Jefferson, LA – On November 4, Jefferson Parish resident Arleen Robertson, mother of police murder victim Daviri Robertson, will speak out at a community forum at Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church. Robertson is fighting to appeal the qualified immunity of the police officer who murdered her son. Fight Back! spoke with Ms. Robertson to share her story.

In March of 2019, five officers from Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s department murdered two Black men, Daviri Robertson and Chris Joseph, after barricading them in an IHOP parking lot. Despite the two being unarmed, the department claims they had credible reason to open fire on their vehicle. There is no dash or bodycam footage to substantiate their claim, and, in March of this year, a panel of judges ruled the available footage dubious, at best. Of the two officers reported injured, one refused medical treatment, while the other was hit by friendly fire.

Robertson recounts, “Michael Charles Wibbles is that deputy that was said fired six times into the driver’s side window. Detective Benjamin Michael Jones was supposedly struck or pinned between Chris’ car and the F150 that blocked the car in from behind. Detective Carmouche and Deputy Wibbles rode together but Detective Carmouche shot approximately 11 times into the car. Detective Allen Rolando Doubleday and Detective Ben Jones rode together and blocked the car in from behind.”

Immediately after the murders, community and family members came forward with serious concerns about the shooting. They publicly condemned the sheriff’s department for using excessive and deadly force. They also sought damages from the city and organized protests to bring attention to their case. On July 27 the officers were granted qualified immunity, a process that Ms. Robertson is currently in the process of appealing. She is also currently seeking an attorney that is licensed to serve on a Supreme Court case.

The doctrine of qualified immunity, as defined by the National Conference of State Legislatures, “protects state and local officials, including law enforcement officers, from individual liability unless the official violated a clearly established constitutional right.” Legal rights have described this doctrine as “unreasonable and deeply stringent” because it requires the victims of misconduct to track down a nearly identical case of unconstitutional police conduct. Dozens of state legislators throughout the country have unsuccessfully tried to undo qualified immunity statutes. In Louisiana, the doctrine is almost exclusively used by police officers to dodge accountability for civil rights violations.

Arleen Robertson remembered her son as a charismatic and driven person. He was well liked, had a lot of friends (and girlfriends), and was known for his great sense of humor. He was athletic and earned a reputation as a skilled baseball player. Deeply entrepreneurial, Daviri operated a horticultural and power washing business named “Bops”, a play on the nickname his mother gave him, “Bebop”. And to further supplement his income, he traveled throughout the South to buy used vehicles and sell them for a profit. A discussion about a used truck was the last conversation Ms. Robertson had with her son. “I had just texted him a nice truck the morning he got killed. I noticed he didn’t respond that night, because he usually always responds. That next morning I learned that Bebop got shot and I just started screaming and such.”

Robertson fears that Daviri’s name has been forgotten. She detailed feeling frustrated and alone in her battle. “It’s just been a ride for me and it frustrates me when I’m at my church and the pastor brings up George Floyd or Breonna Taylor; I’ll be sitting in church and, like, I’m sitting right here and nobody’s trying to help me!” and said, “Our story is getting swept under the rug.”

Faced with a number of legal stumbling blocks – the court’s unwillingness to move forward without new evidence, and the aforementioned qualified immunity ruling – Robertson continues her fight for justice. She has been organizing closely with the Worker’s Voice Socialist Movement and Building Bridges, an advocacy group for families who have lost loved ones to racist policing. She has reached out to the Southern Poverty Law Center, to limited success. On September 21, she traveled to Washington DC with Building Bridges and other families impacted by state violence to demand an end to qualified immunity. New Orleans for Community Oversight of Police (NOCOP) is joining her call for justice.

Ms. Robertson has a number of requests to the public. First, she is in search of an attorney, specifically one licensed to serve on a supreme court case. Second, she asks that everyone watch the documentary The Daviri Robertson Story, produced by the advocacy group Speak That! Movement, available on Youtube [linked at the bottom]. She also asked that people consider donating to the family’s GoFundMe [also linked below]. Her family believes that Daviri’s story can spark a change in the racist and corrupt policing in Jefferson Parish. Ultimately, they want their story, their voice, and their demands heard by as many people as will listen.

It was clear that Robertson doesn’t plan on giving up her pursuit for justice. She is determined to bring attention to her son’s case and an end to the practice of qualified immunity. Like so many past and current activists, she is working to create a more just and compassionate world. “I’m fighting for this so that they are reprimanded for what they did, accountable for what they did, if they don’t wanna give me money, that’s fine with me.”

“I just want them to get what they deserve for doing it,” Ms. Robertson said.

The Daviri Robertson Story Youtube link here.

Justice for Daviri Robertson GoFundMe link here.

#NewOrleansLA #DaviriRobertson #PoliceCrimes #Justice #Accountability

After Thursday’s contentious meeting, the county board has moved the report to the Committee of the Whole, which will meet on September 28 and where members of the public will have the opportunity to offer comments. 

During the meeting, two county supervisors made separate motions to move the report back to separate committees, including the Judiciary, Law Enforcement and General Services Committee (JLEGS), where the report was introduced. These motions were strongly opposed by County Supervisors Anthony Staskunas, Steve Taylor, and Patti Logsdon, who have veiled their stances against transparency and accountability by targeting County Supervisor Ryan Clancy. 

Rather than focus on the contents of the MCSO’s report, these county supervisors resorted to accusing County Supervisor Clancy of “trying to play out an agenda” and claiming that the JLEGS Committee, which Clancy chairs, “lacked decorum.” In other words, they consider a committee in which members of the public are afforded time to challenge the MCSO as one lacking decorum. Logsdon revealed as much when she stated, “If we do have a Committee as a Whole, I will like to have assurance that we will have decorum…as people want to speak out [we] also do not want to hear them speak as they did against the Sheriff’s department. We have to respect – I mean we don’t have to, but I want to respect our Sheriff’s department.”

It’s clear that the supervisors citing a lack of decorum are against transparency and accountability from the MCSO. They stand against the efforts of grassroots organizations and concerned community members who have been demanding answers from the MCSO about the in-custody deaths and deplorable conditions in the jail. 

The Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Justice for Brieon Green Coalition, and other endorsing organizations have been fighting tirelessly for a civilian accountability council with the power to hold MCSO accountable, control its budget, oversee all investigations regarding issues inside the jail, and create MCSO policy. 

The Milwaukee Alliance and allies will continue making these demands heard and will continue mounting the pressure on the MCSO and the County Supervisors who oppose transparency and accountability.

#MilwaukeeWI #MAARPR #MCSO #Accountability #Transparency

Chicago, IL – Shon Barnes, Angel Novalez and Larry Snelling were nominated by the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) as the next superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) on July 13 at Kennedy King College in the Englewood neighborhood. The Commission selected these three from 54 applicants through a 120-day process after the resignation of Superintendent David Brown, who was appointed by Mayor Lightfoot.

The current selection process is unprecedented because Mayor Brandon Johnson can only appoint from among the candidates nominated by the CCPSA. The CCPSA was created by the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance.

“ECPS established the most democratic police accountability system in the country. The movement will continue to fight for control over the CPD budget, hiring and firing the superintendent of police and members of the police board, and the power to negotiate contracts with the police union,” said Frank Chapman, executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

“Today marks a historic milestone in Chicago’s journey towards enhanced civilian oversight and effective law enforcement,” said Anthony Driver, president of the CCPSA.

The meeting began with public comments, during which organizers in the police accountability and anti-violence movement spoke. Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who had over 50 misconduct complaints against him as a CPD officer before he resigned in 2021, also spoke.

Some speakers, including Catanzara, advocated for Snelling or Novalez because they both come from the Chicago Police Department. Others cited corruption within CPD as a reason to hire an outsider like Barnes. Some public comments said nothing in favor of or against any candidates but spoke to the need for consistent community activity in holding police accountable.

“I’ve been living in Englewood for 60 years. Chicago police have always done the same thing,” said community organizer Billie House. “The whole system is rotten. It needs to be cleaned out.”

Ariana Correa, one of the members of the CCPSA’s Noncitizens Advisory Council, spoke about the recent sexual assault of Venezuelan asylum seekers in the 10th District police station. “We demand swift justice and transparency in this matter. Every officer who committed this crime or helped cover it up needs to be fired and prosecuted, and we need policy changes to prevent incidents like this in the future.”

“I appreciate the work the Commission put into this process. At the same time, this Commission only exists because communities fought for it,” said Kobi Guillory, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR). He urged community members to keep attending CCPSA meetings, as well as meetings of their local Police District Councils to ensure these bodies work to hold police accountable to the community and move towards full community control of the police.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #superintendent #accountability