Ezell Ford was a mentally handicapped black teenager (19) from South Central Los Angeles, who was killed by the LAPD 2 days after Mike Brown in Ferguson, MO. Ford was gunned down just moments after he complied with police requests. The two police officers Sharlton Wampler, and Antonio Villegas both fired on Ford. According to an LAPD account states that Ford grabbed an officer. They fell to the ground, and Ford went for his weapon. Both officers fired on, and killed Ezell Ford. The family, and eyewitness have a much different account of what happened. They say that Ford is mentally ill, and was complying with everything the officers were asking before they shot him. Sharlton Wampler, and officer in the LAPD gang unit was also named as a defendant in a 2011 civil rights suit that claimed he was one of 2 officers who repeatedly held a mans head underwater during a violent encounter. The suit claims that officer Wampler and another officer dragged Daniel Hernandez to a kiddie pool, and attempted to drown him. The case was dismissed as is the protocol for this type of behavior. If these actions had been exhibited by any of us surly we would be in jail, with serious charges. Why is it the an officer of the LAPD granted extra rights due to him being apart of the soldier class, and those of us who are not are required to live within them? Is the fact that the police do not have to follow the same rules as us a sign of a declining society? Ezell Ford’s family has filed a 75 million dollar wrongful death suit against the LAPD. They have gone on the record as acknowledging the fat that no amount of money can replace their loved one. Steven A Lerman is the attorney handling the case for the Ford family. Lerman is the same lawyer who handled the Rodney King case. Lerman said in an interview”I’m convinced due to the results of my initial investigation that this is not a justifiable homicide, this is in fact an execution,” attorney Steven Lerman said in an interview with the Huffington Post. He will be bringing a Ballistics expert, and an Anatomist to help paint the picture of the events that unfolded on Aug 11th 2014. The police have placed an investigative hold on the coroners report to prevent witness testimony from being tainted. Security hold such as this are common in ongoing cases, although it can fuel suspicion about the LAPD’s version of what actually happened.
People marched from 65th and Broadway to the Central Police Station to address their grievances about police brutality.
The march started at 3pm on the corner of 65th, and Broadway. I arrived early. There was maybe 20 people there. Eventually my comrades arrived. Dean Ryan made a surprise visit, he and the guys from “Come and Take It Texas” a second amendment defense group were passing out copies of Adam Kokesh’s new book FREEDOM!. Inleague Press showed up as well to cover the event. At the start of the march I would estimate between 60-100 people were involved. Instantly everyone was in the streets, with one guy driving a trail vehicle. I spent the beginning of the march conversing with Dean Ryan about the need for guns in areas commonly labeled “ghetto”, and why the establishment resist firearms in these areas. We also talked about the possibility of the march turning into a riot, and police provoking violence in our peaceful protest.
People took to to the streets to protest the killing of Ezell Ford, and other victims of police murder.
We walked approximately 15 blocks to the Central Police Station. The streets were filled with people, and the chants ranged from “No Bosses No Master’s. All Cops are Bastard’s” to “Out of your houses into the streets” We were followed by 2 police SUV’s, and 1 police car along with a helicopter. It was a long 30 blocks to the station, possibly the longest march I have taken part in. When we arrived at the police station we were met with a large number of cops who I assume were only there to protect the police station from possible vandalism, or being burned to the ground. Their emotionless faces showed no sympathy for their transgressions, and 2 cops even as far as to laugh at the people protesting. I asked the cops who were posted up on the corners how much it was costing the tax payers for them to “protect” us. They told me to “ask the mayor” Ceebo the Rapper facilitated the march, and had the most to say to the police. He demanded to speak to someone who was able to give us an answer as all of them seem void of speech. People in the crowd began to point out the cops that they recognized from previous instances of brutality and injustice.
Cops with expressionless faces are forced to endure a crowd of angry protesters calling for justice
One juvenile had been arrested for blowing a whistle as a cop harassed someone in his neighborhood. (for those of you who aren’t aware, it is common to wear a whistle and use it to alert people to a police injustice, or just the presence of police in the area. We call it “Blowing the whistle on police brutality”) Another cop was pointed out as a “killer cop” of someone that one of the participants in the protest knew. I could feel from the energy in the crowd that their anger was justified. They had lived an entire life with no other alternative… Literally growing up in an area plagued with police injustice, and brutality. We stayed, chanted, and made our voices heard. No one threw anything, no one got violent, and no one got arrested. As the protest on the steps wound down, the microphone was opened up, and people were given the opportunity to say anything they felt was appropriate. A few people came forward. Right before leaving to march back to 65th, and Broadway everyone in the protest turned their back on the cops, and raised their hands into the air, chanting “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot”.
We then headed back to 65th, and Broadway. Another 30 block the other way. As we progressed through the streets, and the natural traffic flow evolved the police found it increasingly harder to keep up with us. They eventually resorted to using their lights to get people to move. When we arrived at 65th, and Broadway almost immediately was the intersection blocked by protesters, and just as fast as it was blocked the cops were telling us to move. No one complied, and the result was approximately 100 riot cops being deployed to our location. The police effectively blocked off the North, South, and West roads the lead to our location. They were armed with nightsticks, and what I assume were non lethal weapons loaded with beanbags, or rubber bullets. I made a conscience decision to place the bottle of lemonade on the sidewalk so I could not be arbitrarily accused of throwing it, and in-sighting a riot. With the police as heavily armed as they were anything was possible. The helicopter that had been following us all day, was now directly overhead, and shining its spotlight on the protest. It wasn’t too long before the police gave a dismissal order that came with a 5 minute time limit. I can’t be exact, but it felt a little more like 3 minutes before they began to advance on the protesters. I took shelter in a near by apartment complex and attempted to record the altercation. The police forced the protesters at the barrel of a gun about halfway down the block, and after an amount of time that I cannot begin to accurately speculate on slowly began to retreat, with the last 3 guys using some goofy maneuver that appeared to me was learned from 1 too many action films. After the cops had moved back to their vehicles, Myself, and a few other protesters returned to the corner. I stuck around for maybe another half hour before heading out. All in all it was great march, with a successful Direct action that succeeded in putting the LAPD on notice. The show of force in the police response is a great representation of the power of our voice. All you have to do is look at what they are willing to do to shut you up.
“Make sure to click this link for more photos of this action”
Ezell Ford Justice March VIDEO!!
