Hundreds of people --
perhaps even a thousand -- are expected to join in on a "solidarity
march" in support of a woman allegedly blinded in a DUI stop by a Beaumont
police officer, organizers said this week.
Monique Hernandez, 31,
suffered severe eye trauma as a result of a high-powered pepper spray device
used on her by an officer arresting her on suspicion of DUI on Feb. 21,
according to the Riverside County District Attorney's office.
Even though that police
officer, Enoch Clark, is being prosecuted by the district attorney's office on
assault charges, Hernandez has retained a private attorney to represent her.
That attorney, Milton Grimes, is one of those scheduled to speak at the
solidarity march, and told Banning-Beaumont Patch on Tuesday that he was hoping
for a thousand people or more to show up to the event.
On June 2, demonstrators
will gather at Rangel Park at noon to first listen to the guest speakers before
heading out on the mile-long walk to Beaumont Civic Center at 2 p.m.
"We are coming
together in our Solidarity March to send a clear message, this type of actions
will not be tolerated in our community by law enforcement and to send a message
to our Riverside County District Attorney, no plea bargains, we want a jury to
decide this case," organizer Victor Dominguez said.
Dominguez said that he and
the Hernandez family have seen "overwhelming" support from the
community for the march. "We understand this a criminal action done by One
Beaumont Police Officer and not the Beaumont Police Department," he said.
"Our local law enforcement does a wonderful job keeping our families safe,
however Officer Clark will stand trial and we expect the maximum punishment to
be sentenced if and when he is proven guilty in court."