Killing of John Crawford III is one of the historic miscarriages of justice that exist in America todate!
https://youtu.be/71VpZxAOXzk (Ritchie Actual Interview Footage)
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We should note both officers statements were inconsistent.
Walmart surveillance footage was later released to the public, but not before a grand jury decided not to indict Williams on criminal charges. The video showed that Crawford – who was still on his phone – was shot from the side while apparently moving to run away from the advancing armed officers. Footage synced by the FBI with a recording of the 911 call indicated that Williams shot Crawford about one second after he and Darkow rounded a corner into the pet products aisle, where Crawford had been standing for five minutes.
Tasha Thomas was reduced to swearing on the lives of her relatives that John Crawford III had not been carrying a firearm when they entered the Walmart in Beavercreek, near Dayton, to buy crackers, marshmallows and chocolate bars on the evening of 5 August.
“You lie to me and you might be on your way to jail,” detective Rodney Curd told Thomas, as she wept and repeatedly offered to take a lie-detector test. After more than an hour and a half of questioning and statement-taking, Curd finally told Thomas that Crawford, 22, had died.
Officers Cleared of criminal charges!
On Sept. 25, 2014 Officer Williams was cleared of criminal charges by a Greene County special grand jury of five men and four women. Neither Darkow nor the 911 caller were considered for charges. Answering one paragraph, Beavercreek attorneys wrote, defendants “have no knowledge of whether all police officers are trained to understand that many 911 callers provide inaccurate or otherwise unsubstantiated information, and are notoriously unreliable eye-witnesses.”
The special grand jury heard from 18 witnesses and then voted against potential charges of murder, reckless homicide and negligent homicide against Williams. At least seven “yes” votes were needed for a charge to be approved. Grand jury votes are not made public.
Following the shooting a grand jury decided not to indict any of the officers involved. The Justice Department is conducting its own investigation. Meanwhile, the officer who shot Crawford remains on desk duty.
Crawford’s mother believes that the surveillance tape shows the police lied in their account of events, and has spoken out against the killing at a “Justice for All” march. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Walmart and the Beavercreek police department.
Other Factors worth noting
- Even among die-hard police supporters and apologists, few believed that John Crawford was to blame for being shot. Most pointed the finger at 911-caller Ronald Ritchie, but it was clear that in an open carry state, and in a store that sells both guns and BB-guns, there is nothing illegal, nor even particularly out of the ordinary about handling a replica firearm, taken from the very shelves of the store.
- Ohio State Representative Alicia Reece has proposed a “John Crawford’s Law”, which would change the way toy guns look to prevent similar tragedies.
- The family is seeking more than $75,000 in damages, citing the children Crawford left behind. Wal-Mart, the city of Beavercreek and Beavercreek Police Chief Dennis Evers are named in the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The lawsuit also names the officer who shot Crawford, Sean Williams, and his partner on the scene, David Darkow.
- Tasha Thomas, who in a harsh interrogation was falsely accused of helping Crawford smuggle the gun into the store that August, was killed in a bizarre high-speed car crash in Dayton on New Year’s Day, local media reported. (pictured left)
- To date lead activist organizations and at least one big-name civil rights heavyweight has said many nice words to support John Crawford Jr, and his family on the ground fighting against Walmart and the Beavercreek Police Department to “Release the Tape,” but none hardly ever once mobilized on the ground or the ground effort was lacking with the exception of a group of dedicated loyalist. In the meantime Walmart alines with many of the big name activist pockets financially!
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August 5, 2015 will be John Crawford’s National Day
To date the Family and advocacy are awaiting charges. Currently-The Justice Department has will launched an investigation into the shooting death of Crawford inside the Ohio Wal-Mart, just hours after a local grand jury voted not to indict the police officer who shot him.
On August 5, 2015 in Beavercreek, Ohio activist will be present at the Walmart location where John was killed by Officer Williams. On that date there will be multiple participating cities nationwide! Use this Link for more information
https://www.facebook.com/Action4JohnCrawford
Other News Articles
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikehayes/the-life-and-death-of-john-crawford#.nvvJ8VxYL
