Press Conference and Rally in the Bronx Against Police Terror
Juanita Young Support Committee
Contact: Kathie Cheng 917-414-4612
43rd Precinct police AGAIN terrorize the family and neighbors of Bronx grandmother and activist awarded $10 million for the wrongful death of her son by NYPD and acquitted last year by a jury of bogus charges leveled against her by police who brutalized her in her own home three years ago
On Monday, August 10th at 5:30pm, community leaders and residents, supporters and activists will join Bronx grandmother Juanita Young in a press conference and rally against police violence and abuse in front of 1772 East Tremont Avenue in the Bronx (between St. Lawrence and Commonwealth Avenues; 2/5 trains to East 180th Street). Immediately after, there will be a march to the 43rd Precinct at 900 Fteley Avenue (off Story Avenue; 6 train to Morrison-Soundview) demanding an end to police terror and harassment of Young and her family.
According to one eyewitness about August 8th: “A little after 11pm Saturday night, I was standing in front of Juanita's building when this all went down (Juanita was having a cookout in the backyard, but sitting out front with her kids, grandbabies, neighbors and friends). The 43rd precinct had been driving around the block all night (and all week, apparently), stopping and searching just about every male that was on that block (while I was there, one young man was stopped as he was coming out of the corner store with Reese's peanut butter cups in his hands). Over a dozen cops seemed to appear out of nowhere, broke the front door down, slammed JJ (Juanita's oldest son) up behind the door, and beat him on the head while cuffing him. This was all happening with kids and babies around (photos posted at http://nyc.indymedia.org/en/2009/08/106826.html). I was told later that the cops went upstairs into Juanita's apartment, made everyone get down on the floor, and also arrested her daughters Saran and Naya, Saran's baby's father Tyrell, their cousin Jason, and family friends Jonathan and Mike. They were brought to the 43rd precinct … According to those that [were released a few hours later], JJ is really bad off (I saw him throwing up when they were putting him into the car), with lumps on his head and he can't open his eyes because of the pepperspray.” After many phone calls to the precinct from all over the country, JJ was eventually taken to a hospital. He is to be arraigned Monday morning in Bronx Criminal Court. Everyone else was released with a summons for disorderly conduct.
Juanita Young and her family have had a long history of being targeted by the NYPD, especially the Bronx’s 43rd Precinct. This is mainly because she has been a strong and relentless voice against police brutality since the killing of her son, 23-year old Malcolm Ferguson, by plainclothes cop Louis Rivera on March 1, 2000. While the DA and NYPD ruled Ferguson’s death as a “justifiable homicide,” a Bronx jury awarded Young $10 million in a wrongful death suit (more than her attorneys had asked for). Young is also strong in her support of other families whose loved ones have died at the hands of the law enforcement, joining with other families in Parents Against Police Brutality and through her work with The October 22 Coalition and The Justice Committee. This latest attack on her family is another attempt to intimidate Young – through striking out at her loved ones – in hopes of silencing this powerful voice against police brutality.
