Milwaukee, WI – 35 people rallied outside the office of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, April 17, to protest his refusal to prosecute the killers of 16-year-old Corey Stingley. In 2012, the Black high school student was strangled to death by three white adult men after being accused of shoplifting.

Led by the Stingley family, activists have been protesting D.A. John Chisholm all winter, after he announced his decision not to prosecute any of the men for killing Corey Stingley.

“I don't care if it's zero degrees out. I don't care about my feet, I will lose every toe to continue to fight if I have to!” said community activist Melissa Verdin.

Other speakers compared Chisholm's refusal to prosecute the murderers to the initial refusal to arrest and prosecute George Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. Like Zimmerman, the three men who were interviewed in a John Doe investigation had contradictions arise in their interviews, which are refuted by video evidence of the attack. A John Doe investigation is a legal proceeding used to determine if a crime has been committed.

A new documentary film short recently published by Vice News includes both the security camera footage and audio of the John Doe investigation, which contradict each other. Despite these revelations, D.A. Chisholm has refused to bring any charges or further investigation. So far the U.S. Department of Justice has also turned down requests to investigate the murder.

Activists believe popular pressure could force officials to bring the vigilantes to trial, following the example of the popular support for Trayvon Martin which forced charges against Zimmerman.

In the documentary one man can be seen putting Stingley in a head-lock. “This documentary opened my eyes up in a whole new way to the depravity of this world ... there are no laws on the books to bring someone to justice for vigilantism and hold them accountable,” said Craig Stingley, Corey's father.

Click here to view the Vice News video: Racial Injustice in Milwaukee: Crime and Punishment

#MilwaukeeWI #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #Antiracism #CoreyStingley

Milwaukee, WI – 150 people gathered on the steps of Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm's office, Jan. 17, to demand justice for Corey Stingley. Stingley, a 16-year-old Black male, was strangled to death by three white customers after a store clerk accused him of theft.

Last week DA Chisholm made the decision to not press charges against the three racist killers. Led by Corey's father Craig Stingley, a picket line circled the entrance to Chisholm's office for over two hours the night of Jan. 17 chanting, “Hey hey, ho ho, John Chisholm's got to go!” and “No justice, no peace!”

Chisholm justified his decision not to charge the white vigilantes by claiming that none of the three men were aware that their actions created a substantial and unreasonable risk of great bodily harm. This week the Milwaukee County medical examiner ruled the manner of death “homicide.” While the medical examiner's evidence does not prove criminal intent, security camera footage from inside the corner store tells a different story. In the video, Stingley is seen returning liquor to the store clerk that he was alleged to be considering stealing, then attempting to walk out without the merchandise. The store clerk said he told Stingley he would not call police if he returned the merchandise, but when Stingley moved toward the door to leave empty-handed, the three adult men attacked Corey, wrestled him to the ground and strangled him. Stingley suffered severe brain damage after being suffocated and died 14 days later.

Rally speakers pointed out holes in Chisholm's justification by relating it to the case of Derek Williams, who was killed by three white Milwaukee police officers in 2011. Like Stingley, Williams was a young Black male accused of theft and attacked by three larger white adult men who allowed him to suffocate. Two separate juries recommended charges against the police officers, but D.A. Chisholm publicly opposed charging the officers. “In that case Chisholm said the police did nothing wrong, but they were trained officers who knew exactly what they were doing,” said rally emcee Brian Verdin. “If Chisholm's justification for letting Stingley's killers off the hook was that they were unaware of their actions, then why were trained police officers let off for the same crime, when they knew exactly what they were doing?”

Craig Stingley commented at a press conference, “We have not been represented. My son should have rights like anyone. But [D.A. Chisholm] will not press charges against the murderers. The evidence shows this was a murder!”

#MilwaukeeWI #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #Racism #InjusticeSystem #CoreyStingley #DistrictAttorneyChisholm

West Allis, WI – Family and friends of Corey Stingley organized a rally outside VJ's Food Mart, Dec. 15, where the 16-year-old was strangled by white vigilantes one year ago. Supporters demanded charges be filed against the people responsible for killing Stingley.

In December 2012, three white adult vigilantes accused Stingley, who was Black, of theft and strangled him to death. A year later, no charges have been filed against the killers. A John Doe investigation produced a report containing “enough evidence for a conviction,” according to Stingley’s father Craig. Still, there has been no word from the Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm about pursuing charges.

Activists are planning a call-in day to District Attorney Chisholm on December 30 to tell him that Corey Stingley deserves justice. “The decision to prosecute the killers lies entirely with Chisholm. We know if the race roles were reversed the killers would have faced trial and been locked up long ago,” said Hilary Wilson, a supporter of Corey Stingley.

Contact Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm at 414-278-4646 or da.milwaukee@da.wi.gov

#WestAllisWI #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #Racism #InjusticeSystem #CoreyStingley #DistrictAttorneyChisholm

Milwaukee, WI – The movement to win justice for Darius Simmons, Derek Williams, Corey Stingley, and Bo Morrison has received a boost from the national attention and outrage over the “not guilty” verdict for Zimmerman. Last week over 300 people shut down major streets in downtown Milwaukee. In similar cases over the last two years, community members led by the Occupy Coalition (Occupy the Hood Milwaukee and Occupy Milwaukee) repeatedly rallied for Derek Williams, Darius Simmons, and other local victims of racist police and vigilante murder.

The verdict in the case of Trayvon Martin’s murder hit home for many in Milwaukee who witness similar verdicts in the cases of friends, family, and neighbors. Fueled by outrage, many are putting their energy into revitalizing the local movement to demand justice for the victims of police and vigilante murder in the Milwaukee area. The movement is currently focused on four local cases, all Black men and boys ages 13 to 22 killed by white adults.

Justice for Darius Simmons

This week, John Spooner, the murderer of thirteen-year-old Darius Simmons, is on trial in Milwaukee. Wisconsinites witnessed the Milwaukee Police Department go to great lengths to protect Spooner after he murdered the child, just as Sanford police officials went to great lengths to assist Zimmerman. Instead of immediately arresting the murderer, Milwaukee Police arrested Simmons' brother at the scene of the crime, detained the dead child’s mother for three hours, and searched their family home. At the same time, MPD allowed Spooner to go into his home (part of the murder scene) and “retrieve belongings.” Notorious Southside alderman Bob Donovan even suggested to Spooner that he take matters into his own hands, hours before Spooner shot Simmons to death. “There are other ways to deal with situations,” said Donovan, “that police couldn’t solve.”

In the first half of Spooner’s trial, he was convicted of first-degree homicide. The trial now moves to the second phase, in which Spooner’s lawyers will try to prove an insanity defense. But one thing is for sure, the massive national movement for Trayvon Martin and local movements for similar cases have magnified Simmons’ case and put a watchful eye on the court as Spooner is tried.

Justice for Corey Stingley

The most recent case to come to light is the strangling of sixteen-year-old Corey Stingley at a liquor store in Milwaukee county. Three white men reportedly accused Stingley of theft, and attempted to conduct a citizen’s arrest. While the three grown men detained Stingley he was strangled to death. No charges were brought against any of the men involved in his death. Corey’s father, Craig Stingley, led the Occupy Coalition rally on Sunday, carrying a portrait of his son.

“There’s no reason that the men who killed my son should still be out on these streets, no reason period. But they are, and that’s because this system is broken,” said Craig Stingley in an interview with WISN news.

Justice for Derek Williams

For two years the Occupy Coalition has rallied tirelessly alongside friends and family of Derek Williams to demand justice. They have helped expose a cover-up of his death that leads all the way to the Police Chief’s desk, and beyond.

After community pressure, the autopsy records were revised to show Williams suffocated after Milwaukee Police broke his neck. Persistent, militant rallies for Derek Williams led to a federal inquest into his death. The jury in the inquest recommended homicide charges against the three white police who refused, against protocol, to help Williams while he suffocated in the back of their squad car. Incredibly, the judge disregarded the jury’s advice and allowed the officers to walk right back to duty on Milwaukee streets, with no punishment whatsoever. The inquest, won through community pressure, did not bring justice for Derek, but it did expose the racist and corrupt nature of the so-called justice system.

Systematic change

Persistent community mobilization aims a spotlight on the corrupt and deadly police misconduct in MPD, on their political supporters, the police and fire commission, the sheriff’s office, and even the mayor’s office. With every injustice exposed, more community members are joining the coalition.

The Occupy Coalition joins community leaders and family members to fight for justice in the courts, but it is also demanding systematic change. Activists blame racist discrimination and national oppression for many of the tragedies perpetrated against African-American youth by Milwaukee police and racist vigilantes. But they are also targeting the city’s elite power structure for encouraging and protecting those who commit such crimes. Occupy leaders are discussing continued actions addressing the ineffective Police and Fire Commission, but this weekend, they plan to take to the streets again.

More actions planned

Carrying over the momentum from last weekend, this weekend will have three separate events. On Saturday, July 20, the Occupy Coalition will participate in the 100 cities rally called for by Al Sharpton. The rally will be held at noon in front of the Federal Courthouse at 517 E Wisconsin Ave. Also on Saturday, the “Cop Watch” Program will meet at Urban Underground at 2pm, 4850 W Fond Du Lac Ave.

On Sunday, the Occupy Coalition will lead another mass march beginning at 6pm by the Martin Luther King Jr. statue on MLK Drive, near Vine Street.

#MilwaukeeWI #OppressedNationalities #AntiRacism #OccupyMilwaukee #OccupyTheHood #TrayvonMartin #GeorgeZimmerman #InjusticeSystem #DerekWilliams #OccupyCoalition #DariusSimmons #CoreyStingley