DeAunta Farrow: Historical Cry Of Injustice WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (FOX13) - It was the shooting of an unarmed black youth by a police officer that prompted nationwide protests. Only it happened in West Memphis, Arkansas in 2007. The tragic police shooting death of 12-year-old DeAunta Farrow who was allegedly carrying a toy gun followed the same arc of publicity and national concern as Emmit Till and the young Birmingham bombing victims. Historically the violent demise of children have often served as catalysts for outrage followed by protest and then calls for effective change. But then, just like him it all went away. The rain pelts down on the street that bears his name in West Memphis, just as it does miles away where in 2007 he was laid to rest with fanfare in a place idyllically called Paradise Gardens Cemetery. Before there was Trayvon, before there was Michael, before there was Tamir the shadow of violent death had already passed over DeAunta, a child whose life was taken by a policemans bullets. Were saying if he was shot in the chest first that would have taken him down, and if he was shot in the leg first he couldnt run, said Rev. Stephen Sturdivant in 2007. So, then why two shots? The furor and public outrage in the African-American community over the shooting of DeAunta at the hands of former West Memphis Police Officer Erik Sammis in June 2007, possibly served as a tragic precursor to the cries of injustice surrounding the recent deaths of black youth who fatally crossed paths with law enforcement. Javier Jay Bailey, who represented the Farrows family in court, notes the similarities between DeAuntas death and its aftermath are an uncanny match to present day perceived legal injustices as voiced in Black communities nationwide. Theres no indictment, theres no judgment from any civil juries and no action from the U.S. Justice Department, Bailey said. A lot of rhetoric and no results, and that is whats frustrating these urban communities, when the system itself breaks down and theres no accountability for those officers who were in the system. But, Bailey asserts accountability is a two-way street when it comes to trying to avoid the confrontational stances between police and some Black youth whose dangerous embrace of stereotypical gangsta roles could add to tensions on the streets. Our youth are creating this public opinion that young Black men are menaces to society, strapped, thinking theyre fresh and boys from the hood, Bailey said. As a result of that police officers, who are people too, find themselves in fear of that Black youth. No one was prosecuted for DeAuntas murder. The family lost its multi-million dollar civil suit in court. If anything the death of young DeAunta sadly reminds us, if we do not learn from history, we are often sadly bound to repeat it. Put aside the street sign, put aside the memorials, Bailey said. This community remembers that case because, we know, that something should have been done and nothing was done. On July 1, 2007, 1,500 attended DeAuntas funeral. Rev. Al Sharpton delivered the eulogy.
Posted on: Sat, 06 Dec 2014 12:58:04 +0000