Anti-police brutality protesters gather at courthouse
March 08, 2012 6:07 AM
About two dozen people — many shouting and carrying signs — marched Wednesday in front of the Morgan County Courthouse to protest what they claim is unnecessary force used by Jacksonville police.
“My main priority is to stop police brutality and make citizens aware it can happen to anybody,” said Amanda Six of Jacksonville, the girlfriend of Dennis Lancaster. Lancaster contends police used excessive force when he was arrested in September 2009.
“Somebody’s going to end up getting killed,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster was hospitalized for two days for treatment of facial injuries and a broken arm. He filed a federal lawsuit accusing Jacksonville Police Sgt. Rodney Cox of violating his civil rights by using excessive force during a struggle. He also filed an excessive force complaint with the FBI, but that investigation was closed after federal authorities concluded the evidence did not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal civil rights statutes.
Lancaster was one of four Jacksonville men arrested in the past two and a half years who said police used excessive force during their arrests.
“All allegations of excessive force have either been reviewed by us or investigated by the FBI and were shown to be unfounded,” Chief Tony Grootens said.
“If one officer was involved in each of these incidents, we would look further into it as a possibility of excessive force. However, in these cases, there were four different officers involved and upon review, they all followed policy and procedures accordingly,” Grootens said. “They were all being arrested and they all resisted arrest. Of all the arrests made by Jacksonville officers in the past three years for resisting or obstructing a peace officer, only 1.5 percent of those arrested sought medical attention.”
Six said she and other protesters were seeking support from Mayor Andy Ezard. “We have met with him and have been to city council meetings,” she said. “I spoke at a city council meeting and they had no comment at all.”
The protesters marched from the courthouse to city hall Wednesday to speak with Ezard.
“I certainly respect and appreciate their concerns and when the investigations into their allegations are complete, we will take a long look and see if there is a trend and deal with it as necessary,” Ezard said.
Six said many of those who attended the rally are friends and relatives of the four Jacksonville men who have accused Jacksonville police of using excessive force.
“I hope for more training and hope that Chief Grootens reprimands these officers for their wrongdoings,” Six said.
The other three men who claimed they were injured while being arrested are Bamako Walton, who suffered facial and hand injuries after being Tased in August 2010; Raymond Wilson, who suffered a broken leg in July; and Robert C. Black, who had three-quarters of his ear torn off when he was taken to the pavement by police on Feb. 10.
“My main priority is to stop police brutality and make citizens aware it can happen to anybody,” said Amanda Six of Jacksonville, the girlfriend of Dennis Lancaster. Lancaster contends police used excessive force when he was arrested in September 2009.
“Somebody’s going to end up getting killed,” Lancaster said.
Lancaster was hospitalized for two days for treatment of facial injuries and a broken arm. He filed a federal lawsuit accusing Jacksonville Police Sgt. Rodney Cox of violating his civil rights by using excessive force during a struggle. He also filed an excessive force complaint with the FBI, but that investigation was closed after federal authorities concluded the evidence did not establish a prosecutable violation of the federal civil rights statutes.
Lancaster was one of four Jacksonville men arrested in the past two and a half years who said police used excessive force during their arrests.
“All allegations of excessive force have either been reviewed by us or investigated by the FBI and were shown to be unfounded,” Chief Tony Grootens said.
“If one officer was involved in each of these incidents, we would look further into it as a possibility of excessive force. However, in these cases, there were four different officers involved and upon review, they all followed policy and procedures accordingly,” Grootens said. “They were all being arrested and they all resisted arrest. Of all the arrests made by Jacksonville officers in the past three years for resisting or obstructing a peace officer, only 1.5 percent of those arrested sought medical attention.”
Six said she and other protesters were seeking support from Mayor Andy Ezard. “We have met with him and have been to city council meetings,” she said. “I spoke at a city council meeting and they had no comment at all.”
The protesters marched from the courthouse to city hall Wednesday to speak with Ezard.
“I certainly respect and appreciate their concerns and when the investigations into their allegations are complete, we will take a long look and see if there is a trend and deal with it as necessary,” Ezard said.
Six said many of those who attended the rally are friends and relatives of the four Jacksonville men who have accused Jacksonville police of using excessive force.
“I hope for more training and hope that Chief Grootens reprimands these officers for their wrongdoings,” Six said.
The other three men who claimed they were injured while being arrested are Bamako Walton, who suffered facial and hand injuries after being Tased in August 2010; Raymond Wilson, who suffered a broken leg in July; and Robert C. Black, who had three-quarters of his ear torn off when he was taken to the pavement by police on Feb. 10.