Killed by Police compares to lynchings in United States

Photo by Tomi Johnson

As I heard the news this morning that another unarmed black citizen has been killed by police in the United States, I wondered how the old way of lynching compares.

According to Wikipedia, "Lynching was the practice of killing, usually by a hanging resulting from extrajudicial mob action."

Since 1882 through 1964, a period of 82 years, 1,297 whites and 3,445 blacks were lynched for a total of 4,742. (http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/shipp/lynchingyear.html)

Photo by Tomi Johnson

According to KilledByPolice, 855 people have been killed by police between January 1, 2016 and September 2016, over nine months, the time it takes to bring a baby into the world. In nine months, the police have killed as many citizens as it took to lynch folks over a 15 year period. (http://www.killedbypolice.net/)  

According to KilledByPolice's Facebook page, "At least 3,957 people have been killed by U.S. police since May 1, 2013, the day this page was created." (https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1135107156554809&id=956901834375343) 

Today, cops can shoot to kill anyone if they fear their lives or the lives of others are in danger. And most of the time, they get away with it and serve no time for their actions.

As one of my brothers in Christ told me today, "Why do our city officials hire cowards, give them guns, and try to protect them when they murder and brutalize our people? How can they take bombing suspects who are shooting at officers alive in New York, but kill unarmed black men in Cleveland?"

The victims of police MOB violence are the ones in danger from brigades of cops wielding Tasers, firearms, body armor, tanks, and robot bombs. Skittles, toy guns, fists, plastic swords, and vape cigarettes present weak forms of defense against massive arsenals and protective orders to kill.

This is the new lynching which is condoned by our government. And its sights have been set on black men who they deem problematic, insane or drugged threats who cannot be negotiated with or arrested. 

Are we under martial law? It's probably not a coincidence that the head of the U.S. Justice Department is a black woman named Attorney General Lynch. 

Odd, but true. 

Twenty years ago, John J. Dilulio, Jr. wrote an article entitled, "My Black Crime Problem, and Ours."  Please read and understand where some people are coming from...
http://www.city-journal.org/html/my-black-crime-problem-and-ours-11773.html

Nicholas Thomas organization to file “civil rights action” against City of Smyrna

Photo by Tomi Johnson taken at one Justice for Nicholas Thomas rally in Smyrna, Ga.

The Labor of Love Campaign, a group seeking justice surrounding the shooting of unarmed Nicholas Thomas by police on March 24, 2015 in metro Atlanta, is seeking donations to pay legal fees.

Nicholas Thomas, 23, was shot in the back at his job at Bob McDonald's Goodyear while police were serving a warrant for his arrest for a $175 violation. According to a police statement, Smyrna Police Sgt. Kenneth Owens fired three times into a customer's Maserati being serviced by Thomas because he was placed "at risk to receive serious bodily injury or death." 

Thomas had an infant daughter when he died.

According to an email from Rich Pellegrino, members of their group were distributing leaflets about the "ongoing cover-up associated with the killing of Nicholas Thomas" at the Jonquil Festival in October last year near the Smyrna City Hall when they were stopped by city policemen. 

"Peaceful leafleting is a constitutionally-protected form of free speech, and, in order to protect our rights to continue to do this in the future, we are proceeding to file a 'civil rights action' against the City of Smyrna, demanding that they pay us damages, including legal fees for their interference, and a court order to prevent such future acts," Pellegrino's email stated.

"Before any government can be sued in Georgia, they must be given notice of the intent to sue, so that the matter can be resolved to the satisfaction of all parties at minimum costs to all concerned."

Pellegrino estimates the group needs $1,500 to cover fees for the preparation, filing, and service of the lawsuit. "Recovering these costs of the litigation will certainly be a part of our demand for damages and we’ll maintain careful records to repay all our contributors, when, as we expect, a favorable decision is reached," Pellegrino said. 

Donations will be deposited into a Chase bank account. For more information on how to make donations, contact Pellegrino at 404-573-1199 or pilgrim1@mindspring.com.