Cops arrest leaves citizens questioning bias practices

By Rhodesia Muhammad -Contributing Writer- | Last updated: Nov 25, 2015 - 10:40:39 AM

(L-R) Officers Derrick Stafford and Norris Greenhouse, Jr.

MARKSVILLE, La. - It wasn’t long before citizens here began to notice the difference in the loss of Black lives and the loss of White lives. It took only three days for authorities to arrest the two city marshals responsible for the alleged shooting death of sixyear- old Jeremy Mardis in Marksville, Louisiana on November 3.

Derrick Stafford, 32, and Norris Greenhouse Jr., 23, were charged with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in the Marksville shooting. Authorities have said Jeremy Mardis, 6, was killed and his father, Chris Few, 25, was critically wounded when the marshals attempted to issue a warrant that allegedly led to a pursuit that ended in the law enforcement officers shooting apclared Proximately 18 rounds into the vehicle. Stafford and Greenhouse are Black, the Mardis’ are White.

Col. Mike Edmonson, head of the Louisiana State police, said body cam footage of the shooting was “the most disturbing thing I’ve seen.” “Nothing is more important than this badge that we are wearing on our uniform,” Col. Edmonson said. “And tonight that badge has been tarnished by the following two individuals,” he added. Although authorities are still unraveling details of the incident, arrests have been made sparking outrage over the biasness that Col. Edmonson is showing toward this particular case and that of the case of Victor White III, the 22 year old who was said to have killed himself while handcuffed in the back of a police cruiser. Victor is Black.

“What I find disturbing is that my son’s case was not handled in that same manner,” said Rev. Victor White, Sr. The Mardis family received immediate retribution for their child’s death even before a full investigation was done, something doesn’t happen in many cases of White cops killing Black people, he argued.

His son, 22 year old Victor White III, was fatally shot March 3, 2014 in New Iberria, La. While handcuffed in the back seat of a police cruiser while in police custody. His death was ruled a suicide, something the young man’s family and supporters dispute. They are still fighting for answers from the state police.

“Mike Edmonson wasted no time arresting those officers, releasing their names and photos to the public. It’s going on two years since my son’s death and I still have no answers nor has he released the names of the officers associated with my son’s death,” said Rev. White. “It seems as though because the 6-year-old boy and his father are White they get special treatment. Victor White III is Black and his case gets second class attention or no attention at all,” said Rev. Raymond Brown, President of the civil rights organization National Action Now. “I believe these two Black cops are sacrificial lambs for the real devilishness that is being committed by the Louisiana Department of Justice,” said Walter Umrani of the New Orleans Peace Keepers. “Whether those officers are innocent or not, there are obvious disparities in how they chose to deal with this case.”

Col. Edmonson said it was the video footage that made him move forward, leaving many wondering if video footage is what’s needed to get the notoriety that similar cases have gotten, as in the cases of Eric Garner and Freddie Gray. However, having footage doesn’t necessarily work in favor of the victim, especially when it’s a police officer who has committed the crime, analysts argue.

It’s difficult for police officers to be prosecuted for killing private citizens because they are given immense legal room when it comes to the use of force. If they perceive there is a threat to their safety or the safety of bystanders, they are often given leeway to make decisions based on their circumstances. From a legal standpoint, it doesn’t matter whether there is an actual threat when force is used as long as the officers objectively believe that there is a threat which is why a video can show a police officer killing a civilian and no punishment or charges are levied in most cases. In the case of Christopher Manney, the Milwaukee cop who shot 31-yearold Dontre Hamilton whose family members said was schizophrenic, 14 times will not face federal civil rights charges. Although Ofc. Manney was subsequently fired after the April 2014 shooting, no criminal charges were fired.

The Justice Department determined under the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute, prosecutors must establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a law enforcement officer willfully deprived an individual of a Constitutional Right. To establish willfulness, federal authorities must show that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. This is the highest standard of intent imposed by law.

Mistake, misperception, negligence or poor judgment is not sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation. Criminal intent is difficult to prove with or without video footage establishing a precedent that there is no fear of consequences for the actions of police officers who may abuse authority, activists point out.

Milwaukee attorney Alex Flynn, part of the Hamilton family’s legal team said, “There is an institutional protection of this kind of conduct that we will get to the bottom of. And the larger question becomes, why is this type of behavior ... institutionally protected?”

Mr. Manney was recently awarded disability retirement and could receive up to 75 percent of his salary which was $71,014 in 2013 according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Citizens, especially the families of loved ones killed at the hands of law enforcement feel this protection gives cops a license to kill innocent or unarmed people, especially if the victims are Black.

The National Police Misconduct Reporting Project stated if police are charged, they’re very rarely convicted such as in the cases of Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Jr., Dontre Hamilton, Eric Garner and countless others that have not garnered headlines.

In regards to the Marksville shooting, District Attorney James D. Caldwell, said they will begin a detailed and thorough investigation leaving no stone unturned and promised that justice will be served. The bonds for officers’ Stafford and Greenhouse were set at $1 million.

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