Race may be factor in police shooting of unarmed elderly man (Homer, LA)

[marmar]

from the Chicago Tribune:



Race may be factor in police shooting of unarmed elderly man
By Howard Witt | Tribune correspondent

March 13, 2009


HOMER, La.—On the last afternoon of his life, Bernard Monroe was hosting a cookout for family and friends in front of his dilapidated home on Adams Street in this small northern Louisiana town.

Throat cancer had robbed the 73-year-old retired electric utility worker of his voice years ago, but family members said Monroe was clearly enjoying the commotion of a dozen of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren cavorting around him in the dusty, grassless yard.

Then the Homer police showed up, two white officers whose arrival caused the participants at the black family gathering to quickly fall silent.

Within moments, Monroe lay dead, shot by one of the officers as his family looked on.

Now the Louisiana State Police, the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department are swarming over this impoverished lumber town of 3,800, drawn by the allegations of numerous witnesses that police killed an unarmed, elderly black man without justification—and then moved a gun to make it look like the man had been holding it.

"We are closely monitoring the events in Homer," said Donald Washington, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. "I understand that a number of allegations are being made that, if true, would be serious enough for us to follow up on very quickly." .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-race-shootings-webmar13,0,7686526.story

[MadMaddie]

1. And some things never change

I am curious to know why they were looking for the son? The police chief has a problem with minorities that is obvious. The cop that shot an unarmed man must be prosecuted.

[Gman]

2. Rest assured...

this will be handled much differently than things like this have been handled in the last 8 years.

[elleng]

3. Sure hope so.

Donald Washington, U.S. Attorney

http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=9986525