Nov. 19, 2009
RACIAL PROFILING: Local NAACP Alleges Racial Profiling
Police Chief Barred from News Conference
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Racial profiling concerns moved to the forefront Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 during a news conference by the Huntington Black Pastor’s Ministerial Association held at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
The ministers were joined by Sylvia Ridgeway, president of the local NAACP chapter. Both groups indicated they have received many allegations and/or concerns of racial profiling based on traffic stops and/or as Rev. Roy Terry personally stated “walking my dog after dark.”
Sylvia Ridgeway told HNN late Wednesday evening Nov. 18 that the news conference strictly focused on alleged racial profiling by law enforcement and did NOT have any relationship to the shooting at Club Babylon, where Joe Porter, 30, was killed by a bullet wound attributed to a Huntington police officer.
She stated that “we wanted to temper the emotions of people in the African American community that are running rampant right now [by] people who have a problem with racial profiling. That was the focus today, racial profiling… We had to do something because there is too much tension right now.”
HNN has received previous profiling complaints. During its MOM’S PERSPECTIVE story in September, Sharon Jackson (who is white) detailed instances where she and her black family were stopped and where she was stopped when driving with a black woman.
“I was sitting at a stop sign, I was not weaving,” Jackson said.
To view the previous story, click: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/local/090917-rutherford-localmothersperspective.html. Discussion of alleged profiling begins after she is asked: “You have complained about other incidents where you live?”
(Editor’s Note: Although Ms. Ridgeway stated to HNN that the news conference solely concerned racial profiling, AP has quoted Ms. Ridgeway as stating at the news conference which HNN did NOT attend: “in light of recent events, including the shooting of a young African American male, we are concerned that there is a need to temper the actions of law enforcement officers and the African American community.”)
Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook was asked to leave the news conference by the organizers.
Ridgeway explained that Chief Holbrook was excluded because “we only wanted to voice our concerns with the news media.” The groups plan a “follow up” sessions where the Chief of Police, the police force, the sheriff and all the people will be invited so “in the future when we open up our sessions to dialogue with the police department and others who are concerned then all this will come out on the table.”
HNN: The tensions are not connected to something that happened at Babylon?
RIDGEWAY: No, no, no , no… The facts are still coming in on those things [referring to the Babylon incident] and we are not going to comment because the families and police department are taking care of it.”
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RACIAL PROFILING: Local NAACP Alleges Racial Profiling
Police Chief Barred from News Conference
By Tony Rutherford
Huntingtonnews.net Reporter
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Racial profiling concerns moved to the forefront Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 during a news conference by the Huntington Black Pastor’s Ministerial Association held at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church.
The ministers were joined by Sylvia Ridgeway, president of the local NAACP chapter. Both groups indicated they have received many allegations and/or concerns of racial profiling based on traffic stops and/or as Rev. Roy Terry personally stated “walking my dog after dark.”
Sylvia Ridgeway told HNN late Wednesday evening Nov. 18 that the news conference strictly focused on alleged racial profiling by law enforcement and did NOT have any relationship to the shooting at Club Babylon, where Joe Porter, 30, was killed by a bullet wound attributed to a Huntington police officer.
She stated that “we wanted to temper the emotions of people in the African American community that are running rampant right now [by] people who have a problem with racial profiling. That was the focus today, racial profiling… We had to do something because there is too much tension right now.”
HNN has received previous profiling complaints. During its MOM’S PERSPECTIVE story in September, Sharon Jackson (who is white) detailed instances where she and her black family were stopped and where she was stopped when driving with a black woman.
“I was sitting at a stop sign, I was not weaving,” Jackson said.
To view the previous story, click: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/local/090917-rutherford-localmothersperspective.html. Discussion of alleged profiling begins after she is asked: “You have complained about other incidents where you live?”
(Editor’s Note: Although Ms. Ridgeway stated to HNN that the news conference solely concerned racial profiling, AP has quoted Ms. Ridgeway as stating at the news conference which HNN did NOT attend: “in light of recent events, including the shooting of a young African American male, we are concerned that there is a need to temper the actions of law enforcement officers and the African American community.”)
Huntington Police Chief Skip Holbrook was asked to leave the news conference by the organizers.
Ridgeway explained that Chief Holbrook was excluded because “we only wanted to voice our concerns with the news media.” The groups plan a “follow up” sessions where the Chief of Police, the police force, the sheriff and all the people will be invited so “in the future when we open up our sessions to dialogue with the police department and others who are concerned then all this will come out on the table.”
HNN: The tensions are not connected to something that happened at Babylon?
RIDGEWAY: No, no, no , no… The facts are still coming in on those things [referring to the Babylon incident] and we are not going to comment because the families and police department are taking care of it.”
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Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
