#justiceforstephon

[theloneookami]

They’ll talk about how unruly we are while standing behind the Parkland kids ( and I agree with those kids too.)Mr.Clark didn’t deserve to die like that. The sad fucked up part is that those Parkland kids are closer to justice and “ change” than Stephon Clark and his family.

Thats just the way it is here, we may not be a third world country but the way people are treated here just for being different is just so mentally draining. I’m just fucking tired.

[letters4thelost]

Stephon Clark

In the late evening of march 18th, 2018, Stephon Clark, a 22 year old black American man was shot and killed in Sacramento by Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet, two Sacramento Police Officers. He was in his grandmother’s backyard with a phone in his hand. 

The encounter was filmed by police video cameras and a department helicopter involved in observing Clark. The officers stated that they shot Stephon Clark believing that he pointed a gun at them. He was unarmed and only had his cellphone in hand. They also stated that Stephon was the suspect responsible for breaking windows in the area prior to the encounter. 

This young man was shot 8 times, including 6 times in the back. The officers were placed on paid administrative leave and the Sacramento police department opened a use of force investigation. On march 2nd, 2019 the Sacramento district attorney, Anne Marie Schubert, stated that the officers would not be charged and that they had probable cause to use lethal force and thus their actions were legally justified. 

“When we look at all of these facts and circumstances” district attorney Anne Marie Schubert said, “we ask ourselves, was a crime committed?”

“The answer is no”

District attorney Anne Marie Schubert is wrong. There is no question of the fact that Stephon Clark was innocent, unarmed and did in no way deserve to die. Stephon graduated from Sacramento High School and was on the football team. He had been arrested prior to the incident but according to his brother he really changed his life. 

Regardless of prior offences this young man did not deserve to die and white police officers should not have the power to decide when an innocent black man dies. Once again police officers committ murder and are not held accountable. This is absolutely disgusting. Stephon was a person no matter his background and his life mattered. We will remember this gross misconduct and keep fighting for justice. 

Love and strength to the family.

Stephon Clark. We will never forget your story. We will never forget your name.

Please listen to episode 14 “How to Make Police Brutality Illegal” of Shaun King’s The Breakdown on apple podcast or spotify to learn more about how the system allows white police officers to not be held accountable for their crimes and what you can do to help. 

References 

“Shooting of Stephon Clark.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Oct. 2019, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Stephon_Clark.

Kempa, David. “Stephon Clark: Police Officers Who Shot Man Eight Times Will Not Be Charged.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 3 Mar. 2019, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/mar/02/stephon-clark-police-officers-no-charges.

Del, Jose A. “No Charges in Sacramento Police Shooting of Stephon Clark.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Mar. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/03/02/us/stephon-clark-police-shooting-sacramento.html.

[vegan4jesus]

The death penalty is illegal in Illinois -- yet the cops think it's perfectly fine to take on the role of judge, jury and executioner when black lives are at stake. They know that the system has no intention of holding them accountable -- it grants them impunity so that they can perform their function of "containing" poor and oppressed groups. Fredrick Douglass famously said that "Without struggle, there is no progress" -- and this is a case in point. Without mass movements, the system will go on doing the destructive and cruel things it's already doing. We say enough is enough. #JusticeForPaulOneal #JusticeForRekia #JusticeForStephon #JusticeForRonnieman #JusticeForLaquan #JusticeForThemAll #NotOneMore #StopTheCops #BlackLivesMatter #RahmResign #ResignRahm #RahmOutNow

[vegan4jesus]

The CPD thinks it should play the role of judge, jury and executioner. And the leaders of the system both encourage them to do so and protect them when they kill, harm and harass communities of color. #JusticeForPaulOneal #JusticeForRekia #JusticeForStephon #JusticeForRonnieman #JusticeForLaquan #JusticeForThemAll #NotOneMore #StopTheCops #BlackLivesMatter #RahmResign #ResignRahm #RahmOutNow

[blacklivesmatterchicago]

February 1, 11 am to 4 pm — Justice for Stephon: A Freedom Ride for #BlackLivesMatter — starts at Village Leadership Academy, 1001 W. Roosevelt. If you plan to join the Freedom Ride, you MUST register HERE.