Jacksonville, FL – There is no U.S. state attorney that has caused more injustice, tried more juveniles as adults, and spat in the face of more Black people than Florida State Attorney Angela Corey.

Since being elected to the position in 2008, State Attorney Angela Corey’s record has been one of scandal and high-profile political trials. This means the people of Jacksonville have a special responsibility to make sure she loses her upcoming primary on Aug. 30, which is closed to all but Republican voters because of a dirty move by her office. Why is it so important to get rid of Angela Corey, and what’s the best way to get rid of her?

A look at Angela Corey’s work over the past few years demonstrates why she’s the worst State Attorney in the U.S. Studying community efforts will answer how Jacksonville can finally get rid of Corey and strike a blow against racist discrimination and national oppression in Florida.

Disappointing high-profile cases

Florida tries more juveniles as adults than any other state in the country and Jacksonville’s Angela Corey tries more juveniles as adults than any other city in the state.

In 2011, Angela Corey oversaw the case of Christian Fernandez, a 12-year-old Latino boy who accidentally killed his younger brother. Corey’s grand jury indicted Christian Fernandez as an adult on charges of first degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Christian did time in solitary confinement at an adult facility before his trial, where he eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

In 2012, Republican Governor of Florida Rick Scott appointed Angela Corey to the trial of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Miraculously, unlike her case against 12-year-old Christian Fernandez, Corey famously failed to get a conviction of the killer and Zimmerman walked free. This injustice contributed to the creation of the Black Lives Matter slogan, organization and movement. Zimmerman has resurfaced in the media several times since he murdered Trayvon for additional misconduct.

In 2012, Corey also prosecuted a 31-year-old Black woman, Marissa Alexander, for firing a warning shot against her abusive husband. Although no one was harmed in the incident and the husband, Rico Gray, admitted to prosecutors that the abused Alexander tried to leave the home before things escalated, Corey had no problem convicting the innocent woman. After three years, Alexander eventually entered a plea deal and was released from prison.

In 2014, Corey was involved in the trial of Michael Dunn for the murder of Jordan Davis. Michael Dunn was a white killer who pulled a gun and fired ten shots into a car full of Black teenagers parked at a Jacksonville gas station after they refused Dunn’s demand that they turn off their loud music. None of the Black teenagers were armed, but thanks to Angela Corey, Dunn’s first trial resulted in a mistrial verdict. A mass movement brought the case national attention, and Dunn was eventually convicted of Jordan’s murder after a re-trial.

These are only a small handful of Corey’s worst cases, but they prove a point. If you are white and murder a Black youth, Angela Corey is going to protect you. If you are a young Black or Latino person, Angela Corey is probably going to try you as an adult and go for the harshest sentence possible. Chattel slavery and old Jim Crow laws have given way to a new system of Jim Crow discrimination in Jacksonville, with Angela Corey as a primary figurehead.

Rampant corruption and dirty politics

There have been several alleged scandals in Angela Corey’s office over the past few years.

According to some sources who worked for Corey in the past, her office may have hidden important information about Duval County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Margarita Arruza, who developed severe memory loss while on the job. Allegedly, this was kept secret from attorneys working with Arruza. If true, this means that hundreds of cases may be in question since the autopsy data Arruza collected may have been inaccurate.

In addition to that alleged corruption, Angela Corey’s current re-election campaign has also proven questionable. Angela Corey is running as a Republican against Melissa Nelson and Wes White, also Republicans, and a write-in Democratic party candidate.

Angela Corey’s campaign manager was exposed after personally filing paperwork for the Democratic party write-in candidate, who has no real chance of winning the office. Now that a Democrat has entered the State Attorney’s race, the primary has become closed and only those registered as Republicans can vote against Angela Corey on Aug. 30. Over 58% of Duval County citizens are not Republicans, and won’t get any say on Aug. 30. Effectively, whoever wins the Republican primary is almost sure to win against the underfunded and unorganized write-in candidate later this year. It’s worth noting that the write-in candidate is a long-time Angela Corey supporter and even donated money to her campaign in the past.

The story is as ridiculous as it sounds. Alexander Pantinakis resigned as Angela Corey’s campaign manager after local and national media broke the story.

Angela Corey clearly needs to go – it’s time to take a look at how the people of Jacksonville can get her out of office.

Mass political struggle needed in August

There are three main aspects to the fight against Angela Corey from now through the primary. These three aspects are grassroots struggle, using the media and voting.

The most important factor that can help bring Angela Corey’s reign to an end is the mass political struggle growing in Jacksonville. The city of Chicago has proven that a mass movement to remove a state attorney can be victorious. Across Jacksonville, rallies, meetings and teach-ins have been held about the need to get Corey out of office. Readers are welcome to follow the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) on Facebook for more information about upcoming events demanding Angela Corey out. By building a popular mass movement against the system of racial and national oppression Angela Corey represents, the people can defeat the rich and powerful supporters of a broken system.

There are three types of media coverage that will help get Angela Corey out of office – mainstream media coverage, independent media coverage, and social media coverage. Several local papers like the Folio and the Florida Times Union have been running articles that expose Angela Corey’s bad track record and corruption. Other sources like The Left Turn News Network and Fight Back! have been covering the fight against Corey from an independent perspective. Across Jacksonville and the entire nation, people are blogging and posting on social media about the terrible things Angela Corey has done and the corruption that is rampant in her office. Spreading the truth about Angela Corey makes it more likely she will lose power this year.

Several groups in town have banded together to form an alliance dedicated to getting everyone to temporarily change their party affiliation to Republican so they can vote Angela Corey out of office in the closed primary on Aug. 30. July 29 was the last day to change party affiliation and still vote in the primary, and reports indicate that efforts resulted in a few thousand citizens changing their party affiliation for the primary. This is good work that will help to strike a blow against the enemy, and will supplement other efforts to build a mass movement against Angela Corey.

Corey is running against Melissa Nelson and Wes White in the Republican primary. While neither Nelson nor White are the candidates Jacksonville deserves, Nelson defended 12-year-old Christian Fernandez back in 2012 and has the most support according to several polls. Wes White describes himself as a constitutional conservative and openly supports Donald Trump for president. Everyone should study the platforms of both candidates and ultimately vote against Angela Corey.

The road forward

People who can vote, should vote against Angela Corey on Aug. 30, and they should do even more to strike blows against her and the system she represents.

Getting Angela Corey out of office is not going to solve every problem Black and working-class people face in Jacksonville, but it will be a start. Across the nation, organizations are looking to the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) and their Civilian Police Accountability Council (CPAC) initiative – which essentially boils down to a strong, democratically elected police review board with serious teeth that can withstand intimidation and co-option by the system.

History has shown us that the masses are the makers of history, and when the right political line is applied to a mass struggle, the people can win real victories and strike blows against oppression. Jacksonville will be a center of struggle over the next few weeks, and by relying on the people and organizing in the community, justice is sure to prevail.

#JacksonvilleFl #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #TrayvonMartin #Florida #Antiracism #AngelaCorey #AngelaCoreyOutNow #PoliceBruatality

Jacksonville, FL – Over two dozen protesters gathered in front of Angela Corey's office, April 27, to demand she be removed from office. In Jacksonville, State Attorney Angela Corey is responsible for leading Florida in the imprisonment of juvenile offenders, most of whom are Black. From 2009 to 2013, Corey's office incarcerated 1475 juveniles in the Jacksonville area alone, compared to just 32 in Miami during the same period. In almost four out of five of cases, Corey threatened the juvenile defendant with being charged as an adult in order to coerce a plea deal, since adult charges carry harsher consequences.

The rally was organized by the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition and included families harmed by Corey's policies, students and Black Lives Matter activists from around the city.

The protest began with chants of, “Hey hey, ho ho, Angela Corey has got to go!” and “Money for jobs and education, not mass incarceration!” Several local TV news stations and a radio station came out to cover the event and conduct interviews. At the very beginning of the assembly, Angela Corey snuck out the back door of her office building and her employees left periodically in groups under the watch of several security guards as the protest took place.

Speakers addressed the crowd and called for Angela Corey to either resign or be removed from office by Governor Rick Scott. As her election day in November draws near, many groups around the city have ramped up the fight to get her out of office. Jacksonville Progressive Coalition member Wells Todd addressed the crowd, speaking about Corey's part in mass incarceration and juveniles being tried as adults. In fact, more juveniles are tried as adults in Duval County than anywhere else in the country. Several of the speakers addressed the national outrage at Corey for failing to win justice for Trayvon Martin's murder, and some mentioned the abuses Corey committed against Marissa Alexander, a Black woman incarcerated for defending herself from an abuser.

The evening's rally ended with a group photo on the steps of the State Attorney's office before protesters marched and chanted on the sidewalk. The fight to get Angela Corey out of office is heating up in Jacksonville and activists are prepared to fan the flames.

#JacksonvilleFL #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – About 25 people gathered in Friendship Park here, April 9, for a press conference to demand Angela Corey be removed from office. Angela Corey is the Florida state attorney responsible for prosecuting more death penalty cases in Duval County than anywhere else in the country, and for being third in the country for the number of minor offenders charged as adults. An overwhelming majority of those minors charged as adults with felonies are African American. Angela Corey is also responsible for letting George Zimmerman walk after the murder of Trayvon Martin and for locking Marissa Alexander up after Alexander was found guilty of firing a warning shot against her abusive husband. The press conference was called for by the Jacksonville Leadership Coalition, headed by the Reverend R.L. Gundy.

Several groups were invited to speak at the press conference, including the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) and Mad Moms: Mothers on a Mission. Many of those present were African Americans with family members who had been victimized by Angela Corey's policies. Wells Todd spoke for the JPC in front of several news cameras and microphones, stating that the fight to get Angela Corey out of office was heating up and that activists were targeting financial backers of Corey like Firehouse Subs and Safetouch Security Systems, as well as W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractors. Todd called for a boycott of these local businesses because of the financial donations made to Corey's last election campaign.

Several of the family members of incarcerated youth and activists were interviewed by local news stations after the press conference. Everyone who attended the event vowed to strike a blow against racism and national oppression by stepping up the fight to get Angela Corey out of office.

#JacksonvilleFl #PeoplesStruggles #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Florida #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey #JPC

Organizers from the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) called the event as part of its ongoing Angela Corey Out Now campaign. Several community groups like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) came out to the protest. Student activists from the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters in Tampa and Tallahassee also attended in support.

Corey leads the state in direct commitments (plea deals) of juvenile offenders, most of whom are African American. From 2009 to 2013, Corey's 4th Judicial Circuit incarcerated 1475 juveniles, compared to just 32 in Miami. While the criminal injustice system in the U.S. disproportionately incarcerates Blacks and Latinos, the situation in Jacksonville under Corey is even more disastrous. From 2006 to 2011, Black males comprised 70% of all juvenile offenders tried as adults by Corey, versus 52% statewide.

Corey's botched prosecution of Trayvon Martin's killer, George Zimmerman, and her vicious persecution of African American mother Marissa Alexander for firing a defensive warning shot sparked the campaign in 2014. Recently, the JPC has targeted many of Corey's corporate and financial backers, including W.W. Gay, Firehouse Subs, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, and BBVA/Compass bank. Corey is up for re-election this year.

The event kicked off to high enthusiasm in Riverside, a historic neighborhood in Jacksonville. Loud chants of “One, two, three, four – Angela Corey out the door,” and “Hey hey, ho ho, the New Jim Crow has got to go,” caught the attention of passing drivers, many of whom honked or shouted in support. Protesters carried signs reading, “No justice, no peace!” and “Stop supporting Angela Corey” and passed out leaflets about Corey to people out walking.

Later the crowd took over a lane of traffic on Stockton Street and marched to the front gates of W.W. Gay. Chants of “Kids deserve an education, not mass incarceration,” and “Whose streets? Our streets!” grew louder as the protesters marched under Interstate 10.

After arriving at W.W. Gay, Wells Todd from the JPC spoke before the crowd on Corey's attacks on Jacksonville's Black community. He blasted W.W. Gay and the Corey's other financial backers for directly supporting mass incarceration. Todd ended his speech by encouraging the crowd to keep marching and continue building a mass movement against racism.

W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor Inc. is a Jacksonville-based plumbing and industrial contractor giant that spans across Florida and the U.S. South. Along with its associated companies, W.W. Gay has invested thousands of dollars into Corey as state attorney since her first election in 2008. More than a year before the 2016 election, they had already given Corey $2000.

These companies directly benefit from the expansion of the criminal injustice system in Jacksonville, which Corey helps facilitate. In 2009, the city council awarded the $25 million Duval County Courthouse construction contract to W.W. Gay. More recently W.W. Gay and its associated companies landed major roles in the construction of the new state attorney's office building – a renovation project valued at almost $26 million.

The JPC will continue organizing to remove Corey from office and build a mass movement against racism in Jacksonville.

#JacksonvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey #AngelaCoreyOutNow

The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition has called for two rallies that will target major financial backers of Corey's previous campaign for state attorney and slam the companies for supporting Corey's racist policies.

The first rally will take place outside of SafeTouch Security Systems on Feb. 21 at 1:00 p.m. The address for SafeTouch Security Systems is 9600 Sunbeam Center Drive, Jacksonville, Florida.

The second rally will take place outside of W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor on Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. The address for W.W. Gay Mechanical Contractor is 524 Stockton Street, Jacksonville, Florida.

Fernando Figueroa of the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition had this to say about the upcoming events, “We are mobilizing community members and organizations from around Jacksonville who are tired of Angela Corey's reign of terror, where killers with badges are protected and Black people are oppressed. By protesting outside of her financial backers, we're looking to hit her next campaign for reelection in the pockets. I urge everyone who loves justice and equality to come speak out against Angela Corey. Our message is clear – we want Angela Corey out now!”

#JacksonvilleFL #TrayvonMartin #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – On August 8, activists in Jacksonville staged two demonstrations tied to the Black Lives Matter movement. In the morning, community organizers rallied for a press conference outside of the Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center against the mass incarceration of Black youth. Later that day, young activists led a Black Lives Matter march through downtown Jacksonville against racist police crimes.

Demonstration against mass incarceration and State Attorney Angela Corey at the Juvenile Detention Center

Around 11:00 a.m., the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) gathered outside of Duval Regional Juvenile Detention Center to speak out against State Attorney Angela Corey and racist prosecution practices that target Black youth. Corey's 4th Judicial Circuit leads the state of Florida in the charging of Black male juveniles as adults. However, Corey has never charged a police officer in her circuit with unlawful use of force, despite dozens of police killings in her nearly seven years in office.

Activists gathered around a banner with the slogan, “Black Lives Matter,” while handing out literature about mass incarceration to participants, spectators and media. Several members of the JPC and the community spoke about Corey and her role in the mass incarceration of Black people, particularly juveniles, in Duval County.

“We are here today at this Juvenile Detention Center to break the silence in Jacksonville concerning Angela Corey's mass incarceration regime,” said Wells Todd, a lead organizer with the JPC, during a speech at the event. “We are here today to speak out against our children being tried as adults. We are here to speak out against the intimidation tactics used by Angela Corey's office, intimidating children and their families into taking plea deals when there is not enough evidence to take the case to trial.”

Todd continued, “We are here because Angela Corey is building her career on the backs of our children, and we are saying we mean to stop her.”

After Todd's speech, the nearly 20-person crowd chanted “1, 2, 3, 4, Angela Corey out the door. 5, 6, 7, 8, we want justice, we can't wait.” Undeterred by the blistering Florida heat and the half dozen police cars that encircled the facility, they continued chanting for over an hour. Cars and cyclists that rode by honked and waved in support.

Other speakers at the demonstration tied the struggle against Corey with the Black Lives Matter movement around the country.

“We say 'Black Lives Matter' because Black lives have never mattered under this system,” said Connell Crooms, a member of the JPC and a deaf community organizer in Jacksonville. “This is an opportune time to force the issue. We can no longer be ignored. We will no longer be ignored.”

Youth-led Black Lives Matter courthouse rally marches through downtown

Later in the afternoon, more than 50 people from the Jacksonville community gathered outside the Duval County Courthouse. The event, organized by the newly formed Black Lives Matter Jax (BLMJAX), drew an energetic crowd of mostly young African-Americans.

“I think it is important to march for Black Lives Matter because it’s our job as millennials to take on this responsibility of fighting this new breed of racism, which is institutional,” said Joshua Parks, one of the main organizers of the event and a student at Howard University. “This form of racism is rather oblique. So it is our responsibility not only to bring attention and awareness to this issue through protest, civil disobedience and demonstration, but to also take action in attacking this covert system and all of the structures that uphold it.”

The crowd marched through downtown Jacksonville and chanted, “Hey hey, ho ho, the New Jim Crow has got to go,” and “No justice, no peace, no racist police.” Some carried signs that read “Jail killer cops, not Black youth,” “Angela Corey out now,” and “Straight outta patience,” the latter inspired by the album Straight Outta Compton by the hip-hop group N.W.A.

At the Landing, a popular tourist spot on the Saint Johns River in downtown, the crowd regrouped for a brief community discussion on racism and police crimes nationally. Speakers talked about the need to build a movement against white supremacy and discussed strategies to empower one another locally.

Members of BLMJAX spoke about many of the police crimes committed across the country, such as the suspicious circumstances of Sandra Bland's death in Texas. Bland was found dead in jail after a routine traffic stop.

D'Angelo Stallworth and police crimes in Jacksonville

A couple speakers at both events talked about the murder of 28-year-old African American D'Angelo Stallworth in Jacksonville on May 12. Stallworth, father of three, was shot six times by two white police officers, who claimed that they thought D'Angelo looked suspicious. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and an independent autopsy ordered by the family indicates that police shot him in the back as he ran away – in other words, executing him.

To date, State Attorney Angela Corey has not indicted either officer. JSO has refused to release the names of the two officers to the public.

#JacksonvilleFL #InJusticeSystem #AfricanAmerican #PoliceBrutality #Antiracism #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey #BlackLivesMatter #DangeloStallworth

Jacksonville, FL – Over a dozen protestors gathered outside the Duval County Courthouse on June 8 to demand Justice for D'Angelo Stallworth. This was the latest action in a series of protests, vigils and rallies since Stallworth was murdered near his home by two deputies of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) on May 12. Stallworth was a supervisor at the Jacksonville UPS hub and left behind three children.

Since the murder, an independent autopsy has refuted the story that the two JSO deputies initially provided. The initial story described officers fearing for their life, but it was later revealed that Stallworth was unarmed and shot in the back up to 40 feet away as he tried to escape.

Protesters carries signs reading “Justice for D'Angelo” while several people handed out hundreds of fliers to those walking to or from the courthouse.

Latrelle Johnson, D'Angelo's girlfriend and mother to one of his children led the spirited rally through most of the day with chants of “Justice for D,” “Hey hey, ho ho, these killer cops have got to go,” “Same thing every time, being Black is not a crime,” and “JSO lied!” She also said, “We're out here for justice for the life of D'Angelo Stallworth. We're just looking for answers. We want the truth. D'Angelo was 40 feet away and shot in the back multiple times. Today we're going to march and fight for what's right.”

The decision to indict the officers rests with State Attorney Angela Corey. Corey is notorious for her over-prosecution of Black youth and her support for ‘tough-on-crime’ police tactics. She has also recently announced her bid for a third term as state attorney in the upcoming election.

Organizers vow to continue the fight with more marches and protests. There is a Justice for D'Angelo Block Party this Saturday, June 13, at Wesconnett Park at 1:00 p.m.

#JacksonvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #AngelaCorey #DangeloStallworth #JacksonvilleSheriffsOffice

Jacksonville, FL -Two dozen activists gathered in front of State Attorney Angela Corey's office, Feb. 4, to once again demand justice for the Jax 19. The Jax 19 are 19 protesters who were arrested after they blocked the Hart bridge in response to the racist decision to let Eric Garner's killer, a New York police officer, walk free. Several members of the Jax 19 were present, along with supporters from multiple organizations, including the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition.

Gathering in front of State Attorney Angela Corey's office, the spirited protesters began chants like “Drop the charges – on the Jax 19,” “One, two, three, four – Angela Corey out the door! Five, six, seven, eight – drop the charges, we won't wait,” and “Jail killer cops – not justice protesters.”

Organizers of the demonstration could tell that inside of Corey's office, those who opposed justice and supported the criminal ‘injustice’ system were getting nervous at the people-power on display outside. Several agents of Corey were dispatched to take pictures and film the protesters in an attempt to intimidate the activists. Rather than backing down, the activists decided to begin a moving picket around Corey's office.

After marching around the office for half an hour, the activists decided that they were sick and tired of injustice and attempted to enter into the public office and demand a meeting with Corey, who is an elected public official.

As soon as the activists approached the door, security and police officers inside bolted the revolving door shut and started screaming at the protesters to back away from the door. After a few moments, about half a dozen security and police officers stepped outside and confronted the protesters. They told organizers that they couldn't have a meeting inside with Corey.

The activists laughed and Jacksonville Progressive Coalition Organizer Dave Schneider summed up an important point, stating “Angela Corey wants people to think the activists in front of her office pose a danger simply for demanding justice, but the real danger lies in the police officers who occupy the Black community and who murder Black people without fear of prosecution. Under capitalism, you're more likely to get attacked by the 1% for holding a picket sign than for brutalizing Black people if you've got a badge.”

Since all the doors to the office were bolted shut, the activists resumed their roaming picket around Corey's office. At the same time, a member of Teamsters Local 512, Connell Bam Crooms, spoke out and shamed the police officers who were keeping the people from entering Angela Corey's public office.

All the protesters vowed to keep fighting for justice until the charges were dropped against the Jax 19 – especially the charges against Jacksonville activist Siddhi Friar, who the system is targeting front and center for her commitment to activism and social justice.

#JacksonvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #politicalRepression #AngelaCorey #Jacksonville19

Jacksonville, FL – Despite pleading guilty to several charges in a federal racketeering investigation, Nelson Cuba, the former president of the Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), will spend no time behind bars. On Jan. 6, Cuba pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor and two third-degree felonies for his role in an illegal $300 million gambling operation. Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester sentenced Cuba to one year of house arrest and a mere four years of probation, in addition to imposing several fines.

Cuba was one of 57 public officials, business owners and attorneys arrested in March 2013 for operating an illegal network of store front casinos and ‘internet cafes’ used exclusively for gambling. The operations’ stated purpose was to generate funds for a Florida-based charity called Allied Veterans of the World. Federal investigators found that of the $300 million raised by the casinos, only $6 million – about 2% – went to the actual charity.

Cuba, along with other police officials, used police union bank accounts at BBVA Compass and Bank of America to launder $420,000 in revenue from the internet cafes that they owned and operated. While Cuba originally faced additional racketeering and money laundering charges, prosecutors dropped most of his charges before striking a plea bargain that included no jail or prison time.

The criminal injustice system lets cops off the hook

The announcement of Nelson Cuba's light sentence comes amid national outrage over two grand jury decisions to not indict white police officers for the murder of two Black men. In November, a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri chose to not indict Darren Wilson for the murder of 18-year-old African-American Michael Brown. Just days later, a New York grand jury also declined to indict white police officer Daniel Pantaleo for choking Eric Garner to death. Both injustices prompted nationwide protests against police brutality and the racist criminal injustice system.

In Jacksonville, police arrested 19 protesters on the order of Sheriff John Rutherford for obstructing traffic. Dubbed the 'Jacksonville 19' by activists and local media, the protesters slowed traffic on the Hart Bridge during rush hour traffic to demand justice for Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

Although the police sergeant on duty said that the protesters would receive written citations and verbal warnings, Rutherford ordered the police to arrest the entire demonstration. Jacksonville State Attorney Angela Corey continues to pursue charges against the Jacksonville 19.

Disgraced police union president was a close ally of Angela Corey

Although the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) calls itself a union, it actually operates to protect police from facing justice for racism, brutality and corruption. It also acts as a private organization for the police to leverage their political muscle and push racist policies through local and state government.

One of the main political objectives of the FOP in Jacksonville was putting Angela Corey in the State Attorney's office. Corey gained nationwide infamy for her botched prosecution of George Zimmerman, the racist vigilante who killed Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida. Activists in Jacksonville have called for her resignation because of her disproportionate prosecution of African Americans, particularly Black youth. In the entire state of Florida from 2006 to 2011, 52% of the male juvenile offenders tried as adults were African American, while white male juveniles comprised only 25% of those tried as adults. These inequalities alone are staggering, but in Corey's Fourth Judicial District during the same period, African American males comprised 70% of all juvenile offenders tried as adults, while white males comprised just 18%, according to an April 2014 report by Human Rights Watch.

In Jacksonville, the FOP under Nelson Cuba worked hard to put Angela Corey in the State Attorney's office. A deposition taken during a public records lawsuit that Corey filed in 2008 against then-State Attorney Harry Shorstein revealed, by their own admission, that Cuba and the FOP had decided to back Corey for the office in 2004. They offered Shorstein their endorsement in the 2004 election in exchange for his backing of Corey for State Attorney in 2008. Shorstein agreed, but broke the agreement by firing Corey shortly after he won re-election.

During the 2008 Fourth Circuit state attorney election, the Jacksonville FOP endorsed Corey and held political rallies on her behalf. Corey appeared at numerous campaign functions with Cuba and other Jacksonville FOP officials. In pure campaign donations alone, at least 10% of the $534,507.75 raised by Corey's campaign came from police officers or their families in 2008. Of the 504 donations from Jacksonville police and associated persons, about 43.1% were in amounts of $100 or more. Corey won the 2008 state attorney election with 64.38% of the vote; only about 12% of people in Jacksonville voted.

Corey also reaped substantial contributions from BBVA Compass bank, which made 15 separate donations to her campaign totaling $7469.13 starting in 2007. In federal depositions from the Allied Veterans racketeering case, prosecutors noted that Cuba primarily laundered money from his gambling ring through accounts set up at BBVA Compass, totaling $464,295.

Many community activists in Jacksonville have noted the close connection between corporate donors to Corey's campaign, like BBVA Compass, and the FOP. They say this further highlights the nature of the police as a tool of the banks and corporations to repress the people.

#JacksonvilleFL #PoliceBrutality #AngelaCorey #NelsonCuba

The plea deal includes three years in prison, but Alexander will receive credit for the almost 3 years she spent in jail during this case, leaving her with just 65 days left to serve. Alexander cited the interests of her children as a major factor in her decision to accept the plea deal.

Her trial highlighted the injustice system's targeting of African Americans and women. State Attorney Angela Corey seemed determined to demonize a survivor and paint Alexander as the criminal simply for defending herself, while Corey had no problem letting George Zimmerman walk after he murdered Trayvon Martin. The reality is that the justice system is the real criminal in this case – criminal for abusing a woman who has already fought for so long to get justice for herself and for her family.

Organizers around the country called for national protests throughout the trial demanding Free Marissa Now! Locally, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) distributed fliers calling for a rally on the steps of the Duval County Courthouse beginning on the first day of the trial.

JPC organizer Dennis Thomas said, “I think she fell victim to the injustice system – by accepting a plea deal when you know in your heart that you're innocent. We need to keep organizing against a corrupt system that forces people to make hard decisions like that. We need justice for Trayvon Martin, justice for Eric Gardner, justice for Michael Brown and we still need justice for Marissa, too.”

The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition will continue to organize for the immediate resignation of Angela Corey, who continues to lock up more Black and Latino youth in Jacksonville than anywhere else in Florida. For more information, join the Facebook group: Jacksonville Progressive Coalition.

#JacksonvilleFL #WomensMovement #MarissaAlexander #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – After a week and a half of keeping watch over the Duval County Courthouse, a verdict has been reached in the retrial of Michael Dunn, Oct. 1. Dunn is the white racist who murdered African American youth Jordan Davis in 2012. After two years and a mistrial, the family of Jordan Davis finally won some measure of justice today when the jury came back with a guilty verdict.

Activists with the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) and other groups kept a presence at the courthouse since the retrial began on Sept. 22. Many of the activists were also present during the first trial of Michael Dunn earlier this year, where a mistrial was declared on the first degree murder charge for killing Jordan Davis. Activists had tables, banners and signs at the ready for several hours each day since the start of the retrial, many reading, “Justice for Jordan Davis,” and “Angela Corey out now.” Angela Corey is the state attorney who let George Zimmerman off the hook after he murdered Trayvon Martin and she's also responsible for botching the first trial of Michael Dunn. Corey, however, seems to have no problem going after African American Marissa Alexander and trying to increase her sentence to 60 years for harming no one as she defended herself from an abusive husband.

Dozens of reporters were present on at the courthouse and many were asking about the JPC's message regarding Angela Corey. Wells Todd, a spokesperson for the JPC, was present through the original trial and retrial of Michael Dunn. Todd explained why the JPC wants Angela Corey out of office, even though a conviction was won during this retrial: “Angela Corey has locked up more Black and Latino youth in her jurisdiction than anywhere else in Florida, and if she had her way, there wouldn't have been a retrial of Michael Dunn in the first place.” For those reasons and many others, the JPC summed up that it was the people's struggles that won the retrial and won the guilty verdict. People power carried the day and forced the conviction of Michael Dunn, despite the efforts of Angela Corey and the ruling class she works for.

Todd spoke to half a dozen news cameras, saying, “Jordan Davis was a teenager doing what teenagers do when his life was taken. One of the main reasons for the second trial was the pressure that came from the parents and the community. They turned up the heat on Angela Corey and made this case visible not only to Americans across this country, but around the world. I live near Jacksonville Beach, where white teenagers drive around listening to loud music all the time and nothing happens to them.”

Tefa Galvis of the JPC quickly organized a press conference once the verdict was announced. Speakers announced that the JPC would be continuing to organize to get Angela Corey out of office and would turn their attention to the Marissa Alexander trial coming up at the end of this year.

JPC organizer Dennis Thomas has been coming to the courthouse since the retrial began, holding signs and using organizing skills picked up while fighting to free Marissa Alexander and protesting the injustice going on in Ferguson. Dennis said, “We needed that guilty verdict especially because of what's been happening regarding violence against young Black men in America. We fought hard to say that it's not open season on young Black men and that justice must be served.”

The struggle is far from over, but it's right to celebrate a victory against the racist ruling class. Members of the JPC closed out the press conference by chanting “Free Marissa now!”

#JacksonvilleFL #JordanDavis #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #MichaelDunn #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – More than 20 people gathered at Chamblin's Uptown, a bookstore and coffee shop, July 27, to attend a Jacksonville Progressive Coalition's (JPC) educational event where a panel discussed Angela Corey's war on Black women.

Angela Corey is the State Attorney in Florida responsible for letting George Zimmerman walk after murdering Trayvon Martin and for failing to get a conviction for Michael Dunn after he murdered Jordan Davis at a Jacksonville gas station. Angela Corey is also responsible for locking up Marissa Alexander for firing a warning shot to defend herself from an abusive man. Corey is trying to put Alexander away for 60 years.

The panel discussed how Marissa Alexander was being abused for being Black and a woman. One of the speakers said that this was not the first time Angela Corey had attacked a Black woman for defending herself. Organizers in the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition have recently uncovered another case, the case of Carolyn Barnes, which has striking similarities to Alexander's case. The common thread was that both women were targets of Angela Corey's war on Black women.

Action News Jax sent a camera and a reporter to cover the event. The reporter interviewed JPC organizer Wells Todd about the Coalition's ongoing “Angela Corey Out Now!” campaign.

Chrisley Carpio, an organizer with Gainesville Students for a Democratic Society and a speaker on the panel, recounted her experiences organizing rallies and marches for Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis, including two acts of civil disobedience undertaken with the Dream Defenders in Florida. “Only by organizing militant actions in the streets can we hope to get justice for Trayvon, Jordan, and now Marissa,” Carpio told the audience.

The discussion ended with a question and answer session for the panel. Activists vowed to keep fighting until Anglea Corey was out of office and justice was won for all her victims.

#JacksonvilleFl #JacksonvilleFL #PeoplesStruggles #AntiRacism #TrayvonMartin #MarissaAlexander #Florida #JordanDavis #AngelaCorey #ChrisleyCarpio #JacksonvilleProgressCoalition #JPC #AngelaCoreyOutNow #Campaign

Jacksonville, FL – On May 27, two dozen supporters gathered for a press conference announcing the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition's (JPC) campaign launch to get State Attorney Angela Corey out of office. Angela Corey is responsible for letting George Zimmerman walk free after he murdered Trayvon Martin. Corey is also responsible for locking up Marissa Alexander for defending herself from her ex-husband. Corey followed this by botching the trial of Michael Dunn for the cold-blooded murder of African American teenager Jordan Davis. She is responsible for locking up a high number of Latino and African American youth in Jacksonville. The people of Jacksonville are ready to organize and get Angela Corey out of office.

Supporters held signs that read, “Angela Corey: Wanted” and chanted, “Hey-hey, ho-ho, Angela Corey has got to go!” Speaking to a crowd of activists and reporters, JPC organizer Wells Todd laid the facts out: “In today's Florida Times Union, there it a story about Cristian Fernandez. The youngest child ever to be charged as an adult is in a privately managed, state-contracted juvenile correctional center. Cristian is a victim of abuse and is not getting the treatment he needs for the trauma he has suffered. This is the kind of justice our children are receiving under Angela Corey – children that are victims being charged as adults. The system is truly broken. This is Angela Corey's style of justice.”

The crowd grew fiery as they listened to speakers talk about the need for justice in Jacksonville. JPC organizer Tefa Galvis summed up the purpose of the campaign: “We're here to get Angela Corey out of office because of the racist, oppressive system she represents. This is a continuation of our campaigns to get justice for Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Marissa Alexander and all the other injustices Angela Corey has perpetrated.”

After the speakers, the activists walked boldly into city hall to confront the city council about the need to remove Angela Corey from office. Organizers spoke out during public comment, denouncing Angela Corey for enforcing a policy of racist discrimination against African American and Latino youth in Jacksonville. Jacksonville Progressive Coalition members reminded the crowd of their successful campaign to rename Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The school is no longer named after a Confederate General and KKK Grand Wizard. A JPC leader said the time had come for removing Angela Corey from office as part of a broader effort to fight racism in the South.

This came on the heels of the last city council meeting, where JPC members gathered to hear Angela Corey feebly defend her policies, including her desire to reject the spirit of a proposed city council resolution calling for civil citations instead of jail time for youth in Jacksonville. People around the country were outraged when Angela Corey let George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn escape from trail without guilty verdicts, and realized that she was part of a bigger system that allows racist white vigilantes to murder young African American men and face no or few repercussions. Angela Corey has made it clear that she wants to continue locking up African American and Latino youth in Jacksonville, often trying them as adults. The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition and the people of Jacksonville made their message clear as well: “Angela Corey has got to go!” Fight Back! will be covering this campaign as it unfolds this summer.

#JacksonvilleFL #Antiracism #JacksonvilleProgressiveCoalition #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – Florida State Attorney Angela Corey announced on March 1, 2014, that her office is seeking a maximum 60-year sentence in the retrial of Marissa Alexander, beginning in late July.

Marissa Alexander, the 33-year-old African American mother who fired a non-lethal warning shot to fend off her abusive husband, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2012. State Attorney Corey, who personally prosecuted the case, sought the maximum sentence of 20 years under Florida's mandatory sentencing laws, despite no injuries or deaths. The jury deliberated for 12 minutes before returning a guilty verdict. The judge ordered Alexander's 20-year sentences for the three charges to be served concurrently—at the same time.

However, in 2013, a 1st District Court of Appeals judge overturned Alexander’s conviction and called for a new trial. Corey's latest demand is for the judge to order consecutive sentences, meaning Alexander may serve three 20-year sentences, sixty years, if convicted again.

A statement from the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign called the move by Corey, “A stunning abuse of power.” The statement continues, “As a consequence of winning the appeal to hopefully secure a more fair trial, Alexander now faces the alarming prospect that the original devastating sentence could be tripled in the new trial.”

Corey's prosecution of Alexander comes on the heels of two humiliating defeats for the State Attorney's office – the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin, and the mistrial in the case of Michael Dunn for the murder of Jordan Davis. In both cases, Corey's office mishandled the prosecution of two racist vigilante killers who shot and killed young African American men.

Corey's decision to overzealously prosecute Alexander, who neither killed nor injured anyone, has people across Jacksonville calling for the State Attorney's resignation.

“You can't go two blocks in Jacksonville without meeting someone who has a close friend or family member whose life was ruined because of Angela Corey,” said Estefania Galvis, an organizer with the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition and one of the leaders of the “Justice 4 Jordan Davis” protests. “Marissa's case shows how little the state cares about helping women suffering from domestic abuse. Corey has no problem mishandling the prosecution of Zimmerman or Dunn, but she's obsessed with handing Marissa a life sentence.”

Alexander was denied access to Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law as a defense, despite responding to aggressive abuse. Critics of Corey and Stand Your Ground say that the law, written by the right-wing American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), is unevenly applied to protect racist vigilantes like Dunn and deny the same defense to African Americans, like Alexander.

Women rights activists and domestic abuse survivors are harshly criticizing Corey's persecution of Alexander. Sumayya Fire, a member of the Free Marissa Now Mobilization Campaign, said that Alexander is “facing the very real possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison for that act of self-defense.” Fire continued, “That should send a chill down the back of every person in this country who believes that women who are attacked have the right to defend themselves.”

On the night of February 15, 2013, more than 70 protesters outraged by the mistrial in the Dunn case took to the streets and marched on Corey's Jacksonville office. Chanting, “Hey-Hey, Ho-Ho, Angela Corey's gotta go!” the protesters presented a giant petition signed by hundreds of people outside of the Duval County Courthouse.

Organizers plan to continue the campaign to force Corey's resignation. Jacksonville protests demanding “Free Marissa Now!” are scheduled for the first day of the trial.

#JacksonvilleFL #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #MarissaAlexander #InjusticeSystem #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – The steps of the Duval County Courthouse were filled with protesters and community members on Saturday, February 15. They waited to hear the verdict in the trial to convict Michael Dunn for murdering Jordan Davis. Groups ranging from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, to the New Black Panther Party (NBPP), to the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition (JPC) held up signs, gave speeches, demanded justice, and marched around the courthouse. The day of protest began with a 9:00 am press conference and lasted long into the evening. So many people showed up throughout the day, it was hard to find a spot to sit or stand on the giant steps leading to the courthouse.

Inside the court, the jury was deliberating for a fourth day over the November 23, 2012 murder of Jordan Davis. Jordan Davis and his friends were in their Dodge Durango outside a Jacksonville gas station, when Dunn fired eight times into their vehicle. Michael Dunn, a white man, drove over, parked next to them, and then brutally murdered Jordan Davis in cold blood “for playing his music too loud.”

All week outside the court, organizers and everyday working people, especially African American community members, gathered eagerly awaiting justice. Everyone was there to demand that Michael Dunn be found guilty of all charges, especially the charge for the first-degree murder. Sunday February 16 would have been Jordan Davis's nineteenth birthday, surely a difficult day for his parents.

On Saturday, the crowd grew more and more energetic as they chanted and listened to speakers. Then came an announcement that the jury was deadlocked on the charge of murder one for Michael Dunn. Protesters were stunned, but quickly identified the problem as State Attorney Angela Corey. Corey botched the prosecution of George Zimmerman who stalked and murdered Trayvon Martin. Corey’s mishandling allowed Zimmerman to walk free after killing the African-American youth in Sanford, FL. Now she was mishandling another prosecution.

In another problematic case, State Attorney Corey was aggressive in prosecuting Marissa Alexander, an African American woman given 20 years for defending herself against her abusive husband. Angela Corey also has a long history of locking up African American and Latino youth, and trying them as adults – as was the case for both Christian Fernandez and Travis Swanson.

Later on Saturday, another announcement was made from the doors of the courthouse. The nearly one hundred protesters turned their attention to the announcement: “On the count of murder one, a mistrial had been declared.” People grew outraged and began shouting “We want justice NOW!” and “Justice for Jordan Davis!”

Protesters rallied on the steps and issued statements to a big circle of news cameras. The Jacksonville Progressive Coalition called for an emergency march to Angela Corey's office to demand her resignation that same night. The New Black Panther Party called for civil disobedience and for people to wear black ribbons and black armbands this week on Black Ribbon Tuesday.

Protest leaders next drafted a letter on poster-board demanding Angela Corey's resignation. People crowded in to sign the letter to State Attorney Corey. Then the protesters took to the streets and marched in the roadways blocking traffic on their way to Angela Corey's office. Jacksonville Progressive Coalition member Tefa Galvis led the crowd chanting “Hey-Hey! Ho-Ho! Angela Corey has got to go!” and “Murder is a Crime! Michael Dunn should do the time!” The dozens of police officers present just watched, so visible was the crowd's anger and focused determination to get justice for Jordan Davis.

After marching for about a mile, the crowd gathered in front of Angela Corey's office and heard speakers denouncing the “mistrial” verdict. Activists placed the letter demanding Angela Corey's resignation in front of the revolving door at her fancy office building. Tefa Galvis urged the community to stay involved in the ongoing fight for Jordan Davis, and minister Mikhail Mohammad from the NBPP closed out the night with a prayer.

The fight for Jordan Davis is far from over, while Angela Corey's career is in question. Galvis said, “The people will determine whether justice is found for Jordan Davis. The people will also work to put an end to Angela Corey's reign of terror and repression against young African American and Latino men and women.”

Fight Back! News Service urges everyone to travel to Tallahassee on March 3, 2014 for Moral Monday. Look for more information from Fight Back! in the coming weeks about this important event.

#JacksonvilleFL #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #TrayvonMartin #GeorgeZimmerman #InjusticeSystem #JordanDavis #MichaelDunn #AngelaCorey

Jacksonville, FL – On February 12, the prosecution and defense attorneys in the trial of Michael Dunn made closing arguments. Dunn is the racist vigilante who shot and killed 17 year old African American youth Jordan Davis. The jury began deliberations at 5:02 p.m. and met for several hours before agreeing to reconvene on February 13.

Before the jury ended deliberations for the night, they asked to review a key piece of evidence for the defense: surveillance videotape from the Gate gas station. This is where Dunn fired at least eight shots at a Dodge Durango, killing Davis and wounding three other young passengers. The SUV then drove to get away before Dunn could fire again. The defense alleges that Dunn opened fire on the SUV after he was threatened with a gun. There is no evidence that Davis or the other passengers had a weapon.

Over 20 protesters gathered outside of the Duval County Courthouse starting at 10:00 a.m. demanding 'Justice for Jordan Davis'. Carrying signs that read, “Will this be another Trayvon?” and “Thou Shalt Not Kill,” the protesters drew a large crowd of people passing by the courthouse. Members from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Jacksonville Progressive Coalition, and several labor unions in Jacksonville attended the event. Marching around the courthouse, the crowd chanted, “Turn up your music for Jordan Davis,” a reference to the loud music coming from Davis' vehicle that Dunn complained about before shooting him.

Everyone outside the courthouse voiced strong concerns for State Attorney Angela Corey's handling of the trial.

According to protesters, Corey deliberately downplayed Dunn's long history of racism and his violently anti-Black views expressed in letters he wrote to friends and family from jail. Rather than additional charges for hate crimes, Corey's office limited it to first-degree murder charges against Dunn. Corey never entered Dunn’s racist letters and rants into evidence for the jury. Many people assembled outside the courthouse fear that Corey's deliberate negligence in the case weakens the prosecution and opens opportunities for the defense to make bogus arguments to the jury.

Dunn's fiancé, who was in the car with him when he killed Davis, testified that Dunn never mentioned seeing a gun the entire day after the shooting took place. Instead, the couple drove to a bed and breakfast suite in St. Augustine and casually ordered a pizza, just hours after killing Davis and injuring the other passengers. Evidence brought out in the trial shows that Dunn did not mention seeing a gun until police questioned him more than a day after the shooting. This strongly suggests that he lied about the entire story to protect himself.

Dunn wrote letters to family members from prison exposing the racist attitudes that led to Davis' murder. In one letter, he said of African Americans, “The more time I am exposed to these people, the more prejudiced against them I become.” Other letters from Dunn included an open call for genocide, in which he said to his girlfriend, “This may sound a bit radical, but if more people would arm themselves and kill these f—-ing idiots when they’re threatening you, eventually they may take the hint and change their behavior.” None of this was introduced by Corey's prosecution team into evidence or presented to the jury.

Legal analysts and leaders from Jacksonville's activist community believe the jury will reach a verdict on Thursday, February 13. The trial looks like a horrifying case of deja vu for those outraged at the not guilty verdict in the trial of George Zimmerman. Zimmerman is the racist vigilante who murdered Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Protesters say Corey mishandled and botched the prosecution of Zimmerman, including withholding key pieces of evidence from that trial.

Others draw contrast with Corey's prosecution of Marissa Alexander, the 33-year-old African American mother given 20 years in prison for firing a warning shot above her head to fend off her abusive husband. Corey personally prosecuted Alexander's case and pursued the highest possible sentence. The jury deliberated Alexander's case for only 12 minutes before handing down a guilty verdict. An appeals court granted Alexander a re-trial late last year, which is currently scheduled for the summer 2014.

Activists are planning marches, protests, and civil disobedience in the event of a not guilty verdict or a hung jury. People in Jacksonville interested in demanding justice for Jordan Davis are encouraged to come to the courthouse on February 13 at around 10:00 a.m.

#Jacksonville #JacksonvilleFL #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #JordanDavis #Antiracism #MichaelDunn #JusticeForJorda #Jacksoville #DunnTrial #AngelaCorey