HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #65 - Discussion ItemNAACP GREATER VIAMI BRANCH
4610 N.[J. 7th Avenue
Miami, Florida 33127
M
1981
Dick Fosman, City Manager
City of Miami
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, Florida 33133
Dear Mr. Fosman:
This letter represents a request for placement on
the April 9, 1981, City Commission Agenda for pre-
sentation by myself on behalf of the Greater Miami,
NAACP.
The presentation wi11 involve the alleged beating
' of Mr. Frank Johnsc, of the City of Miami Policemen.
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South's Largest, Black Weekly ABC Circulation
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Serving Greater Miami Since 1923
25i Tempora murantur El Nos Muramur in mis
1: OUTSIDE DADE 30 CENTS
VOLUNIF 58, NUMBER 31
11,11AN11. FLORIDA, THURSDAY, AFRI1.21, 1981
-48PAGES
IN now& e
S
d; , After at Y, COF� •_=�'''.z�.7:..
-%acher Blinde'
e ing is
It was on a Thursday, t.white male inside. before proceeding down 7th rilinute and let me see your,
',!'�Jjnded when he received a Nl;ir(-h loth, after his Jackson - Ile showed his license', upon Ave. going south "At the license V,
• fractured skull from a ON of evening class when Johnson request, and returned to the Amoco station at about 671h "The black lady said,
Miami police officer, Frank and a friend decided upon an . Satellite after being informed St I noticed a police car quiet- we just stopped him,' and ask-'
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,Johnson is reluctantly spen. evening of organ playing at by the lady that "we're not go- ly following me with no lights ed to see my license its they
ding his 12th day at Jackson the Satellite LQunge, 62221 ing to give you a ticket or on or anything," Johnson said were getting out of the car,"
Memorial Hospital N W 7th Ave. -'anything. we just want to "I made a right turn at Dade Johnson said
:1.,PA public school educator for They spent a couple of relax-1know who you are." Federal and a left turn onto "I didn't see them ap- r-11-42m-
. more , than to years, Johnson, ing hours there until Johnson'.,. "I sat and listened 6 the. 7th Ct. going to my brother's proaching but police cars t-
Z, supplements his income returned his friend to his cer organ player until about house at 721 N.W. 56th St.," started appearing form
with an evening position four 'at 15; W 79th St. Returning to o, 1: 30," Johnson said, 9"having, Johnson said. Exiting his car', everywhere," Johnson said
it a week, teachng at the Satellite, Johnson said a � only one beer." I with the same police car three'r-and when I reached for my.'. » -jr,-
Miami-.IacL,;on and
Edison police car pulled up behind Johnson returned to 79th St., feet away, Johnson heard the, billfold my arms were caught
kidy.and -.-to check
bluck
n my friend. Oate officer say "come here a �, f.
Continued on page 2 FRA�IK JOWWN
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TIIE MIA11 T TIM�.s'Ziaur�tday. April 2,198I �"
'R"7,,4' ;, _°•-. Asa,.. ."". - , .. _ r..4<_-n ;`A.3.; -� ••^'�:.• -. _ _t:-•.".`_ .,, ' "`�' -., k.: r•+
ks Unfold ns F. inema
!-}�e..,� ,�e1: t -�. "..�i•.t p.A+S("q -x - - • '' i .'��t%��"=
1�►� ^by Ruby Gres, �_;ry.. >7 . ( rn. the rnakrna• memt.nrik of cen(rafc more
t:`, .rs`' ' { -Ace f}evclopment corjrorntion uniqueri�'Z," "ys art(° (*' [hem ,� , N� Ace say lti*y
as p . "cultural ex• sow sn opportunity Anil took deve)oper%, IF?trvey t�allnc�. -not tm c st .with a �
x5e"{i;; �•..; perience yai'il never soon it. .''I{(Mull the %livfair xp,(nt_ C�nfttr �n flair arrf make it
7" ^=� forget" the developer. of Uie They drew up the plans for a pers will just drift do-n boot'. i=nme place where) islarhicrs j
Cinema Sho of 1,,-20 sho mall to be located in three block-s to �t. what we fj
_,i .•-. -,-} P (�' P will want to come aloof visit.
•. • _ •_ + ? `= Coconut Grove intend for it to the (;rmv a few blocks north have to offer and spcod utme ' c Ili,, d,(op( are to tie black
be just that. of the ;Mayfair on Grand of their money at ttie•(:Irrcma 'owned, tntt not, necrsnanly
Weary of hearing city and Avenue Shops.- Wallace 4a(d, cm- Flack opt(•rated, and are ex i
county officials say that "tin" the Mayfair is ex- phasizing that motif blacks -
shave to employ at teas(, o0 1
blacks have no viable prnttcas cluslve, but he want to con- olio ettled in the Grove are workers ''of do particular
t Teacher,Blinded AfterDclafil Pff _B
4 Continued from page 1 Johnson "'as finally allowed to -'-rig• "I haven't even taken ., setrur(, which I{ernandc2 had
on either side in tight grips by make was the last thing he statement trom him " •= •,,-•tol(t tom could re;:ritt from his i
officers who kept forcing my remembers about the City of The Internal investigaUan head injuries fie has r c'n a
- `arms up and my head down Miami Police Department, for 'by the City of Miami is not ex-- specialist at Bascom Palmer
•—f• t ;-. t saying 'get right nigger."' at this point he passed out. petted to be completed until " Eye Institute and is now
_ v ;Standing , handcuffed, Waking up in Ward D of Friday, "so (really couldn't waiting for the chief Of
-Johnson was relieved when Jackson Hospital, Johnson tell you what our findings are neurosurRcry to examine him,
. - ', two black officers appeared on says he could not see anything until then," Seaman said. , before finally being released.
scene positioning their car '"and I haven't seen anything , During his 12-day hospital "There a►n't much t can do
crossways behind him. "i since." Johnson was in Ward stay, Johnson has also been when 'I get root' of 'here,"
9 ,t .+, . began to beg them not to let D until 5:00 on the 21st having questioned by a state at-' Johnsorr said, `.'with no
` •T '`° X' bt' white cops beat me up, I scanner tests and x-rays run ' torney, review boards and Sgt. eyesite. I don't have any vvav
! s: epA saying it over and over to see how serious his fracture . Seaman, and has had a to make any money, I've used
}Hgain," Johnson said. t•Was. ..•�� !y•.w� '41'k•.•,;3 •• Myehiatrib1 W tell hiCla Lhat' LY all trio dck days at Uiv
�hA.t 6T' and weighing 226 During this dime he Was. could see. '- ;'•',' ?'�`�; Y'(` khod'umy night- jobs are
pounds, Johnson considers visited by members of the Ci• :L told him to make . me `already gone,I just ttopc in`
} himself a "pretty big" man, ty's Internal Review Board. a 'because that's ,exactly .what school insurance will pay m}
( = ' •.$�'; �.. < i7•d Lei r 'v�:;..w ...
a r•;m,,,• however, the officer on his state's attorney, someone I•.ve been trying to,}dor' ,bill:
t,.da .+�i.,;• right "had to be much bigger" from the coroner's office and . Johnson said.-.;g';•a 'if. L"cjal F do :,t�methinl
Johnson said, "because I had the first of many visits from a Jahuson is rwx . ort am .sor)n::"I adds, "I'm gomg to
" --to look up at him."' ra -< ySgt. Theodore Seaman of, - phetamines p vent.,ti€ r_vc thing.";
was this officer j who ternal Security at the city.
while saying ''get right Seaman continuous)v asked
tugger,' slammed Johnson's Johnson to sign paper,- releas•
head back on the car, which rot n1e(flcal recordsfrom the
i ;;, `� Y-."--p.the black officers had just V A ,� =
i ,''" - '• ";'' ;_"sparked, cracking inskull.
"I refufed•" Johnson sold,
„; ;:"• skull. �: tx•cawse he was no doctor
Before being taken to 'the and no one else had said
-"t:police station, Johnson's car anything about it to me.'• " `
>• sy ,.`::; : and pockets were search(>(I "'No, wan s.>aman's reply r.. �.
►%;,Amving at the police station, when asked if it were up to �;"�¢ �#;�� ��� t=" .';.t< •�r�� y'
; .Johnson recoKnizt (i one of the him as opposed, to a doe trio to ;-=, sf; �:
:( t ,•='two black officers who asked make the request' for. ' ,a
t•�'1-• ,, -..-),turn to emp�ity his 18x:kel_s from John,ons medical rocords. -`y"• .•,'"', �•�, :.bi.°�-',?}•f '. s..��� � �u�s';:;;-; �%� `�
previousrncuunterbistsunr Iltiore tx•Ing transported to
met, wht'n his house had trren J111f. Johnson said lit• was told t : ra.•: "< `Y3.t• ,R«`.'`,,. (' :"„ �
broken into t _ •t?-w�>,;, "` "` hlschargi� originally -4Y ^"?:; :•
": -, -•.. t.r.'.,,yp Asked to's.go for $31ti. (fnvinq under the influence, .},.:
z:Juhnson n fii)((f, sa}'trig he and c arrl(-ss dnv:ng had Ix rrl-
''' M7had lnott• than 11319) 111 his roduct-d to misdt'ineanor-s, . .. •.rn�..`,'g .�F"`t ! 'e< .y3',.' `$.,+
puckrl when stopped by :although Si;t Seajnan say,- th( • t-+
police. "I two gone to the original charges still `t:and �• t#°"�i � # �'�
t{ollywo(xi Dog Track earlier in addition, •'I was told that •�; t. �,� 4'� }RA
- ; and hit a 4,8 trifecta lu'Ire." .Judge Jamt's Rainwater had ..°acc�r, , .t; s
l""''�• ' Johnson said "The hanks released me on m}' ow❑ ' ".'
—were CJtrar(i and I thought the rec ognirance _ - <, + t4,> `.• < , >
saftat )lace to keepthe money The second and third time
?•(` .,,��. t�-was with me.':,-� Seaman visited Johnson ter ; .,.M ,y; : ;�:`'°i �
Johnson says he asked the told him he was investigating
�
-, •. '._ ( ,' � ''�• r black officer to "let me sera the case "I asked boil if tit -
doctor .' ::. '``k ,�' 4';,,:='_.•�:'•_....�,���._-_' ..s ,
or something''because had talked to the guy who had t ;x > r-
y. y hen w g n told cracked my skull and he s:ild i �+' m d as killing r e 1 u ': 3,'� �-•'A'::�,>,, ' "'�E• � ""
him that i was a disdble vet didn't have a cracked skull." � � r='� .tc��� - � � . •,� t �'�
K and to look in my billfold so he Johnson said. ., «✓, ,`:``' "': „' ,•
wouldn't have any doubts.' - 'But Dr. r(;t-urg,r i �I{rr
4 ,;"c�� �• The officers replied 'nig- nandersaidttrerewaspruufuu
'
,�- r.ger ain't nothing wrong with the x-rays, piles he i,vd told
�'"'=•r, `�hi` ,you. according to Johnson
;, Ju I me," John as d
Y The -light-fikinned officer On each of Svantar,'s %(sits
�'�. -. ��••
,,,. , ,; (Sy ✓, then gave Juhnstln a sobnrty ter atieinptt1� err Ito\r Jultnso,a - : -, - � .:• +.;- `
test telling him to "Wow " "1 sikr, Ir.,tx i Ini oor reason or
_ r ~ told hum 1 y;ps and he puncht-.1 ,ut..,�fn(7 , -But t wouidi,'t
"t! �•(�� jt:i►;,eria In the stdr and sauf 't,lua Jot,i,5<x'rs td ()I,t,te nl,rilvi�lt i:•. a x = -
r:j:f:�'Z.i•••t. rugger,' " JUfailsun `,.Id tU JuLilutr;, :, lojil, �r[-alLall .r R ... :•,' L` .- _ - .:,t
Eck tlr�'rt •. By 5 3u uei Olt muming of a -A.r l II err k >Jl I ti It-
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` lider('h 21a1. Juttt,Su,:, trr,:tt ir.a�gf"apt, te-�l .-- •" ti�' "a`�'�£'' -
•asimm) 1 :� " y•` : Was hurting Su t,jL] U,al rim uL "1!e rL:lrr t tr_'1 flit- I (,Ae13 �� •� '�� ....�_Yffi
-jj �-(tile ('Cll(nutcL Irl,lrtu,:lrr�f trig• t(3fr ah �[l,tl lrr) pw c":.c-,rl in
tow `r t
i bed, co%rumj2,, tl,z lieu: nli i.L)-lfr!l .;• JUta:1J.r:r Yil ir.tt, i
• `� (:ter -sr lE1er-.1 Ll,)'we) (r\-�hiiS� I'' J•0fi11J:1i1 Up Ifu.ilZ� into[
L"ei, f rt U tt t c:1, J ul,:u,r.l 1.tn.s w l Lu ttJl.:• it ✓. - tF 4 . " = _ a . _ �.-r. -
E .t k-L4 i6=i. re W::e:43'f ��iZ '•4. _` - S•,