"I want you to read this story"

[babylonsister]

I want you to read this story

by Steven D
Sat Jun 14th, 2008 at 12:59:09 PM EST


As you read it (h/t to the field negro), ask yourself these questions: Would this have happened to a white woman who was stopped for a busted tail light on her car? And if it did, what would you expect from our justice system?

It was a little over a year ago when Rowana Riggs was stopped by Officer Christian E. Cory (Badge #1927) for driving with a defective tail light. She was heading home from Jackson's Mortuary where she was making preparations for her mother's burial.

The Officer pulled behind Ms. Riggs and followed her for several blocks, turning on his lights and sirens only as Ms. Riggs was approaching her Father's house. She continued the short distance to the driveway where she pulled in to a stop. Officer Cory pulled her car door open with such force that it damaged the hinges, now preventing the door from closing properly. He then grabbed Ms. Riggs and threw her to the ground.

Ms. Riggs claimed she was tasered and beaten in the face by the police officer. The police department disputed her account, and after an internal investigation, the Wichita Police Department exonerated Officer Cory of any wrongdoing. However, 2 separate and independent medical examinations of Ms. Riggs concluded that she had incurred facial contusions in and around her "right orbit and right zygomatic arch over her right eye . . ." Here is a picture of what she looked like after her motor vehicle was stopped by Officer Cory and she was removed forcibly from her car:



With the help of the Wichita NAACP, Ms. Riggs filed a civil rights complaint with the FBI, the US Attorney's office in Kansas and the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. The Department of Justice finally got back to her recently with its conclusions regarding her complaint:

{L}ast Tuesday, after a year of waiting, I received a letter from the Civil Rights division of the Department of Justice stating that after "reviewing" the facts, they had concluded that no Civil Rights violations had taken place.

The Wichita NAACP representatives state that they will continue to pursue this case on behalf of Ms. Riggs. I wish them all the luck in the world. But something tells me that so long as George W. Bush is President of these United States, the odds of convincing the DOJ to do anything on behalf of Ms. Riggs is less than zero. And I suspect it will remain less than zero if John McCain is elected President, also.

more...

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2008/6/14/12011/3547

[LakeSamish706]

1. I am so looking forward to change in this country with a Barack Obama...

Presidency.

"something tells me that so long as George W. Bush is President of these United States, the odds of convincing the DOJ to do anything on behalf of Ms. Riggs is less than zero. And I suspect it will remain less than zero if John McCain is elected President, also."

I think that many if not most of us here on DU will concur with you on the above note.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm imagining a day when someone might be heading up the DOJ

that we might be able to finally trust. Be still, my heart! What a concept!

[LakeSamish706]

3. Like an AG Edwards perhaps? Now that would be so awesome! n/t

[babylonsister]

4. Another name that would make my day is Wexler for AG.

I guess we'll soon see.

[bobbolink]

6. Wexler would be great.. good idea! However, he is also needed right where he is.

Would it be possible to have him cloned?

Its sad that there are so few Dems with the backbone needed to truly lead this country.

:cry:

:patriot: for Wexler

[40ozDonkey]

9. No no, please, use Wex in a future cabinet!

We'll find another Dem in this district, it's solid solid blue. Florida is notorious for their milquetoast DINOs but Wexler is a boon that's too good to keep to ourselves.

[bobbolink]

15. I don't claim to have any power over *any* of these choices.

:)

I was just pointing out that he is one of the rare Dems with spine, and is badly needed in more than one location.

OK? Was that worded better?

[crikkett]

8. Damn you, you gave me a moment of hope.

Just stop it.

Here I am at DU trying to maintain an even keel of cynicism and distrust until it's all over, and you come along spreading optimism and hope. How audacious.

I can't let myself even think of returning to the joyful and prosperous life I lived before the Bush administration. I can't let myself imagine justice returning to our country, much less administered by an AG Edwards. It's overwhelming.

It's because my household can't handle another bout of the devastating depression I suffered after Ohio in 2004. I was barely functional.

If this keeps up I'll have to resubscribe to cable news in order to be angry and bitter.

So just stop it, please.

PS:
:sarcasm:

[MadMaddie]

5. This my DU friends is called DWB - Driving While Black

Many want to believe the facade that everything is okay....beleive me it is not.

The officer beat her because of a tail light...this is * America....in many ways we have gone back 20 or so years. If McCain gets in it will continue to get worse.

[bobbolink]

7. the same is true for DWH-- Driving while homeless.

Believe me, it's a common occurrence.

And it has nothing to do with *.

It's our 'Murkin system of disdain for anyone "different".

[crikkett]

10. Not really, it's a fascist, militarized, underpaid police force

that hires psychopaths and lets them get away with anything.

[bobbolink]

14. Not really what? I'm not sure what part of my post you're disagreeing with..?

[crikkett]

18. "It's our 'Murkin system of disdain for anyone 'different'".

I should have said: I don't think it's institutionalized bigotry as much as it is institutionalized sociopathy.

(Sociopath and psychopath are sometimes used interchangeably and from what I read** the major difference between the two is that the sociopath is the one with the itchy trigger finger and the hot temper.)

**http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-psychopath-and-a-sociopath.htm

[Joe Chi Minh]

12. I think it's a little more formal in full: "Driving while in possession of a

black skin." I would add: "thereby rendering Caucasians to be melanin-challenged without due cause, and consequently, as we say in Scotland, "... causing them to look peelie wally." Probably, "with malice aforethought", under the canons of Southern jurisprudence.

[bobbolink]

16. "... causing them to look peelie wally."

:rofl:

Thanks.... I needed that today.

:hi: :yourock: :hi:

[Joe Chi Minh]

17. Good to hear. Incidentally, it's prononced, "wally", as in "dally" and "Sally" -

which makes it sound funnier imo.

[The Traveler]

11. This kind of stuff

makes it really frackin' hard to succeed at my objective of becoming a kinder, gentler, Trav. I hear stuff like this all the damn time and it really pisses me off. This is outrageous. Biased bullies with badges ... there is no place for guys like this in the law enforcement agencies of a free nation.

Yeah ... I'm ready for a change all right.

Trav

[onethatcares]

13. as long as there are tv shows

that show how bad everyone is, the stupid assholes that shouldn't be police officers will use anything as an excuse to beat someone. Jeez, what ever happened to our country? When did everyone that gets pulled over become such a danger to society that they have to be pulled out of their automobiles and stomped??