[Peace-discuss] Part III Post-Kiwane Carrington: The Struggle for Equitable Justice

[Melodye Rosales]

*Part III   The Struggle for Equitable Justice*
**


*Post-Kiwane: **A City Preparing for Community Building* *or* *A City
Fulfilling its Divide and Conquer Plan* *in order to achieve perceived calm
and control.*


*"...Kenith Bergeron is the U.S. Justice Departments Conciliation Specialist
that Champaign City Manager, Steve Carter brought in to "so-called" mediate,
with the City's hand-picked choices they've entitled Champaign's Black
Leaders, after the tragic death of 15-year-old Kiwane Carrington, a slightly
built, unarmed, African-American youth.  Bergeron is not new to Champaign or
the climate unrest among the racial divide.  Bergeron was called in by the
City Manager two-years-ago after the Brian Chesley "resisting arrest" case
that led to this African-American youth's arrest that also caused unrest in
the Black Community, leading to protests and public complaints about the
Champaign Police Department "Use of Force" tactics and Bias Profiling in
areas heavily populated by African-Americans.*.."

*
Part III:*

*http://www.mail-archive.com/mpls@mnforum.org/msg12296.html*

[Mpls] To mediate or not

timothy connolly
Mon, 29 Jul 2002 23:59:19 -0700


Sunday's StarTribune contained a report that the U.S.
Justice Department was undertaking a preliminary
inquiry of complaints from members of minority
communities that the Minneapolis Police are guilty of
biased and brutal law enforcement.

As part of this process the Community Relations
Service of the Justice Dept. has offered mediation
services to the city.

St. Paul recently underwent a similar mediation
process between the NAACP and the St. Paul Police
Dept.

I am of the opinion that it would be a major mistake
to engage in mediation before there were a thorough
independent investigation of the Minneapolis Police
Department.

I'm certain that if the Justice Department conducts a
preliminary inquiry they will find probable cause to
proceed further with a full investigation.

It is disturbing that this story has been unfolding
for several months behind closed doors and only now
are we hearing of it.

The Mayor's office will churn out reams of happy news
but would they release a statement saying that the
Mayor has turned down the offer of the Justice Dept.
to mediate between the city and its minority
communities?

You can bet that if the Mayor engages the services of
the Justice Department's community relations service
we will see a press release leading us to believe it
is a good thing.

At the end of Sunday's report, Kenith Bergeron of the
Justice Dept. Mediation service said that "in general
he thought they(the Justice Dept. Civil Rights
Divsion)typically would not be investigating a city
involved in mediation."

He added, "they would see a city in mediation as going
forward. They would see a city working with the
community."

I would see a city wanting to skirt the issue.

I would see a city afraid to look closely at itself.

The time for mediation is AFTER an investigation, not
before.

Tim Connolly
Downtown West
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