremiah includes working with the police - who are the ultimate responders - to deal more tenderly with people who have mental break downs.

Tomas

["Mad" Miles]

Mayor's of Sonoma County and Community,

In a period from April 1, 1995, through September 27, 1997, law enforcement officers within the county shot and killed eight citizens; all were found by the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office to be justifiable homicide. Citizens felt that meetings with elected officials and public officials and law enforcement executives to discuss their concerns and pleas for reform only increased frustration. They alleged that officials were unresponsive and offered denials that problems existed. We have all recently read the positions and comments by both Santa Rosa Police Chief Ed Flint and Sonoma County Sheriff Bill Cogbill.
In addition, since 1999 law enforcement officers within the county have shot and killed approximately 10 citizens, and again, all were found by the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office to be justifiable homicide.
In 1996, the NAACP of Santa Rosa Sonoma County – then President Rev. Ann Gray Byrd -- along with many other organizations, groups and long standing citizens – requested that the United States Commission On Civil Rights convene a fact-finding Advisory Committee in Sonoma County to review the concerns of the citizens regarding law enforcement practices and allegations of excessive use of deadly force.
In response to those findings, the 1999 Advisory Committee wrote in its 70-plus page report to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights – Community Concerns About Law Enforcement in Sonoma County, “Effective police-community relations requires ongoing communications and the willingness for all parties to listen, agree or disagree civilly, and compromise. The Advisory committee offered the following recommendations in an effort to foster the dialog among community representatives, elected officials, and law enforcement in Sonoma County and to assist in the elimination of the community polarization found during its study.”

Recommendations from 1999
*Recruit and hire community-conscious personnel.
*Adequately train all officers in cultural sensitivity, racial profiling,
mental health, and excessive force policies.
*Proactively maintain diverse and effective police departments.
*Create efficient oversight mechanisms.
*Eliminate barriers to citizens’ filing complaints against police.
*Ensure a fair and thorough investigation of accused police officers.
*Collect, compile, and publish relevant statistical data on police abuse.
Following the shooting death of Jeremiah Chass, 16-year-old, 127 pound young boy, in mental distress, the public awaits the findings of an investigation by the Santa Rosa Police Department to provide some mutual understanding as to why such tragedies continue to occur and how they can be prevented.
Again, over a decade later, we urge the City of Santa Rosa and the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors hold public hearings to be utilized as the vehicle for establishing a “Civilian Review Board of Law Enforcement.”
We support, as was recommend was in 1999, “The various municipalities in Sonoma County begin the dialog to determine if their jurisdiction requires the creation of a civilian review board. The dialog should be inclusive of all citizens and each community can consider the appropriateness and merits of such an entity and the elements that are required to ensure success. While each community needs to decide whether to have a review board and how it should operate, certain characteristics are necessary for its success.”
The Advisory Committee stated “a countywide board will not suffice nor should the grand jury, due to its association with the office of the district attorney and its closed door meetings, be used as the vehicle for civilian review of law enforcement.”

We support 1999 Recommendation 6.1
The cities of Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa and the County Sheriff require the immediate creation of civilian review boards.

We support 1999 Recommendation 6.2
The grand jury is not the appropriate body to act as a civilian review board for the country or for individual jurisdictions.

We support 1999 Recommendation 6.3
That among the characteristics, the civilian review boards created should have budgetary independence, separate office locations, conduct independent investigations, have the power to compel police officer testimony, provide an appeal process, and report directly to elected officials and the community in
open sessions.

We look forward to your affirmative response.

Sincerely,
Rev. Curtis L. Byrd
Treasurer, Membership Chair, Silver Life Member
Cc: ACLU of Sonoma County, Black Business and Professional Women’s Club, California Young Democrats, Edward W. Scott’s Elk’s Lodge (IBPOEW), Sonoma County Democratic Club, Sonoma County Latino Democratic Club, California State Conference NAACP President Alice A. Huffman, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Community Voice, Argus Courier, San Francisco Chronicle, Sonoma County Central Committee, KPFA

[nurturetruth]

The tragedy of Jeremiah's death in no way justifies a lack of compassion for those in our community who we've chosen to keep the peace.

Solving the problem of how to respond to people like Jeremiah includes working with the police - who are the ultimate responders - to deal more tenderly with people who have mental break downs.

Tomas

I agree with you dear tomas!

Personally, i do not feel a lack of compassion in my bones/body for anyone involved in this manner. i hold no anger, judgements.

what i do lack is understanding , acceptance and resolution.

i have tried to move away from my desire to try and understand or accept..because every time i do.... it gets me nowhere.

on a deep spiritual vibe...i accept what happened, how it happened and why it happened. i accept it as is...but WANT resolution and solution!

but no matter how things are justified or reasoned, the way things were dealt with just IS NOT acceptable and people's consciousness KNOW this in their core.

it is a tender matter. And from speaking to some retired sonoma county sheriff's...i was under the impression/curiosity, (not yet an assumption!! giggles) that the Santa Rosa police were fairly good buddies and had a long history of brother-hood with the Sonoma Sheriff's.
so if this is true in any form, that could create an imbalance in HOW things ARE dealt with... they woudl have their "own facts". I am already appalled that 7 people got shot in 2 years and that the DEA justified all of htem. I haven't researched case by case yet...but is that the average for sonoma county or something? I have only been here for 5 years.

maybe it does take an eye-opening tragedy , to "shake-up" to really set things in motion.



and thank you Shira for starting such a thread . you too Joan!
and Mad Miles...WOW!
thank you Mr. miles for the awarenes you bring "m" miles !
I am going to be printing them up!

["Mad" Miles]

Thank you for your Thanks!

In all honesty (tricky that) I will admit that it was not extra work. I'm on lots of lists. I forward to lots of lists, many of which I moderate. It was sent to me and I copied it here, since it is a substantial attempt to address part of the problem.

Want to know about my lists? Reply privately and I'll send you a precis.

Or go to my archive of posts and look back a while for a description.

Since I'm so busy nowadays (the eight months of paid unemployment that allowed me to try to DOMINATE this board are over, too bad, I was almost there!) I prefer the latter option. But I'm commited to info sharing. So I'll honor the former.

"The role of the revolutionary intellectual is to serve as a nexus of information for activists."

Michel Foucault

"M"M