As hundreds gather in front of the Inglewood Police Station to demand accountability in the beating of 16 year old Donovan Jackson-Chavis, many also protested the ongoing cycle of police brutality here in Los Angeles and the laws that keep most police abusers operating with impunity.
A victim of police brutality has only 180 days to file a claim against the perpetrator, leaving those who can't afford an attorney or can't find one willing to work on contingency to file for an additional six months on their own or with the help of organizations like COPA, Coalition On Police Accountability. With such a short window of time, many cases go unprosecuted, leaving the cops free to abuse others and a system in place that protects them.
Michael Zinzun, of COPA points out, "What the video captured was not only the beating of Donovan Jackson-Chavis, but it also clearly reveals the presence of police policies which have not deterred police abuse and corruption. What we need is police accountability and control with a special prosecutor for police brutality cases and punitive damages against individual officers. Why should the taxpayers have to pay for police violence?
In addition, many decried the suited bureaucrats who spoke to the crowd as "grandstanders," pointing out that scenes like those witnessed on the videotape of the Jackson-Chavis beating were going on in Los Angeles every day, with little attention given from those looking for political clout.
A march through downtown Inglewood followed the rally while onlookers stopped their cars and honked for minutes in support.
know the facts and get involved, photos from rally, related story, Latuff revisited
