CREW: Charges Dismissed Against Rev. Yearwood!! Who Was Targeted and Tackled by Capitol Police

[babylonsister]

http://www.commondreams.org/news2007/1001-10.htm


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1, 2007
3:19 PM


CONTACT: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Naomi Seligman Steiner 202.408.5565 [e-mail]

Charges Dismissed Against African-American Minister Targeted and Tackled by Capitol Police


WASHINGTON - October 1 – Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., president of the Hip Hop Caucus and peace activist, announced today that the D.C. Superior Court dismissed charges against him of assaulting a Capitol Police officer while in line to attend a hearing in the House of Representatives. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) represents Rev. Yearwood in his case.

On September 10th, Rev. Yearwood waited in the line for several hours in order to watch General David Petraeus testify before Congress. Minutes before the start of the hearing, Rev. Yearwood was told by Capitol Police that he would not be allowed to enter. When Rev. Yearwood questioned why he was being excluded from the open hearing, he was surrounded by officers and tackled to the ground. He suffered torn ligaments and a sprained ankle.

Rev. Yearwood received letters of support from organizations including Amnesty International and the Black Leadership Forum. Americans across the country contacted the Capitol Police Department and members of Congress about the extreme and unjust charges.

The entire incident was caught on film and is available here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qiradcejA6o

Rev. Yearwood said leaving the courtroom Friday, "I am relieved the charges were dropped, but they never should have been brought against me. This one incident in 2007 has moved us back to 1957, where people of color are once again afraid to walk the halls of Congress. I am more heartbroken for the young people for whom I work to make government more accessible and transparent, who are now fearful of coming to the Capitol. We have an apartheid political system, where democracy while Black isn't the same as democracy while White. These officers and the U.S. Capitol Police must be held accountable by our members of Congress for their horrendous actions."

Anne Weismann, CREW's chief counsel said today, "While we are gratified that these charges against Reverend Yearwood have been dismissed, we remain outraged that he was arrested in first place. We hope that the House Leadership will review this incident and take steps to ensure that it never happens again."

Rev. Yearwood still faces charges of disorderly conduct stemming from this incident.

***

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/[e-mail].

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[TomInTib]

1. Good, that was a bs charge.

But I will bet the disorderly sticks.

[ThomCat]

2. Conviction was never the goal.

As long as law enforcement can keep making bullshit arrests they are going to suppress free speach.

As long as they can violently attack someone, and the focus is on what the victim did or didn't do wrong, the real attackers have a free pass to keep attacking people.

The goal was to frighten people and suppress protest. If people worry about this happening to them then the it worked.

Law enforcement is becoming increasingly brutal and violent towards lawful protestors, even before the protests begin, or outside of protest situations. They keep doing it for a reason, and it's working.
x(

[EFerrari]

3. That's right.

Last night, LinkTv aired "Berkeley in the 60s" and one young woman was protesting in Sproul Hall, the main admin building. She was asked, "Are w egoing to have to drag you out or are you walking out like a lady?"

"I'm going to be dragged out of here like a lady." :)

[liberalnurse]

4. This is not over.....

I have a feeling..........

[EFerrari]

9. No, in fact, I think it will get worse until after the election.

That's a long time. :(

[Gregorian]

5. We're up against seriously difficult times. People don't even know it.

They're reaping the fruits of the drug war. The police population seems to have escalated greatly over the last couple of decades.

Invent a crime, and the cops will come. Disgusting.

I'd like an apology from those who were running around this forum criticizing us for supporting the reverend.

[Robb]

6. Good to hear his leg isn't broken

I agree, the disorderly conduct charges will likely stick.

[DrDebug]

7. K&R

Power to the People
Impeach Bush
Power to the People
Impeach Bush
Power to the People
Impeach Bush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wos-dDxpJlQ

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. I am ashamed of Yearwood. HOW DARE HE

act in a disorderly way while being tackled by large, heavily armed, body-wearing armor thugs? Just WHERE does he get the right? huh? huh?

Throw him in jail and toss the key! Or better yet, send him away with Burmese monks.

unfortunately, the House Leadership currently looks at us and Yearwood as irritating people who get in the way of their doing things as usual.

[reggie the dog]

12. quite right old chap

and while we are at it we shold throw that damned unamerican Kucinich in jail for aiding the enemy,

but seriously I hope this guy sues the shit out of the cops.

[Breeze54]

10. Good!

The use of force was over the top!

I hope they drop the other charge as well!

:kick: & Recommended!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. Excellent!

This is great news!

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. Yes!!

Great news

[tblue37]

14. He should sue. The charges should not have been brought, so

dropping them does nothing to address the abuse he suffered at the hands of the cops.

[emlev]

16. I sure hope he's looking into that possibility. n/t

[Richard Steele]

15. Good. Now, where are the "DUers" who defended that bullshit? K&R

[gratuitous]

17. Skedaddled, I reckon

And now that Rev. Yearwood has a diagnosis, we're not hearing a whole lot about that, either.

Curious, ain't it?