Letter to Baltimore Mayor & Cops: Stop the Threats & Harrassment Now!
September 25, 2012
A WRITTEN RECORD OF FORMAL COMPLAINT
To: Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Anthony Bates, Major Melvin Russell of Eastern District Police,
We have received a very deeply disturbing call from the family of Anthony Anderson Sr.
On September 25, 2012 after the 3 P.M. press conference where members of our group and the family of Mr. Anderson Sr. spoke, police returned to the vicinity of the home of his mother and threatened his son, Anthony Anderson Jr. The following account deserves serious attention.
In front of five witnesses, Eastern District police, returned at approximately 5 P.M., approached young Anthony Anderson Jr. stating to him “drop the gun, and raise your hands”. Anderson had no gun! He complied and raised his hands. But what if he had made a sudden move, or argued, or there were no witnesses, would the police have shot him to death? What was the intent of even approaching Anderson?
Witnesses were able to take down the tag number of the police: 2ZLK35.
We are deeply appalled!
We have already had countless complaints from residents of the East Baltimore community of police harassment, and the overwhelming large presence of police occupying the community.
We are calling on the three of you who are the appropriate authorities to instruct police officers to cease and desist with this kind of harassment, threats and intimidation.
We hold you responsible for their conduct.
Do we need to call for a 24 hour watch of this family’s home and the members of the Anderson family? Do we need to call on members of the community to bring video cameras and phone videos and stand with the family day and night; to sleep outside their door?
This family has already suffered deeply. Aside from losing a father, grandfather and loved one – the family actually had to watch the police brutalize their father and cause his death. Children as young as 9 years old have been traumatized. The entire community is traumatized! This must end now!
Sincerely,
Reverend Cortly CD Witherspoon
Sharon Black
For the Baltimore Peoples Assembly, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, All Peoples Congress
cc. Attorney J. Wyndal Gordon
Attorney Curtis Cooper, National Lawyers Guild
Members of the respective groups
Local and national news media
