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2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 Gold Cup Newspaper Missouri Press Association
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited OCT. 26 – NOV. 1, 2017
Vol. 89 No. 31 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
‘My heart cries on the inside’
Public weighs in on police chief search Activists demand immediate action on O’Toole, equitable policing By Jessica Karins For The St. Louis American
Melissa McKinnies walked through the crowd and randomly asked for more information about the names on their shirts. Toni Taylor had the name of her son, Cary Ball Jr., on the front of her shirt – along with his age when he died – but she spoke of 14-year-old Andrew Joseph III and Gary Joseph Jr. “Justice for all,” Taylor said. “Stop police terror.” After a few descriptions, it was time for a
After hearing comments from the public on October 24, the Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) involved in the search for a new St. Louis police chief resolved to make a change to the process – involving those who have been adversely affected by police actions directly in the interview process. When members of the public spoke out against the CAC’s perceived inability to represent the interests of those most n “I don’t respect affected by the police, the panel ended the police officers portion of their who don’t believe public meeting by voting that they work for to address the issue. The committee said you.” they would find a way to include these – Jimmie Edwards communities directly in the process, mentioning homeless youth as well as those who have been arrested or incarcerated. While they did not make any final decisions, CAC members expressed a desire to include these groups in the panel interviews they will conduct with candidates for the job. David Dwight, co-chair of the committee and member of Forward Through Ferguson, began the meeting by introducing newly appointed Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards. The CAC received a transcript of interviews of St. Louis citizens, conducted by Edwards, about what they wanted from their police department. The common theme, he said, was that everyone wanted more equitable policing. As Public Safety director, Edwards and Mayor
See DIE-IN, A7
See SEARCH, A7
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
A child sat up during a die-in in front of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters on Sunday, October 22.
Families of those killed by police get emotional during protestor die-in By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
n “Justice for all. Stop police terror.”
Hundreds of people gathered in front of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters at 20th and Olive to prepare for their latest action on the afternoon of Sunday, October 22. “If you need a shirt, raise your hand,” a voice said from within the crowd. “If you have an extra shirt, raise your hand.” Those with extras were already wearing white T-shirts with the name of an individual
– Toni Taylor
who had died at the hands of police written across the front. Red paint – some with handprints – was smeared across some of the shirts.
‘It’s reminiscent of counterterrorism tactics’ A St. Louis police officer continued to pepper-spray a protestor as he was walking away during a protest in St. Louis on September 29. Police use of pepper spray in apparent retaliation against protestors is under review by a federal judge in a suit brought by the an American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.
Protestors, bystanders testify about alleged police abuse in ACLU trial By Jessica Karins For The St. Louis American In the last day of the federal injunction hearing in an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Missouri lawsuit against the City of St. Louis, the two sides presented their legal arguments about whether police officers need more regulation and what the future of protest policing in St. Louis should look like. ACLU lawyer Anthony Rothert made the first argument on Monday, October 23,
asking federal judge Catherine D. Perry to issue an injunction more firmly defining the limits of police behavior at protests. Rothert argued that the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) had clearly violated the First Amendment rights of protesters during the response to protests of the Jason Stockley not-guilty verdict. The SLMPD is currently bound by the settlement in the 2015 case of Templeton v.
See ACLU, A6
Photo by Lawrence Bryant