Police Brutality

HERMAN WHITFIELD III'S MOTHER CALLED FOR AN AMBULANCEINSTEAD SIX IMPD OFFICERS SHOWED UP & KILLED HIM IN FRONT OF HIS PARENTS On April 25, 2022, Herman Whitfield, III was experiencing a mental health crisis at his parents' home.  His mother called for an ambulance, but six Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers showed up instead. Without any threat or provocation, IMPD officers tasered Herman III twice, double handcuffed him, kept him positioned with weight on his chest and ignored his cries for help. Then, officers waited approximately three minutes for paramedics to arrive as Herman III laid on his chest and motionless on his parents' living room floor. After killing Herman III in front of his parents, IMPD further victimized his parents by telling them that they tasered Herman III “just a little bit”; ordering them not to leave their house to go to the hospital to see their son; searching their home within minutes of killing Herman III and without a warrant; and threatening Herman’s mother with arrest simply because she objected to a search of their home. In July 2022, the coroner’s office determined that the IMPD killed Herman III. IMPD has refused the family's and community calls to release the complete and unedited body camera footage.  And, IMPD has not terminated the police officers who killed Herman III and made his parents witness the homicide of their son. The Whitfield Family is asking for the local, state, and world community to join them in calling on the Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili, IMPD Police Chief Randal Taylor, IMPD General Orders Board Member Lahny Silva, and the Indianapolis Citizen's Police Complaint Board IMMEDIATELY: DEMAND #1Release the Complete & Unedited Body Camera Footage for Every Officer Who Went to the Whitfield Home on April 25, 2022 to Attorneys, the Press, Organizers & the Public DEMAND #2Terminate Every Officer Involved in the Homicide of Herman Whitfield, III and the Violation of His Parents' Rights to Prevent Harm to Other Community Members DEMAND #3Arrest & Prosecute & Imprison Every Officer Involved in the Homicide of Herman Whitfield III and the Violation of His Parents' Rights DEMAND #4Request U.S. Department of Justice & FBI Investigations of the Homicide of Herman Whitfield III & IMPD's Policies and Practices STAND AGAINST POLICE KILLINGS & DEMAND THAT INDIANAPOLIS OFFICIALS TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE POLICE FOR THE HOMICIDE OF HERMAN WHITFIELD III. Learn more and sign up to stay involved in actions at www.justice4herman3rd.org Note:  Money sent through change.org goes to change.org and MONEY DOES NOT GO TO the Whitfield Family or the Justice for Herman III Campaign.

At the age of 15, LaKeith Smith was taken into custody for the murder of his friend A'donte Washington who was killed by the police; an undisputed fact. After being sentenced to 65 years in maximum security, a team of advocates came together to save LaKeith's life from a sentence to die in prison. In 2015, LaKeith Smith and five other young boys broke into two residential homes during the day. At the age of 15, LaKeith was the youngest of the group. In response, the police were called to the scene and gunfire erupted. Amidst the conflict and being frightened by the sounds of gunshots, LaKeith ran away and hid. His friend, A’Donte Washington, 16, was tragically shot and killed by the officer during an alleged shoot-out between the two - a shoot-out that was both incorrectly reported and contradicted by ballistic reports.  Despite his lack of involvement, LaKeith was charged and tried for the murder of A’Donte Washington. At 15, Lakieth Smith was NOT offered juvenile detention. Instead, the DA transferred LaKeith to an adult court and offered him a plea deal of “only” 25 years. LaKeith, being a child with a life ahead of him, declined the plea deal and exercised his constitutional right to a trial. Ultimately, when LaKeith was given his day in court, he was found guilty of all counts by an all-white jury. When it came to his sentencing, the judge subjected LaKeith to a 65-year sentence in prison (30 years for murder, 15 years for burglary, and 10 years each for two theft convictions to run consecutively). Only recently has his sentence been reduced to 55 years and none of the reduction came from an acquittal of murder. LaKeith Smith remains confined in Saint Clair, one of America's most dangerous maximum-security prisons. LaKeith was non-violent, he did not endanger anyone, and he certainly did not fire the bullet that murdered his friend. It is likely that if LaKeith had been tried as a juvenile and/or tried appropriately for the burglary, he would be free today. He has served 7 years of his 55 year sentence.  With a 15% approval rate in 2021, Alabama’s judiciary is setting LaKeith up to remain in prison until he is 70 years old. In a study conducted by the CDC, data shows the average life expectancy for a Black man in America is 72.2 years old. LaKeith Smith has essentially received a life sentence for a crime he never committed. It has been almost two years since the JUSTICE4LAKEITHSMITH campaign started. Since then, a team of advocates have been fighting to save LaKeith from dying in prison. We ask for your help. Please share this petition and support the campaign to help us raise awareness about his story and reach decision-makers that can vacate the murder conviction. Thank you.

Tyre Nichols was not my biological brother but I couldn't be any closer to his family. And now he’s dead at the hands of five police officers. His mother took me in and provided me with a place to stay in 1998, when I was pregnant with my first child. Tyre was only 6 when I met him and he was a very good kid. I never had a problem watching him, he was never into any trouble. I had to do something to show my love, support and appreciation,  so I started this Petition in hopes of helping get justice...  Tyre was a 29-year-old a father of a beautiful little boy. He was stopped at a traffic stop and then BRUTALLY BEAT AND MURDERED BY THE HANDS OF THE MEMPHIS TENNESSEE POLICE DEPARTMENTS SCORPION UNIT. HE WAS BEAT SO HORRIFICALLY THAT HE DIED 3 DAYS LATER. All because of a traffic stop we'll never be able to see his beautiful bright smile again that lit up so many rooms. He was a man that deserves to be protected by the police, not beat into critical condition by them!!! He was a regular man who enjoyed riding his skateboard, drinking Starbucks and doing photography!!!  These murderers had their employment terminated but we want justice and MURDER CONVICTIONS for everyone involved. MPD officers violated multiple department policies, including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid. "As officers approached Tyre in his vehicle, a confrontation occurred, and Tyre fled the scene on foot. Officers pursued Tyre and again attempted to take the suspect into custody. Afterwards, Tyre complained of having shortness of breath, at which time an ambulance was called to the scene. Tyre was transported to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition." Tyre "succumbed to his injuries" on January 10, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The bureau is investigating whether any of the officers committed criminal offences!!!  The footage will first be shown to Nichols family and their attorney Ben Crump on Monday Tyre leaves behind his son, Mother, Father, sisters, brothers and host of Aunt's Uncles and Friends...  We want Justice  Justice for Tyre Nichols                             

Semi-comatose on the ground with nothing in his hands, police fired 31 bullets at point-blank, killing Juston Root.  He posed NO conceivable THREAT.  To date ZERO #transparency and ZERO #accountability. No body camera footage of the killing.  CAN WE COUNT ON YOU to sign our petition?    Let's ALL show the Newly appointed Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell that an independent investigation is imperative! Click here to sign our petition. On Feb. 7th, 2020, Juston was just outside the mental health center where he received treatment for 8+ years, located in Boston at the campus of Brigham & Women’s Hospital. He had an oversized clear plastic paintball gun in his waist.  One of the hospital's security guards had a conversation with Juston and concluded that something was "seriously off' with him.  They shook hands and Juston walked away.  The Boston Police were called with a report of a person with a gun.  When officers arrived, one of them used deadly force immediately, injuring Juston. He limped to his car, one of his legs was bleeding badly, he got in his car and drove away slowly. The Boston Police ensued a car chase, and minutes later Juston's car crashed.  He staggered out (leaving approx 2000cc of blood on his carseat), dropped to the ground nearby, covered in blood. A former EMT passerby rushed over to give him aid, she described his condition as “lights off, no one home”.  Moments later, the Police arrived, yelling at the former EMT to get away from Juston. Seconds after she ran one officer kicked Juston, and then the six officers shot 31 bullets from point blank range, killing Juston instantly.  He posed no conceivable threat to the officers or the public.  He was unarmed and had nothing in his hands.   The Norfolk DA exonerated these officers after just one month. Critical evidence and important witness statements were left out of the DA's final report, including the former EMT who was there right before Juston was shot to death. The police have not released any footage of the actual shooting. The report says only one officer had a body camera on and filming, but their arm obstructed the lens just before the officers fired. The report is wholly inadequate and far from transparent. Our family and the public deserve no less than the truth.  The only way to get the truth is for an impartial transparent independent investigation into Juston’s killing.    We DEMAND Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Governor Maura Healey and Boston's Mayor Michelle Wu appoint an independent investigator immediately. Thank you for your support! http://www.JustonRoot.com Twitter:  @JustonRoot