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Jefferson Co. SCLC addresses issue of police brutality in Louisville Ga.-July 6 2011
The Jefferson Co. Ga. Chapter SCLC President, Minister James Ivery
was called by citizens of the Jefferson County, Louisville Ga. Community
to address an issue involving the Louisville City Police department and
Christopher Walden a citizen residing in Louisville.
A grave injustice has been committed in Jefferson Co., Louisville Ga. by Two Louisville Ga. Police officers of the Louisville Ga. Police Department, Officers Boatwright, and Officer Kline.
The call came into the Jefferson Co. Ga. SCLC office approx 1445 on June 28. I, Minister James Ivery president of the Chapter received the call from a citizen of Louisville Ga. who stated that the Louisville Police Grabbed a 20 year old black male named Christopher Walden, on the corner of broad street across from the Library at a auto repair shop, hand cuffed him and committed police brutality and excessive force upon him without him resisting.
On June 29 2011 Approx. 11:00 a.m., I arrived in Louisville and begin a Fact Finding Mission into this complaint, I interviewed a dozen or more people, men women and children and all of their accounts of the incident corroborated with each other as to what they had eye witnessed. I asked each witness that I had talked to, to put their statements in writing while it was still clear in their minds.
After hearing the community complaints on the two police officers and their actions I went to the Sheriff’s Department to inquire about Christopher Walden and if possible to see him for an interview, at the sheriff’s office I was told that Christopher had been released and had been charged with obstruction and weed.
From the Sheriff’s department I went to the Louisville Police department to talk to the chief of police about the incident, but found that the chief was out or at lunch.
I went to the home of Christopher and had an interview with him and his family.
I visually observed Christopher and noticed a tall skinny dark skinned male, face swollen and a large bruise on his right shoulder, observing his head area, I noticed a knot or swelling above his left eye and a large swollen bloodshot right eye area, Immediately I took my camera phone and took pictures and was assisted by a family member who used a digital camera. I asked Christopher and his Mother to put in writing everything that happened to them that day from beginning to end, in the incident created by the two Louisville police officers.
After hearing Christopher’s Account of what happened to him on June 28 2011, and the corroborations of witnesses statements, I have decided that this community issue with the Louisville Police department warrants the Jefferson Co. Ga. Chapter of the SCLC to address this issue because I find that the witnesses accounts, the victim’s account and the injuries sustained to him corroborates the actions of the officers.
I find that at this time these officers after hand cuffing Christopher’s hands behind his back without him resisting, showed due process of law enforcement, but they went beyond that, and that was slamming Christopher to the ground, mashing his head into the hot asphalt, officer Klein hitting him directly into his right eye with a closed fist, being tased twice, being hit numerous times with police patons, thrown into the police car and sprayed with mace or gas, along with verbal assaults, this was nothing short of simple assault, excessive force, and blatant police brutality all done in the present of dozens of eyewitnesses, and as there were no direct resisting from the victim while his hands were cuffed behind his back, only the movements of his humanly uncontrolled body reactions from the officers excessive physical abuse.
Due to the many complaints from the citizens of Louisville Ga. about Officer Boatwright and Officer Kline of their ongoing harassment, Police brutality, verbal abuse, and like of respect for the people they are sworn to protect and serve, the Jefferson Co. Ga. Chapter of the SCLC hereby seek the termination of these officers from the Louisville Ga. police department to take effect immediately.
What led to the arrest
From my investigation, I found that there were some younger children playing with fire crackers and setting them off, complaints came to the city police department, the two officers responded at 1145 on their way to lunch, when the officers asked where they got the fire crackers, one little boy said that he got them from "Bicept", Christopher Walden, the officers found Christopher and asked him for I.D., and inquired about the fireworks, Christopher said he didn't know anything about fireworks, that's when they grabbed him and threw him against their car.