REGULAR MEETING AUGUST 13, 2012
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<br />that he knows the rules don’t allow it, but they deserve a round of applause for showing
<br />up tonight because that is what this process needs. It needs the participation of its
<br />citizens. Every 40 hours here in our country an African America male dies every forty
<br />hours dies at the hands of police. Nearly 3,000 cases of misconduct that is an alarming
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<br />figure that would be likened to Syria, Iraq or some 3 world country where there is not a
<br />democracy. The Michael Anderson case requires and should raise the brow of any
<br />objectionable individual who would look at this case, and see that there are some
<br />problems. The fact that this case was closed so rapidly and the reasonable time of
<br />investigation given to talk to everyone involved in it. These parents of this young man
<br />are entitled to answers and a fair closure to how their son died on that day. He stated that
<br />they are asking this Council to re-open this case, investigate every individual and afford
<br />this family an opportunity to have the proper closure knowing all the facts of what
<br />happened around the death of Michael Anderson. He stated that it’s time for South Bend
<br />to stand up for everybody in South Bend.
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<br />Rev. Greg Brown, 1238 Diamond Avenue, South Bend, Indiana, stated that he stands
<br />here, this is the last straw. South Bend, this is the last straw, this is not an issue by the
<br />department, a straw similar went down Michael Anderson throat and we close the case,
<br />but is this justified. Regardless to how you live in the City, whether you do something
<br />illegal, something positive or negative, you don’t deserve to lose you life without an
<br />answer. He stated that they stand as a unit; this is a family fight on this Monday night.
<br />He thanked God for what is invested in him, but he wants to see South Bend back
<br />together, we are not dying, but we can’t have people sitting at their job and feeling like
<br />because they wear a badge and a gun they don’t have to answer. Because everything that
<br />is going on is happening because of a reason and every act causes a react. Now when we
<br />come in thanking God for Bishop Grant coming, but we still won’t be a city when he
<br />leaves, and we have to stand. They say this case is closed, he stated that he doesn’t even
<br />know when it was opened? It happened, it wasn’t even in the news, all these cameras are
<br />here tonight, but when a young brother died where they were then. It wasn’t on the news,
<br />all of these cameras standing right here filming this, but they weren’t there then. You had
<br />to hear about it on Twitter, Facebook, because a gentleman died in this city. President
<br />Dieter this is not how it goes. He stated that they came up in the same neighborhood, it’s
<br />not a black thing, it’s not a white thing, it’s a right thing. And if we don’t do things right,
<br />we got to start at the top, because we aren’t taking each other’s lives by accident,
<br />something is happening, this is the last straw. He stated that they came as a group of
<br />people and if we can’t wake you up, we came to shake you up.
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<br />Samuel Brown, 222 E. Navarre, South Bend, Indiana, Citizens United for a Better
<br />Government, stated that they have a petition that they want this case reopened. He asked
<br />if anyone here tonight who wants to sign this petition to see him after the meeting. He
<br />stated that they want the justice department to come in help them investigate this and get
<br />some closure to this.
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<br />Mario Sims, 415 W. LaSalle, South Bend, Indiana, President, CEO, Citizens United for a
<br />Better Government, stated that they are a government watchdog organization. He stated
<br />that they have been actively involved in participating in working to get justice in this
<br />City. He thanked Dr. Ferlic for his vote tonight, he takes issue with getting on with other
<br />business, and we can’t get on with other business until there is justice in South Bend. He
<br />stated that they have a family that is crying out for answers. We have people of all colors
<br />in South Bend that need to know that justice can be done equally. He stated that he
<br />would hate to be a police officer who has to listen to these types of allegations made
<br />about members of the force and knowing that particular police officer didn’t do anything
<br />wrong. They need justice. These people need to know when they are pulled over that
<br />there is not a chance that possibly they will die as a result of a traffic accident. They need
<br />justice. The tapes have to be played because on those tapes Karen DePaepe has said that
<br />there was unethical, criminal and racist content. How can we believe Tim Corbett
<br />conducting an investigation into their child’s death when Tim Corbett has admitted to
<br />being on those tapes? How can we trust interim Chief Hurley when interim Chief Hurley
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<br />intimidated 2 District Councilman, an elected official? How can we expect justice to be
<br />done in that environment? It can’t be done, we can’t move ahead, this is not about jobs,
<br />this is not about building homes, and this is about fundamental right to be treated fairly
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