2006.07.21: Charges Dismissed Against MXGM Cop Watchers

From: Susan Morris
Sent: Friday, July 21, 2006 5:51 PM
To: 111 CDD
Cc: 1199 Members; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST MXGM COP-WATCHERS
CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST MXGM COP-WATCHERS

For Immediate Release
July 18, 2006
Contact: Monifa Akinwole-Bandele (917) 407-3018

ALL CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST THREE COP-WATCHERS FROM THE MALCOLM X GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT (MXGM)

ARRESTING OFFICER DOES NOT COOPERATE WITH DISTRICT ATTORNEY

JUDGE ADMONISHES DISTRICT ATTORNEY

On Monday, July 17, 2006 a year and a half after being arrested and
indicted for assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and
obstruction of governmental administration, the Brooklyn DAs office
dismissed all charges against the three activists from the Malcolm X
Grassroots Movement (MXGM). In what had been expected to be a
routine court appearance, the Brooklyn ADA, surprisingly made a motion to dismiss all charges. The motion was based on the inability of the people to secure their witness participation. The witness to whom they were referring was arresting officer Thomas Stevens of the 77th Precinct.

The Judge chastised the ADA stating that he had never heard of case
in which the DA’s office could not compel the testimony of a witness
totally within their control–a police officer.

The events which culminated yesterday began just past midnight on
February 8th, 2005 when three members of MXGM, Djbril Toure, Dasaw Floyd, and Lumumba Bandele were arrested in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. At the time of their arrest, the three were engaged in the legal monitoring of police activities as part of the MXGM’s Cop-Watch Program. The three were driving down Greene Avenue and observed an unusual amount of police activity on the block. They parked their car and began recording the scene. Bandele, Toure and Floyd were then approached by Officer Thomas Stevens of the 77th precinct who demanded that they turn the camera off and leave the area. Bandele told the officer that they had a legal right to observe the activities, and that they were not interfering with the arrest, only witnessing it.

At that point, the officer along with back-up violently arrested the
three, charging them with assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration.

While all three expressed both relief at the sudden turn of events,
Mr. Akinwole-Bandele also offered that “on behalf of MXGM we thank all of our members and supporters who helped spread the word about the case. And while we celebrate this moment, we understand that the state will continue to use arrests and the threat of imprisonment as a tactic to discourage further organized efforts of resistance. We must combat police and state terrorism and secure the release of the many Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in the US.

The three MXGM members were represented by Kamau Karl Franklin, Joan Gibbs and Robert Boyle. Franklin stated that a lawsuit against the police department is in the works. It is important that we continue to challenge the illegal use of police power to intimidate activists and other community members from safe guarding their human and civil rights.

Stop Police Brutality, Repression and
The Criminalization of a Generation
No More Stolen Lives!
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