April 6, 2022

Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman were wrong in deciding not to bring charges against Minneapolis police officer Mark Hanneman in the killing of Amir Locke

Minneapolis, Minnesota

We are appalled at the decision made by Attorney General Keith Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman to not charge Mark Hanneman with murder for the shooting and killing of Amir Locke. On February 2, 2022, Amir Locke was shot and killed by Mark Hanneman within nine seconds of police officers executing a no-knock warrant on the apartment where he was sleeping. Amir Locke was not the subject of the warrant and was not a suspect.

“The justice system continues to demonstrate that it does not value the lives of Black men and systematically chooses to not hold police officers accountable when they traumatize, hurt, and kill Black men without justification, said Nekima Levy Armstrong, attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network. “This is yet another heinous example that proves Minnesota does not believe that Black Lives Matter.

The circumstances that led to the killing of Amir Locke on February 2 should never have existed. The Attorney General and Hennepin County Attorney acknowledged this fact. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had previously told the community that he had banned no-knock warrants. He lied and as a result Amir Locke is dead.

Yesterday, the mayor released yet again another “ban” on no knock warrants with significant loopholes including if MPD believes that destruction of evidence may occur if they wait to enter a property. Additionally, the new policy does not describe a mechanism that will monitor the adherence to the new policy. It is understandable that we have a lack of trust in this mayor.

The Racial Justice Network demands the following:

• Mayor Jacob Frey fire officer Mark Hanneman and all other officers involved in this “banned” no-knock warrant;

• The city of Minneapolis conduct an after-action review regarding this incident to determine which, if any, MPD policies were violated and to make the report public;

• Mayor Jacob Frey updates his new “no-knock” warrant policy to remove easy loopholes such as the “destruction of evidence”; and

• Mayor Jacob Frey develop a mechanism to validate adherence to the new no-knock warrant policy and delivers swift  and appropriate discipline when officers violate the new policy.

“If Mayor Jacob Frey is unwilling to make these simple changes, he needs to resign,” said Pete Gamades, member of the Racial Justice Network. “His irresponsible lie led to the unnecessary police killing of Amir Locke and he needs to be held accountable.”

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

February 25, 2022

Guilty verdicts against former officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane send a strong message for Police Accountability, yet additional work is still needed

Twin Cities, Minnesota

Yesterday, a federal jury found former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane guilty of violating George Floyd’s civil rights when they aided fellow officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd, failed to intervene, and failed to render medical treatment. We are thankful that the jury found these former officers guilty. It is another step towards police accountability. These verdicts are a result of the multi-year long persistence of Black leaders and allies in our community who continue to demand justice.

“A guilty verdict was the only appropriate result in the heinous murder of George Floyd.” said  Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network. “Those former officers never saw the humanity of George Floyd. It shouldn’t take a global uprising to get justice for the murder of a Black man. I’m glad the jury listened to the evidence and decided to hold those three officers accountable under the law.”

The guilty verdicts in this case indicate small cracks are happening in a system that still rarely holds police officers accountable when they murder Black people. These convictions are important. However, without a strong penalty by the Court at the sentencing phase, guilty verdicts fail to truly deliver justice and accountability. This recently happened when Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu sentenced former officer Kim Potter, who is white, to just 24 months after being convicted of first and second degree manslaughter for the death of Daunte Wright, a Black father. This slap on the wrist was far below the sentencing guidelines range. Contrast that to the five year sentence of former officer Mohamed Noor, a Black man, for a lesser charge of third degree manslaughter in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a white woman. Judge Chu is perpetuating the racial bias that is deeply ingrained within the criminal justice system. She was able to empathize with Kim Potter, a white woman, in a way she was not able to empathize with Daunte Wright and his family.

“Attorney General Keith Ellison needs to use his authority to appeal the sentencing of Kim Potter.” said Sonja Western. “The criminal legal system consistently offers little empathy and compassion for Black people convicted of lesser crimes. This short sentence is unconscionable, unacceptable, and needs to be challenged.”

As we celebrate this guilty verdict, much work remains to be done in transforming the system of policing in Minnesota and around the nation. To that end, Racial Justice Network demands the following: 

• We demand that former officers Kueng, Lane and Thao are sentenced to the maximum extent under law for their actions.

• We demand that Attorney General Keith Ellison appeal the sentencing of Kim Potter and demand a longer sentence within the sentencing guidelines range.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

February 4, 2022

MPD Kills Young Black Man; Racial Justice Network Demands Murder Charges

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Approximately thirty six hours after shooting and killing Amir Locke, a Black 22-year-old young man, Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) released body-worn camera footage depicting the moments leading up to this senseless and tragic death. The video clearly shows multiple police officers bursting into an apartment during the execution of a no-knock warrant (the mayor has previously stated that no-knock warrants were banned in the City of Minneapolis). Amir was sleeping on a couch and Mark Hanneman shot him within nine seconds of entering the apartment. He fired his weapon within two seconds of ordering Amir to, “Get on the ground!” Amir never had a chance to survive the events on Wednesday morning. We can only imagine the fear he must have felt during his last few moments.

Soon after, the Minneapolis Police Department began a diabolical coverup of Amir’s murder, including falsely labeling him as a “suspect” four times in the initial press release, and insinuating to the public that he was armed, violent, and dangerous.

The Racial Justice Network is demanding swift justice for Amir Locke and full transparency and accountability from the Minneapolis Police Department and Mayor Jacob Frey. We demand the following: 

1. That Mayor Jacob Frey immediately terminate Officer Hanneman for the senseless killing of Amir Locke;

2. That Governor Walz appoint a special prosecutor to charge Mark Hanneman for the murder of Amir Locke;

3. For Mayor Jacob Frey to immediately end the use of no knock warrants by Minneapolis Police officers.

Additionally, we have no confidence in Interim Chief Huffman’s ability to lead the Minneapolis Police Department into a much-needed culture shift. We are calling for her resignation.

As a community, we are mourning alongside the family of Amir Locke and we grieve his death and the growing list of so many others at the hands of the Minneapolis Police and surrounding departments.

At a press conference earlier today Nekima Levy Armstrong, founder of the Racial Justice Network said:

“Tears from a mother’s perspective thinking about what happened. I saw the pictures of Amir. He looked like a boy. My son is seventeen-years-old. He has slept on his friends’ couches during sleepovers. We cannot stand here and whitewash this and pretend that it’s okay…We’re tired of being killed. We’re tired of the coverups. We’re tired of the excuses.”

“Mayor Jacob Frey continues to pay lip service by saying that he cares about transparency and accountability, while continuing to allow misinformation to be shared by his police department. We are fed up with his unwillingness to answer questions from reporters and our community. These are the times in which we need strong leaders who act with integrity. Mayor Frey is not leading right now and that is unacceptable at this time in our history as a city,” said Pete Gamades, member of the Racial Justice Network.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

February 2, 2022

Racial Justice Network Demands Justice for Amir Locke 

Minneapolis, Minnesota

In the early morning of February 2, 2022, members of the Minneapolis SWAT team shot and killed Amir Locke, a Black man, after busting into the apartment where he was sleeping. We extend our deepest condolences to Amir’s family, along with the Minneapolis community as we mourn yet another senseless death of a community member at the hands of the Minneapolis police.

Officers were allegedly seeking three suspects in a homicide case and attempting to execute a search warrant, and according to Amir Locke’s family, he was not one of those suspects. He was sleeping at a family member’s apartment, and his family believes he was startled when the police busted in. He did not live at the apartment where the raid took place. His family also shared that Amir Locke had a conceal and carry permit.

“When I heard that Amir allegedly was armed, my first question was does that automatically justify the use of deadly force? I, too, am a licensed gun owner and if someone showed up at my house at 6:00 in the morning and I didn’t expect them, I couldn’t guarantee that my hand would not be on my gun. But does that mean that I am a threat? No, it doesn’t.” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network.

“The Minneapolis SWAT team has a history of violent behavior. I am heartbroken, yet not surprised, to learn that they have shot and killed one of our community members. This situation is reminiscent of officers patrolling the streets in unmarked vans, shooting projectiles at citizens after George Floyd was murdered”, said Sonja Western, Racial Justice Network member.

The Racial Justice Network is demanding swift justice for Amir Locke and full transparency and accountability from the Minneapolis Police Department and the St. Paul Police Department. Specifically, we demand that all body worn camera footage be released immediately; as well as an immediate end to high-risk early morning raids in our community.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

December 11, 2021

Community Groups Demand Statewide Ban on High-Speed Chases by Law Enforcement Following Deaths of Multiple Teens in Recent Months

Twin Cities, Minnesota

On Thursday, December 9, 2021, two teenagers were tragically killed and three were injured as a result of a high-speed chase initiated by Robbinsdale police into Northeast Minneapolis. Multiple young lives have been unnecessarily taken this year due to high-speed police pursuits, which also threaten the safety of innocent bystanders in our community.

Few details about the deadly police chase and resulting fatalities have been released to the public. There are many unanswered questions, including which police departments were involved, the names of the officer(s) involved, the speed at which the officers were driving, and the alternatives used to address the situation prior to the initiation of a high-speed chase. There is no justification for these dangerous police chases that too-often result in people being killed, and without due process under law.

We, the members of the Racial Justice Network, believe that all people are innocent until proven guilty, and being found guilty should not result in a death sentence. We are calling on Governor Walz and all elected officials, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Robbinsdale Mayor Bill Blonigan, to intervene and call for an end to high speed police chases in Minnesota and to hold police officers accountable for this dangerous and unnecessary behavior.

“These are senseless deaths that can and should be prevented. When officers continue to initiate high speed chases in residential areas, they are showing a blatant disregard for human life.” said Racial Justice Network member Sonja Western. Minnesotans must call and write to our City Council, respective Mayors, State Representatives, and Governor Walz to hold them accountable for their role in dangerous and poorly-enforced police policies.

Since October 2020, there have been at least five examples of high-speed police chases resulting in nine deaths. Below is a brief summary of the most recent incidents:

• December 9, 2021, Robbinsdale Police department initiated a high-speed chase that ended in Northeast Minneapolis resulting in the deaths of two teenagers.

• September 5, 2021, a high-speed chase initiated by the Eden Prairie Police Department resulted in the death of a 19 year old.

• September 3, 2021, two teenagers, ages 14 and 15, were killed as a result of a high-speed chase initiated by North St. Paul police.

• July 6, 2021, Leneal Frazier was an innocent motorist killed during a high-speed chase by Minneapolis police.

• October 2020, three teenagers were killed during a high speed chase in North Minneapolis.

Property can always be replaced; human lives cannot. We demand the elimination of high-speed police chases in the state of Minnesota. Lastly, we implore the mayors, police chiefs and prosecutors to fire and prosecute all officers whose reckless behavior during police pursuits lead to stolen lives.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

December 10, 2021

COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND ACTIVISTS CALL FOR THE IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION OF HENNEPIN COUNTY SHERIFF DAVE HUTCHINSON FOLLOWING DANGEROUS DRUNK DRIVING INCIDENT

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Early Wednesday morning, Hennepin County Sheriff Dave Hutchinson (Hutchinson) was involved in a single car rollover crash near Alexandria, Minnesota, while under the influence of alcohol. Hutchinson suffered non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the accident and is still recovering. We are grateful that this accident did not result in a fatality for Hutchinson or any other motorist, given the seriousness of the incident.

In a statement released Wednesday, Hutchinson took the important step of acknowledging his decision to drive while under the influence and has agreed to accept responsibility for his actions.

However, this is not enough. Given the magnitude of responsibility that Hutchinson has over the administration of public safety in Hennepin County and the need for sound decision-making, clarity, and good judgment, we believe that it is in the best interests of our community for Hutchinson to immediately resign from his role as Hennepin County Sheriff and take the time he needs to heal and seek treatment.

Hennepin County residents are routinely prosecuted, convicted, and serve jail and/or prison time for driving under the influence. Rather than receiving special treatment as an elected official, Hutchinson as the chief law enforcement officer for Hennepin County, must be held to a higher standard of accountability and expectations.

It is hypocritical for Hutchinson to have the power to incarcerate others, when he has violated the law and put himself and others in unnecessary danger. Residents of Hennepin County deserve strong, consistent, and principled leadership from our highest-ranking law enforcement leadership.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

December 9, 2021

LOCAL CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM U.S. BANK FOR RACIAL DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BLACK CUSTOMER

Minneapolis, Minnesota

A recent report by KSTP news helped to shed light on an egregious, racially-motivated attack against a Black male customer at U.S. Bank, which took place last year— in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Joe Morrow, a young Black, working-class man, went to U.S. Bank in Columbia Heights intending to cash a $900 check from his employer.

Instead of being treated like a human being, Mr. Morrow was racially profiled by branch manager, John Askwith, and accused of attempting to cash a fraudulent check. The bank manager pretended that he had verified that Mr. Morrow’s check was fake, stereotyped Mr. Morrow and all Black people of always trying to cash fake checks, and called the police on Mr. Morrow, which further escalated the situation. All of this took place in front of bank customers which caused Mr. Morrow to experience embarrassment and humiliation and further reinforced racial stereotypes of Black men as criminals and untrustworthy.

When Columbia Heights police came on the scene, they contributed to the harm and humiliation that Mr. Morrow experienced by showing deference to the bank manager and ultimately placing Mr. Morrow in handcuffs as if he had committed a crime.

“Just last year, the world was forced to watch the public lynching of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, based upon an allegation that he tried to pass a fake $20 bill in a local business establishment. It is unfathomable that U.S. Bank would fail to learn the lesson that calling the police on a Black man for a petty offense could lead to criminalization, or worse, a death sentence,” said Nekima Levy Armstrong, civil rights attorney and founder of the Racial Justice Network.

“U.S. Bank prides itself on valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, yet it failed to uphold those values in its interactions with a Black customer who was simply trying to gain access to his hard-earned money. U.S. Bank must take swift accountability for its actions and publicly address this matter,” said Sonja Western, teacher and member of the Racial Justice Network.

We are calling upon U.S. Bank to take the following steps:

1.  Publicly accept responsibility for their discrimination against Joe Morrow, apologize and take steps to make him whole;
2. Launch a third-party investigation into the actions of the bank manager who initiated this racially-motivated encounter and discipline and/or fire him for his actions and racist comments;
3. Require white U.S. bank executives, managers, and employees to participate in anti-racism training; and adjust policies to eliminate and reduce the potential for racial discrimination and bias throughout the company;
4. Develop a reparations initiative to increase home ownership of Black customers through more equitable lending practices; and
5. Refrain from calling the police on Black customers in unwarranted situations and develop alternative approaches to addressing petty offenses.

It is our expectation that U.S. Bank will take these matters seriously and will take steps to redress this gross miscarriage of justice.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com

December 3, 2021

Local civil rights group demands disciplinary action against violent MPD officer.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

We are deeply concerned to learn about the violent arrest of Troy Lee Billups, a 64-year-old Black resident of Minneapolis, Wednesday night at the ALDI on East Franklin and 14th Ave S. A bystander’s video shows Minneapolis Police Officer Christoper Lange grabbing Mr. Billups by the back of the neck and slamming his head into a nearby counter. It is clear that Officer Lange’s excessive force escalated a situation that called for de-escalation.

Racial Justice Network is calling on Mayor Frey and Chief Arradondo to take immediate disciplinary action against Officer Lange.

Officer Lange has been investigated for misconduct five previous times since 2019. We demand that he be immediately fired or placed on administrative leave pending the results of a swift investigation into his actions. It is simply unacceptable to allow an officer with such a history of abuse to continue serving the residents of Minneapolis.

His actions were unwarranted, dangerous, and in direct violation of the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Policy and Procedure Manual which states, “We, the members of the Minneapolis Police Department, are committed to doing all we can to protect and serve in a way that minimizes harm and risk to our community.”

This egregious incident further highlights a number of issues within MPD. According to Garrett Parten, a spokesperson for the department, Lange was working as an off-duty security guard at ALDI. When officers working off-duty security shifts abuse and arrest customers unnecessarily, it poses a number of risks to the safety of Minneapolis residents.

Additionally, Mayor Frey is requesting a 27 million dollar increase in funding for the Minneapolis police department, citing an increase in violent crime. Yet, multiple squads responded to a low-level incident that was caused by an officer’s violent and unnecessary response. This seems to be a tremendous waste of precious city resources in unwarranted situations.

“How can we justify increasing the Minneapolis police budget by millions of dollars when we have so many officers working off-duty shifts and on-duty officers responding to calls for non-violent residents? I want to see MPD use their available resources to actually serve the Minneapolis community before increasing their funding so significantly,” said Racial Justice Network member, Sonja Western.

We demand that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Arrandono take immediate disciplinary action against Officer Christopher Lange. We further demand that Lange be barred from working overtime at ALDI or any other location that serves residents of color in Minneapolis.

The Racial Justice Network (RJN) is a multi-racial, grassroots organization, committed to fighting for racial justice and building bridges across racial, social, and economic lines. racialjusticenetwork.com