Community condemns the bogus misdemeanor verdict and sentencing of Kieanna Garrett
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
Lakeland, FL – On March 19, Kieanna Garrett was found guilty on the bogus charge of resisting arrest without violence and was immediately taken into custody. This charge is tied to the day that Kienna was stopped by a group of plain-clothed cops who threw themselves in front of her vehicle, guns drawn, yelling to, “get out of the fucking car.” This is the same day that Kieanna was brutalized by Dillon Cornn, a Lakeland Police Department Officer that has a recorded history of stalking, harassing, and terrorizing Lakeland community members and who is currently under a gag order for perjury in court.
This verdict was delivered by a six-person jury – majority of which were white – with over half of the jury having a connection to a law enforcement officer by familial or friendly association. This was not a jury of her peers, but rather, this was one moving part in this sham trial. Kieanna’s public defender failed her as does the U.S. justice system does for many oppressed nationalities and did not present a robust legal argument despite Kieanna’s attempts to get her public defender to fight for her. Although Kieanna was detailed, consistent, and accurate in detailing what happened on the day she was wrongfully arrested and horribly brutalized by Lakeland PD, it fell on deaf ears. This was intensified by the state’s shoddy legal argument and officer Thompson’s inconsistent narrative, lies, and deflection. It should also be said that even if Kieanna was found not guilty on the count of this charge, the state was intent on trying Kieanna on another charge after this split court proceeding; this is a blatant sign that the state didn’t care about “truth” or “justice.” They wanted Kieanna to receive a jail sentence one way or another.
As Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, we have worked closely alongside Kieanna throughout her fight to get her unjust charges dropped and hold Lakeland PD accountable for their heinous actions. Several months prior, we celebrated a major victory when Kieanna’s false felony charges were acquitted after a number of Lakeland PD officers were found to be committing perjury in a court of law. To say that we are shocked at this verdict and sentencing of this court proceeding would be a blatant understatement.
We also vehemently condemn Judge Dick Prince’s lack of care in regard to jury selection, cognizant compliance with the state’s sentencing known to be financially and personally detrimental to Kieanna, and willingness to impose harsh punishment on top of false charges that have been materially consequential to Kieanna and her family’s livelihood. Regardless, we see all this as a sign of weakness and cowardice on the part of Lakeland PD, the city of Lakeland, and the state as a whole; this is an attempt to silence Kieanna and TAARPR who have been working to expose the corrupt and rotted policing system that has historically worked to harm and disenfranchise Black communities in Lakeland and beyond. However, we are not deterred. We will continue to fight for Kieanna as we have all these years, and we refuse to back down!