HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #27 - Discussion Item01
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_Man xly Gonzalez
19
Candidate - Miami City Commission
May 22,1995
Mr. Cesar Odio
Honorable Commissioners
Agenda Coordinator
Miami City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Coconut Grove, Florida 33133
Dear Sirs:
Through this letter, I, Manny Gonzalez, respectfully request a personal appearance
at the next City of Miami Commissions Meeting to discuss POLICE BRUTALITY and it's
solutions, such as establishing an Independent Review Board composed of citizens, in lieu
of the Office of Professional Compliance that is being lessened to a back -set by Mr. Odio.
MG:tr
Respectfully yours,
M y G nz es
2469 S.W. 14th Street - Mianu, FL 33145 - Telephone (305) 643-6149 S
S5—
M Police' and blacks: Policebrutal-
ity against blacks is worsening,
with- excessiv"e-fd stan-
dard" part ofar'rest procedures
and verbal.:-.abuse,and-harass
ment fiery common, an
NAACP report:.says. 4A
1 r-lvrly ✓I'� _� �
THE MIAMI HERALD
MRI1URA . I1CITO
0 0 '
brut ity Poli.ce , . al
against7bl-acks
o
fNA--ACP---f1nds
PAUL KIRBY
S tes News Service
WASHINGTON -- Police
brutality against blacks -is -wors-
ening, with excessive force a
"standard" part of arrest proce-
dures and verbal abuse and
harassment very common, the
NAACP said in a reporf Wednes-
dayTh.
e abuse has created'"a wall
of mistrust" between the groups
and an "us versus them" -mental-
ity that must be addressed
through community activities for
the relationship to improve,
according to the 221-page report,
which was commissioned after
the Rodney King beating in 1991
in Los Angeles. The report was
based on heanngs in six cities,
including Miami, and other
research.
"Race, we have found, contin-
ues to be an overwhelming factor
While the National Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Col-
ored People conducted hearings
in six cities, the report's recom-
mendations are national in
scope, although it mentions testi-
mony from the hearings through-
out the report.
The Miami hearings were held
during two days in November
-� 1991 and featured allegations by
some Dade County blacks of
- police brutality.- The charges
include accusations that police
broke one man's neck, unneces-
sarily shot another to death and
used racial slurs.
The report also cites encourag-
ing actions by many depart-
ments, including more coopera-
tion between police and
communities, hiring of minority
officers and training officers in
cultural diversity and sensitivity.
Metro-Dade's system of monitor -
defining the nature of the rela- ing officers who have been the
tionship between the police and subject of complaints was
the African -American commu- praised.
nity, which is characterized by a
constant pattern of verbal abuse At a news conference announe-
and harassment, often escalating ing the report, Charles Ogletree
to physical abuse," said Benja- Jr., director of Harvard Law
min Hooks, who was scheduled School's Criminal Justice Insti-
to retire Wednesday as -executive tute, said he hoped Attorney
director of the nation's largest General Janet Reno would sup-
_ivil rights group. Hooks is stay- port a broad federal policy to
ing on the job temporarily. until a !address police conduct and com-
replacement is chosen_
'-munity relations.
Among the report's findings:
O False charges and retaliatory
actions often follow incidents of
abuse, and -the most common
charges are disorderly conduct,
resisting arrest and assaulting a
police officer.
--■-Many=-police- departments
don't have adequate procedures
.,: _to_monitor_and address -patterns -
of misconduct, and a few officers
are responsible for most allega-
tions.
® The public rarely succeeds in
complaints against officers, and
many people are afraid to file
complaints and don't know how
to proceed, while some depart-
ments discourage them.
Among the recommendations:
® The role of police must be
re-evaluated so they are. consid-
ered social service providers.
■ There mus
accountability
improve poor
reward and
behavior.
t be greater police
to detect and
behavior and to
encourage good
® Departments need to renew
their commitment to hiring offi-
cers of venous racial and "ethnic
groups and recruiting candidates
without bias toward race, gender
or sexual orientation.
"Clearly, there is no reason to Ogletree also praised the Met- ® Community -oriented polic-
believe the conditions-Uricoveredl- ro-Dade _Police Department sys- ing should be adopted by all
in this report do not exist in tem in which an officer who has departments, and sensitivity
many of our cities," Hooks been the subject of several citizen training of officers is needed.
added. "We are asking that in complaints is monitored. ® All departments should
each jurisdiction, the proper Metro -Dade and the Miami establish civilian review boards
authorities carefully study this Police Department had no with independent- authority to
document and pay heed to its immediate comment on the investigate allegations.
recommendations." mport. �I�Srs� �5;
_J
U.
Ire
B.P.partmint � f Jotat
7� —,
r7
'S
certify that the.. attached
I -,true. ;and .corib6t--....copy of the
Articles of -Incorporation
CITIZENS'_'7U NITED:'NAGAINST
BRUTALITY INC a corporation
ry.r
POLICE
e'j
aniz
or 11e ir-thia%
of Florida,."med
Ws' of the State
on March 27,' 1,99j" j;ff_actI,
ve-, arc 5, 1991,
shown by the records of this office.
.-2 as
p
P, The docurntrit
number'of %
this corporation
n it�- N42697;:-I�—
y
?
7.7,;;.", v It "4
gibm unber mj Daub ad tbt
Orrat :oral of the Otatr of jilanba,
at TWlaba,0er, the Capital, tbig the
27th Day of March, 1991.
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FLORIDA REGIONAL REPORTING SERVICE
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TRANSCRIP'a OF PROCEEDINGS of the NAACP held cn
Wednesday, the 13th day of November, 1091 commencinS
at 7:00 u.m. at the Joseph Caleb center, 54110 N.v,.
22nd Avenue, t.iarni, Florida, with JACK vi. GNAVFLY,
Cnair..man, pre sic' ing.
80ARD ME'MeERS PRESENT:
JACK w. GRAV',LY, Chairman
Coordinator NAACP Police Conduct
DENNIS COUP.TLAND HAYES, ESC.
General Counsel, NAACP
J ,i N I C: E w A 5 K I N G T D N, A s. s-i. s-t-a.n-t ..
Director of Branches, NAACP Hearings
JOHNNIE t1cMILLAN, President
Miami -Dade County branch NAACP
9?Ti1DTT1n UL'/?TnUC.r 4VDr1uTT.0r QF'A1)r�•F y" 19
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( whereupon, :the following proceed in:; s were hac, :
C:j ItiMAN Ilith 7L'LY: r-:r. •.,jnZ11ea?
AR G0NZAL2-'L-GUL'hyGA: Good cveninj,
rr.y name is vanuel Con zalez-,,ocnaya. G70-N-A-L-S Z
G-O-E-M-A-G-A. Last nave.
I represent on benalf of myself and
also I an, president and founper of citizens United
Against Police Brutality, which is a corporation,
nonprofit corporation to combat police brutality.
Unfortunately, I werit to tt:e Uity of
Miami with my own case October 16, 1990 concerning
the c;uban macho policeman. I asked for some funds.
vot funds. Actually an old typewriter which was
given away and some office space and they refused.
They did not want to hear of this organization.
►ae have teen under scrutiny and
provocation Dy the Cuban police officb'rs.
While you were meeting here last
night I was campaigning for Mr. Baret (phonetic) ,
who was. running against Victor DeYur.r.e. And Mr.
DeYurre's gang of policemen approached my car and
•- . n {, n r r n .+ i CU r n /% ri m T W1 i! C^ L 17 T r+ lY @
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Officer Guttierez, a Cuban white tellow, to'_c.' me
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that he was going to cut my testicles when I have
not cone arythir;.
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de torte that on C.cto,.er Ir)
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arrested to speaking-- campaigning for Senator
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Cn ilex for the governorst. iF, i was urrestec, by
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officer Chacon, another Cuuan. And he Mistreated :a?.
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I also had racial anc" derogatory remarks from
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sergeant stev'en (unaud•ible) , racial slurs -for bein�j
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a Puerto Rican.
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I went to the Office of Professional
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Compliance, the commissioners of the city of Miami,
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the office of Internal Affairs and Sot my case with
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deposition and everything.
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And 'my dear friends, they have not
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done a thing and what they have done is cover up.
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1rhey claim that I an crazy. I was even-- they asked
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the state Attorney' s of f ice not to do anything . P.nd
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Janet Reno's office ordered my psychiatric
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evaluation, which I okayed.
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I have to admit that with these
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harassment from the police" `I might not to be okay
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today. -
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About what -.else happened. Yes, every-
bcJ y knows I have this oryani zat ion and they want to
c•cnt_el it an-d they hate r,ty ;uts-. _ I hrvr b.e-er. t.olc
that by Cuban policemen, oKay,
i a,oin5 to fight tier;.. I -I I Ulsc
say to City fall plead with them to take a_ thor.ougr.
exa;�ination. of. the r.am.es..cf my case tecause it that
thing happens to me it can happen to anybody else
especially blacks and Haitains and I an, white..
And Mr. Suarez and all the other
commissioners know I core trcm a w?ll-to-do family.
I have to admit I was born with a silver spoon. Yet
the Cuban ,%hit,e policemen, this macho policemen,
when you have a gun, sticK and handcuff all these
Cuban policemen are Nacho.
And I have told over and over again
that the city Commissioners are all a bunch of,
cowards.
And not only that, it's not only
police brutality, dear friends, just to give you an
idea. I will stick to what have been done to this
fellow. My brother 'it its a crime what they can do
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with the words. They can hurt you emotionally some
s
FLORIDA REGIONAL, REPORTING SERVICE
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times more than with a stick.
Ana I am accusing the policemen. or.
Suarez is a lot of crap. t-.nc the Cubans, generally
sp-eaKing,.hate the hlacKS. Hr.d they thins; that they
are i;„L,ortar.t because they riere e0ucr,tec: in Clu:.a.
Also the Community Relation..board. is_b.unch_.o.i crap.
I have told the Commissioners or the City of ,r^iami.
_ The_ only_ -gay that I know__ how to react
is by fire because tre,.blacKs_ put. this community on
fire. The Puerto Ricans have to go on fire if
thats the only way they Know how to react. I was
going to insight people to burn city hall.
Mayor Suarez threatened Me' with the
police. He Knows me very well. It has been
constantly harassment because of this orc;anizsticn..
I am not blaming the cnief of police
mr. Calvin Ross for a particular reason. I have had
a meeting with him. I have to give him a chance but
unless those eight criminals who murdered that --
Killed Mercado are thrown out of the police, I will
fight the police until the last blood that is in my
bod y .
Not only that.
RT.f1UTT1a VPr:Tn?,3AT 0PVr)PrrTW1r: CrD17TI" P
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CHAIRMAN GRAVELY-. One more ninute.
Mk, GONZALEZ-GOENAGA: Police
L-rutality has to and no matter vvhat- %nd
the Lest sclut ion is to fire their because that is
crie thing t!.ey ca.,ie to trial in Federal court..
But you know -ther-e 'is- a big
difference between legality en6 justice ono Chet all
these lawyers are a bunch of manipulators They
convert, They are tra i neci- to 'cuInve r*"t I th'e" "tr uth into
a lie and a lie into the truth but everyL.ody Knows
that those eight policemen murdered a human beinc,
CHAIRMAM' GRAVELY: ThanK you, Mr.
Coenaga.
(whereupon, cther participants made
their presentations)
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Mr. HA YES: Mr. Goenaga, Hhat do vo-1
_r—F-n wren you. .c.E ll tt Ee pol..ic�_ c f f ice r_s "macho
off icE rs-"?
i1R. r�;`l�,aLr�G-3C'EN ',�rA: r,eli, I mean
that these are Cuban white policemen who are
F.ccustoia.ed to the old ways in Cuba anu they —
because they act 1iKe solicers. In ether words,
they treat even their own community liKe soliders.
And there are a few of them that don't but I have
declared war against the police.
And I want to specify here that I
have never have any problem whatsoever with any
black officer. My only problems have been with the
Cuban macho and I may have said in the City of niam i
Commission meeting that these Cuban machos if they
are so much of a macho they should go bacK to Cuba
and try to Kill eicel Castro. You see.
-And I have also said that like I did
not come to' this country running away from communism.
Yes, all these Cubans left Cuba when they should
have fought Fidel from within.
- -So thes-e .macho. men _are.-t-h.e_ ones who
FLORIDA REGIONAL REPORTING SERVICE
1 lare abusing not only Puerto Picans, and I understand
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that you heard Mrs. 11(ondon last night and the
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a it i an community, veh-i-ch I an pro uj- of -thein -because
there is a Cuban rol ice via-f ia within, the police
dei�artnent.
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MR.' HAYES. -So you feel 'that- a--
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M.R. GONZALEZ-GOEINAGA: No., .1 -don't.
feel that. I -.a:n.,.-sure-..
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MR., .�HAYES v .-Let. -rae�. a-qK my quest ion
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Do you feel there is a cultural bacKcjround--
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MR. GONZF.LEZ-G20ENAGA Inefinitely.
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MR. HAYES: -- to the attitudes--
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t-IR . GONZ ALE Z ,330" SNAGA Definitely.
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Mx. HAYES: that some Cuban
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ofticers-7
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Mi-R. GONZALEZ-GOENAGA: Definitely.
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Yes.
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beceuse the Cubans* thins that they
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are the super Cubans. That they on top of all the
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Latin nations,
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And let me tell you something. I was
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educated .in Cuba; so I know the Cubans too well and
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they'cannot *fool me. You see.
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And I -always said like yesteruay' s
election in Puerto Rico we were taught by Luis etunoz
arIn, who t.augh,t the Puerto !dean:; that you nEvf r
cell your vote. You lend the vote.
;end these Cuban-mafiu-- I am. tal;,;ir.c
now the Cutan ekmerican National eoundztion tinancec;
mr. Victor DeYurre. 9e purchased the black votc- an(;
he went to the Puerto Rican community to purchase
the Puerto Rican vote.
Let me tell you somethin5 these
Cubans anc; I went today to all the radio stations,
the Spanish-speaking stations that are not present
here. And they are also, these Spanish-speaking
stations are a bunch of cowards and they live only
for the albitrcn because they are only worriec' atout
money.
CHAIRMAN GRAVELY; Okay, thank you,
very ,much Mr. Gonzalez.
(whereupon, other participants were
interviewed)
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CERTIFICATE
STATE, Of' FLORIDA )
S5.
COON Y OF DALE )
I, !:.TEP;1iAN'I S r. UTLE.N, C:.uur t 1•epur ter and'
rotary Public for the State of Florida hereby
certify that I was authorized to report the
foreL;oin, proceedings; that said witness was duly
sworn; that the forec;oin5 pages constitute a true
and correct record of the testimony.
I further certify that I am not un
attorney of any of the parties, nor a relative or
employee of any attorney connect.eu Nith tnis cause
and I ar: not financially interested in the outcome
of this matter.
wITNESS my har.c� in the City of c:ia;ii,
County of Dade, State cf Florida, this l6th—_—` day
of Fiarch , 19)2.
7eVorter
GIA FOSTER
Co rt
and Notary Public
MY COISSION EXPIRES; March 16, 1992
�Pddli`Iti.p
FLORIDA REGIONAL REPORTING SERVICE
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TC MANY HAVE DIE►,:
Subrnitted hitO ftht "" he list of the victims of racist violence in Miami itggng.
recor (I ck fathers, brothers and sons all killed by whlic
item
white-poe
f -4 -,- cn 7 r '
:! er
x' City Clerk Here's a Partial List
of Victims
.:.::
Arthur McDuffie '' Alonzo Singletonr
rho facts in the murder of the 33•ys4r old ^• a� Several hours alter Nevell Johnson was that, a
luranco man are known to the world, McOuffie City of Miami SWAT Team came upon 17•year
died alter Metro Police beat him on Oc:. 17, old Alonto Singleton outside the the National
1979. His wife, Frederica has said, "the criminal Fleeter Co. in Overtown. Team member Curtis
justice system stinks. The evidence was all there Reeves used hit M•14 rifle to fore twelve rounds
tin Tamps), and there wvs no way for them to at Singleton. Eight of the shots tore into
be aquitted••bul they were. 1 don't see any justice Singleton's 98 pound body killing horn on the
for Blacks now." scene. Reeves was brought before the Dade Co.
Grand Jury but according to Singleton's sitter,
t Annie Carter, the State Attorney's Office did
�! thine' to pur3u0.r ind,cfrr^ni anri— rh%(on ,•r.++.�••^�
(Randy Heath
Clarence Page)
Both Randy Heath
and Clarence Page
were victims of the
Hialeah Police Dept.
In 1979 Officer L.
Shockley shot down
Heath and than in
1982 Clarence Pago
was killed by Tolls
Baum.
N
Abram Phillips
Miami Police Sgt. Ed Westpy claims he Mot and
kilted 21•year old Abram Phillips whon Phillips
charged his patrol car on foot firing a .367 WW
j hum. The gun said to be used by Phillips belonged
to another policeman • who said it vat ttolen
from him hours earlier. Residents near where
Phillips fall dead at N.W. 72 Street and 22 Ave
t` report that police said, "That's one -- we
don't have to worry about any more." Abram
Phillips had no criminal record and lived in Carol
City with his wife of three years. Theresa and
3n, Advin. Police internal review has cleared Westpy of any wrongdoin:
cps death. No criminal charges were filed.
Rev. Lafontant Bien•Aime
39-Year old Rev. Bien -Aims, minister at Christ
Redeemer Church, wes seated in his van next to
his son, Kinsey, when a shot gun blast from
a Miami Police Officer Karl Robbins killed him
on Sunday May 18, 1980. Robbins claims Sion-
"� Aime vras looting. Kinsey has said that his laths.
was picking up members of his church for tor -
vices. Local authorities have exonerated Robbins
1� in tha killing. Rev Sien•Ainse left the Haitian
Y' 4 Army to take up theology and his ministry and
ll� - :/J wits described as a man who "who instead of kill.
erred to preach love" by Rev. Gerard Jean•Juste. Bien -Aims is survived
Ernest Kirkland
53•vear old Ernest Kirkland was stopped on
the Palmetto Expressway on Oct. 6, 1982 by
r.
Metro Detective Thomas Pellechia. Pellechio,
in plain clothes, failed to call in Isack up units
and approached Kirkland alone. The exchange
between the two ended with Kirkland mortally
wounded wiih four bullets (non -departmental
issue bullets) in his neck and chest. Evidence in
the case lead the Dade County Grand Jury to
indict Pellechio on December 15, 1y82. Later
in Dade County Court an all -while jury aquited Pellechoo After the trial
Pellechio said he would return to the force after a short vacJiion.
z; Anthony Nelson
30•year old Anthony Nelson surrendered to
q'. Metro Puhce Officer Ernesto Urtiaga on Oct. 20,
s 1982. Nelson was spread
-eagle and being lrotked
when Urtiaga sent a that gun blast into his Irdck
from point blank range. On ifft4day of the MCI -
dent. police expatned it as an accidenlai shoot-
ing. The Dade County Grand Jury saw 11 ilil-
erently and indicted Urtiaga on manslaughter
charges... In his trial Urtodgs testified than he
had •'ontentionalty•' shot Anthony Nelson WI
A •, again the all -while jury set him free The judge
in the case had been a defense attorney for the police who had Isealen Arthur
McDuffoe to death in '79 He refused to admit into evidence incidents of bru-
tality involving Urtiaga previous to the killing of Anthony Nelson.
Ale. Ghislame and their six children,
Elijah Aaron
e7-year old Elijah Aaron worked as a security >
guard until he sews disabled by two heart attacks •
and kidney failure. Aaron, his "to Nettie Mae
and their five children lived on "Kiel tensity NEVELL JOHNSON Clement Anthony Lloyd t
benefits at the time he eves shot to death on
IMF
May 18, 1980 by Metro Policeman Jomas Leggot shot in the head at point A. motorcycle chase turned
outside. a tire store. Police Internal rovlawcleared blank range by Miami Poli deadly for Clemen,r_ and t1a
Legget in the killing. Nettle Mee Aaron ramem• Ce officer,Luis Alvarez, tesenger,Anthony Blanchard
t»i7 how nuslifrsd n "a quiet man who watty while playing when Miami Police officeL� 3
much kept to hurself," She wee never notilipd P y g a Video ..�
by palics of het hutb ends death. arcade game in Dec., 1982. Willie Lozano shot Lloyd
down on MLK Dav�1989.
AND TUB I ICT rnl~c nN"