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The last rally to free police brutality victim Howard Morgan before his April 5th sentencing will be this Friday at The Church of the Living God P.G.O.T. (1738 W. Marquette Rd. Chicago, IL 60636).
Doors open at 6pm and the program begins sometime after with different speakers committed to the cause–not just of Howard Morgan, but of all victimized and brutalized people.
Howard Morgan, a former Chicago Police Officer before spending 13 years as a Railroad Police Officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, pulled over on his way home the morning of February 21, 2005, because he saw a police car behind him and was letting it pass. To Mr. Morgan’s surprise, he discovered that the police had stopped him for an alleged traffic violation. Though identifying himself as a police officer, Howard Morgan was forced from his vehicle and shot 28 times by four white police officers.
After being left for dead, he survived and was then charged with the attempted murder of the four white officers who brutalized him. In a trial, he was found not guilty of three counts including discharging his weapon. However, the jury did not decide the remaining charges of attempted murder, and Judge Clayton Crane declared a mistrial and got a new jury to hear the remaining counts. The new jury was not allowed to hear that Morgan had been found innocent of discharging his weapon. With no other possible weapon suggested, Mr. Morgan was found guilty of attempted murder of the men who tried to kill him.
On February 21st his sentencing was delayed until April 5th because supporters packed the courtroom and the cowardly Judge Crane wanted to wait to make his unpopular sentence after the elections Today.
Occupy Chicago is invited to have speakers at the rally. Come lend your support and speak out against this egregious injustice–this legal lynching.
The Occupy Chicago General Assembly passed the following proposal after two days of discussion with it being posted on the forums:
that “Occupy Chicago joins with Occupy the SouthSide on the Jericho Walk’s campaign to Free Howard Morgan.
-Occupy Chicago affirms the innocence of Mr. Morgan;
-and demands his freedom;
-as well as accountability for the four officers who shot him 28 times by prosecuting them for attempted murder.”
Come out to the rally, and be sure to pack the court on April 5th, in courtroom 600 at 2650 S. California at 9am.