Seven Richmond residents to stand trial in racial confrontation with Police
Monday, November 29, 2004 at 05:14PM
TheSpook
Seven people are scheduled to go on trial this
week for their roles a May 30 altercation outside a nightclub that has
strained relations between black residents and city police. Police say
the incident began outside the Magic Moments club when two men ran from
officers. Police had come to the scene to clear vehicles blocking
Orange Street in a predominantly black section of Richmond. One of the
men was identified as Larry E. Sims Jr., 19. He and another man got
into a sport utility vehicle owned by Natasha Miller, Sims' girlfriend.
Miller was body-slammed by a Richmond police officer after a gun had
fallen out of her boyfriend's clothing. Angry bystanders, some of whom
were leaving a nightclub down the street, were pepper-sprayed by
police, and seven people were arrested. In the six months since the
incident, there have been protests at city hall, forums held to discuss
racial issues, indirect apologies, mediation from the U.S. Department
of Justice and an FBI investigation. Both police officials and
residents expect the charges to be dropped before trial. But even as a
deal neared completion last week, some residents said relations with
the department had not improved. [more]
Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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