On January 9, 2013, I was pulled over with a friend by the Norfolk Police Department officers. During stop, I was told by one Officer Plaza that I could go, while another officer told me I had to stay in a refusal to respect the other officer call. At the time that the officer was telling me to go while the female officer Tessier was saying that …I could not leave, her head was so close to the car that if I would have pulled off than it was a good chance that she would have been hit. I stayed still and asked calmly the female officer could I leave. She repeated that I could not go and could care less about her fellow officer decision to leave. I followed the ruling that was that stated by the U.S Supreme Court that if you are told to stay by a police order after asking if you are free to leave and there is no legal justification than the seizure becomes unreasonable and illegal. My car was perfectly fine and legal to be on the road, but sometimes police officers lose control of their professionalism and job duties when they run into people that know their rights. Mr. Johnson shows the ultimate consequence of dealing with police under certain conditions. The deadly consequences that come from dealing with the police. Mr. Johnson stuck a officer which is not in dispute, however whether it was intentional or a split second action that could have been prevented in its totality is still a matter of dispute in the community because the city has refused to release the final moments of Mr. Johnson life. The City of Norfolk, Va has refused to release the tape of this traffic stop. However, I feel it would have been released if it had been favorable to the police. I think about this tragic death at the hands of police every time I spend a minute working on this lawsuit which was approved to move forward in Norfolk, Va Federal Courts. I even asserted his tragedy in my case of the consequences if I had to decided to go with one officer request, even though I knew it could endanger or hurt another officer and be interpreted as grounds to kill another black man. Mr. Johnson is not going to be forgotten and the issue will not be ignored as more and more people take the fear that they have and use it for positive growth. A complaint that is taken up by a citizen and its proved makes the police departments and city government more efficient. It is your duty to report abuse and to take a stand against it. It is the public job to debate the justice and to make sure it is administered equally. 2pac said it best, the power is in the people and into the politics that is addressed! This message may only be of words of encouragement as they continue to grieve for their loved ones, God gave his only begotten son so that we could live.” Your son is still god son, and some are living but dying inside. However, his life and death is motivation for new breath of life in those to make sure it does not continue to happen again!
Thank you Mr. Johnson and your Family/Friends,
Merle T. Rutledge — with Michael J. Muhammad.See More
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