Category: Uncategorized

RECOMMENDATIONS of Aug. 16 Press Conference

In Response to No-Billing of Police Officer

In Daniel Rocha Killing

1) Institute a "Uniform Disciplinary Matrix" that makes officer
punishments consistent from case to case, including mandatory
termination for the most serious offenses. Per the latter, the adoption
of this recommendation would induce the termination of Julie Schroeder,
who shot an unarmed, 132-pound 18-year-old boy in the back at point
blank range after he was already face down on the ground.

2) Mandate pairing of proven (i.e. no history of excessive force,
discrimination or suspension) veterans with rookies on the East side.

3) Institute accountable, documented and independent [of the patrolling
officer(s)] handling of all patrol car video cameras and tapes, and have
all video and audio recording devices in operation during all activity,
not subject to arbitrary control by the patrolling officer.

In addition to these recommendations, we call for a public apology by
Chief Knee to the Rocha family and to the community at large for the
behavior of Julie Schroeder, and for the behavior of all of the officers
who have used excessive force.
For Immediate Release: ADVISORY
August 16, 2005
Contact: Debbie Russell, 573-6194
or Austin Dullnig, 443-5616

ACLU & Other Community Leaders Call for Termination of Julie Schroeder
in Light of Grand Jury Decision

What: The Central Texas ACLU and other community leaders will hold a
press conference urging APD Chief Stan Knee to terminate Julie Schroeder
in accordance with their recommendations asserted earlier this week (see
below). Given the recent shooting of 18-year-old Hispanic Daniel Rocha,
such respected figures as Rev. Sterling Lands, II and prominent local
organizations as PODER, LULAC, the NAACP and the American Friends
Service Committee agree with the ACLU that these recommendations would
help to ensure that no more violent injustice is perpetrated by the APD
in our potentially peaceful city.

Where: Travis County Courthouse steps, 1000 Guadalupe St. (between 10th
and 11th on Guadalupe)

When: Tuesday, August 16, 2005, 5:00pm press conference and demonstration

Who: the Central Texas ACLU, PODER, LULAC, El Concilio, Austin Area NAACP

Why: too many people of color have died as a result of excessive use of
force by the APD, and many more have been wrongfully and violently
treated. The Grand Jury process is characterized by conflict of
interest, and the ball is now in the court of the APD. By terminating
Julie Schoreder and adopting a few very specific policies and practices,
the APD could prevent such tragedies as have occurred with Sophia King,
Jesse Owens and Daniel Rocha, and begin to restore the trust of the
Austin community.

On October 8, 2004, Daniel Rocha was sentenced to six (6) years
Community Supervision for the criminal offense of Burglary of a
Habitation…. Since that date, two (2) Motion To Revoke Probation have
been filed. thje first was filed on February 8, 2005 due to Rocha
being arrested for Possession of Marijuana, failure to complete a TCADA
License Intensive Outpatient Treatment and delinquent monies. The
offender was continued on supervision on Apri 1, 2005.

On June 2 [H name withheld by editor] called to inform me that Mr.
Rocha had committed the subsequent criminal offense of Theft from a
Person, State Jail Felony. He also indicated that at the time of
the offense, the offender was seen with [I name withheld by editor] a
convicted felon…

The report goes on to describe a conversation with Danel’s mother
Daniella in which the mother expresses concern that Daniel is hanging
out with the old crowd: "she was worried about him getting hurt because he does something stupid while getting arrested."

North Texas IndyMedia features a compelling blog by the sister of a jailed Dallas man who, she argues, has been falsely charged in the beating death of an elderly man. Be sure to view the video.

Texas has scheduled an execution Thursday (28 July) at 6pm for David Martinez. The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (NCADP) argues that life circumstances should be more carefully considered:

Like many on death row, Martinez comes from a troubled background. His
attorneys said that he moved from Texas to Iowa and back to Texas,
living with one parent or the other. While Martinez lived in Austin
during his early to mid-teens, his father was “heavily involved” in
making sadomasochistic paraphernalia. For some time before his arrest,
Martinez lived on the street. In his case file, a March 1997 form from
the Salvation Army lists him as homeless.

The Austin American-Statesman on July 27 features a story by Chuck Lindell about a last-minute appeal by Martinez:

The last-gasp appeal accuses prosecutors of failing to
adequately investigate allegations that Martinez, now 29, was sexually
abused as a teenager by his father and his father’s boyfriend,
practitioners of a sadomasochistic lifestyle who — until recently —
eluded defense investigators while "living a kind of underground life,"
the appeal states.

Only recently was the father located.  At issue is the need to
take abuse into consideration when deciding for life or death. 
Prosecutors (and the Fifth Circuit) have argued that the question of
sex abuse was raised too late in the process.  Defense attorney
Gary Taylor is quoted in the last paragraph of the story saying: "At
some point, whether they choose this case or not, (appellate courts)
are going to have to address this issue where the district attorney is
the caretaker of justice — where if the DA takes one action, he may be
prosecuting a wrong but may be hurting his case in another area."

Below the break is a roundup of civil rights in the Texas Blogosphere.
Dos Centavos links up resources for a proposed DREAM act, to enable long-time immigrant students their just opportunity to complete citizenship.

Brains and Eggs says ‘bullshit‘ to the Roberts nomination.

La Bloguerra links to reports that low income housing has been redlined from ‘Northside’ San Antonio neighborhoods.

Latinos for Texas link to a Houston janitors
strike, "to protest illegal threats by the nation’s largest cleaning
company, ABM, against workers trying to secure better jobs and
affordable health care." Average wage: $5.25 per hour, no
benefits.

Off the Kuff keeps tabs on jail conditions in Harris County.

Politico says what nobody else dares to say about the frazzled Democratic coaltition. (I read a couple of Demo lists where and Politico is evaded, invisible.)

Texas Ed Equity picks up a San Antonio Express-News report that a parents‘ revolution is brewing over the education scandal. Hint: keep your eye on Carolyn Boyle.

The Red State again, from SAE-N, links the story about Texas ranking first (or last, depending which end is up) in uninsured children.

I am a resident of Austin Texas and read your recent articles About
Alex Jones and his counter Diez y Seis de Septiembre rally on Saturday.
I believe that you along with our local mainstream media have
completely missed the point here. No where does Alex suggest that his
is protesting against the celebration of Diez y Seis, but in fact
explicitly states "Our press release that was sent to the media clearly
stated that we were there to expose racist groups that were preaching
their message in the Hispanic community, and that these groups were
creating division that was detrimental to everyone." From this and
listening to anything that he says you can easily realize that he was
not protesting the celebration at all, but only certain elements that
are overtly racist. How can you attack him for this? You are obviously
eating all the lies thrown down by the mainstream media, who in this
case outright lied and completely mislead the public. I Would not be
supprised if some of our local media will eventually be sued for their
slander. Alex and you are working for the same cause. The man hates all
forms of racism and has proven so time and again. Why attack him for
it?

Concerned Austinite
(with a Harte-Hanks email address) From the Austin American-Statesman of Sunday, Sept. 18:

"We’re
protesting the concept of a parade about Mexico’s independence from
Spain," said George Pangborn, 48, of Burnet, who wore a T-shirt from
the conspiracy Web site infowars .com and was videotaping the
demonstration. He said most of the demonstrators were from Austin.

Things
got noisy when about 200 people in the parade, who were marching to
protest the Minutemen — an ad hoc citizens group planning to try to
stop illegal immigrants at the Texas-Mexico border — confronted the
demonstrators.

"Hey, hey, ho, ho, Minutemen have got to go," the marchers chanted, some with bullhorns.

The
demonstrators yelled back through their bullhorns and waved signs with
such slogans as "Mexico out of USA" and "One Nation, One Language."

"If anything, we’re pro-Minutemen," Pangborn said.

Alex Jones to Minutemen, from the Alex Jones Show of Sept. 22: "Alex is on the horn having rallies to defend you!"