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    Rosa Parks Letter

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    The Rosa Parks Committee requests that the Department of Justice open an investigation into the Huntsville Police Department for multiple allegations of civil rights violations and excessive force. Specifically, they cite concerns about HPD's response to citizens in mental health crises, lawful protests in June 2020 related to George Floyd, and discriminatory policing against minority populations. The committee believes a DOJ probe is needed due to an incomplete internal investigation into the June 2020 protests and ongoing issues such as the disparate enforcement of drug laws against people of color.

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    Rosa Parks Letter

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    pgattis7719
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    The Rosa Parks Committee requests that the Department of Justice open an investigation into the Huntsville Police Department for multiple allegations of civil rights violations and excessive force. Specifically, they cite concerns about HPD's response to citizens in mental health crises, lawful protests in June 2020 related to George Floyd, and discriminatory policing against minority populations. The committee believes a DOJ probe is needed due to an incomplete internal investigation into the June 2020 protests and ongoing issues such as the disparate enforcement of drug laws against people of color.

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    Rosa Parks Letter

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    The Rosa Parks Committee requests that the Department of Justice open an investigation into the Huntsville Police Department for multiple allegations of civil rights violations and excessive force. Specifically, they cite concerns about HPD's response to citizens in mental health crises, lawful protests in June 2020 related to George Floyd, and discriminatory policing against minority populations. The committee believes a DOJ probe is needed due to an incomplete internal investigation into the June 2020 protests and ongoing issues such as the disparate enforcement of drug laws against people of color.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    2K views2 pages

    Rosa Parks Letter

    Uploaded by

    pgattis7719
    The Rosa Parks Committee requests that the Department of Justice open an investigation into the Huntsville Police Department for multiple allegations of civil rights violations and excessive force. Specifically, they cite concerns about HPD's response to citizens in mental health crises, lawful protests in June 2020 related to George Floyd, and discriminatory policing against minority populations. The committee believes a DOJ probe is needed due to an incomplete internal investigation into the June 2020 protests and ongoing issues such as the disparate enforcement of drug laws against people of color.

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    of 2

    ROSA PARKS COMMITTEE

    P.O. BOX 296


    CAPSHAW, AL 35742

    June 2, 2021

    Asst. AG Kristen Clarke


    Civil Rights Division, Dept. of Justice
    950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
    Washington, D.C. 20530

    Dear Ms. Clarke,

    The Rosa Parks Committee of Huntsville/Madison County (RPC), on behalf of the people
    of Huntsville, Alabama, requests that the Department of Justice (DOJ) open a probe into
    multiple incidents of excessive force, unconstitutional policing, and other civil rights
    violations by the Huntsville Police Department (HPD). The focus of the inquiry requested
    is specifically centered on the response tactics and policies of HPD when deploying to (1)
    citizens experiencing mental health crises, (2) lawful assemblies and protests, and (3)
    discriminatory policing of minority populations. The scope includes specific events
    occurring in Huntsville, Alabama on April 3, 2018; June 1 and 3, 2020; as well as police
    practices which continue to the present day.

    The use of excessive force by HPD was documented by Huntsville media following the
    April 3, 2018 murder of a local citizen, Jeff Parker, by HPD Officer William Darby.
    Though an HPD internal review board cleared Officer Darby of wrongdoing in the fatal
    shooting, District Attorney Rob Broussard disagreed with that conclusion. Officer Darby
    was subsequently indicted by a grand jury, and on May 7, 2021, was convicted of murder.
    Mayor Tommy Battle and HPD Police Chief Mark McMurray continue to state their belief
    that the jury was wrong in their guilty verdict, and Mr. Darby remains employed by the
    City of Huntsville. Two former U.S. attorneys – Jay Town and Joyce White Vance –
    criticized the fact that a Huntsville police officer convicted of murder continues to be paid
    by the city weeks after a jury found him guilty. At Mayor Battle’s urging in 2018 and 2019
    the Huntsville City Council voted to spend $125,000 of the City’s money for Officer
    Darby’s legal defense.

    Huntsville media outlets also documented chaotic events that occurred downtown on
    June 1 and 3, 2020, during protests where local citizens exercised their first amendment
    rights in response to the George Floyd murder. The City’s residents witnessed a series of
    incidents involving HPD officers, Madison County Sheriff’s (MCS) deputies, City of
    Madison (COM) police officers, and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) officers
    which escalated a lawful protest into a violent and chaotic situation resulting in harm to
    participants and property. In some cases, serious physical harm was inflicted by the
    police. We believe, despite a months-long investigation by the Huntsville Police Citizens
    Advisory Council (HPCAC), a DOJ investigation is warranted. The HPCAC report -
    though lengthy at 248 pages - lacks testimony from HPD officers deployed at those events
    as well as testimony or evidence from the other law enforcement agencies deployed at
    those events. Bottom line: The HPCAC report is grossly incomplete.

    Also of concern to the RPC is the over-policing and/or discriminatory policing of local
    minority populations. For example, despite studies showing marijuana use is similar
    among all races, local people of color are arrested for marijuana possession eleven times
    as often as white citizens. A map showing locations of local marijuana arrests (copy
    attached) would lead one to believe that practically no one – of any age – uses marijuana
    in predominately white neighborhoods.

    Since the DOJ is uniquely equipped to handle complex questions regarding constitutional
    rights, the Rosa Parks Committee of Huntsville/Madison County requests that the DOJ
    take a look at law enforcement in Huntsville centering around the practices and policies
    of the HPD that may deprive persons of their civil rights. Additionally, although other
    law enforcement agencies were involved in the chaos that occurred in downtown
    Huntsville on June 1 and 3, 2020, our primary concern at this time is the actions of HPD.

    Sincerely,

    The Rosa Parks Committee of Huntsville/Madison County

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