Milwaukee holds panel and vigil for Stolen Lives Day 2024
Milwaukee, WI – On Tuesday, October 22, the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) and numerous families of those impacted by police violence, lack of transparency, and by the conditions in the Milwaukee County Jail honored their loved ones in a panel and vigil for Stolen Lives Day at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, with around 100 people in attendance.
The MAARPR and the families of Sam Sharpe Jr, Earl Lawhorn Jr, Dontre Hamilton, Sade Robinson, and many more have been fighting for police accountability, better conditions in the Milwaukee County Jail (MCJ), and general transparency for the families of victims.
For this year’s Stolen Lives Day commemoration, they crafted the following demands: release of unredacted, and accurate Brady List of Milwaukee Officers; Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that demands Milwaukee-Area Investigative Team/Milwaukee Police Department give more frequent and concrete updates on progress of an officer-involved shooting or homicidal investigation; and updating SOP 575 to give families control over what investigation details are released to the media.
The first portion of the Tuesday night’s program consisted of many families giving their stories. Lo Cross, co-chair of the Milwaukee Alliance, stressed the importance of having the families tell their stories, stating “these stories give fuel and strength to our mass movement.”
None of these Milwaukee families asked to be put into these situations. Debra Jenkins, mother of Larry Jenkins, expressed this by stating, “We didn’t choose to be in this group.” However, these families have found much optimism and strength supporting each other in order to continue fighting together. Taleavia Cole, sister of Alvin Cole, shared this sentiment, stating, “We have the power, we have the bigger voice.”
As families recounted details of their cases and the work they have done, it was obvious to all in attendance that Milwaukee is home to families who are helping shape the movement to end police crimes.
After the families spoke, the crowd then transitioned outside for a brief candlelight vigil, reading off a long list of police crimes victims in Milwaukee. This year’s Stolen Lives Day commemoration concluded with a direction towards upcoming actions to continue advancing the struggle.