Cops target Black community leader
By
David Sole
Detroit
Published Apr 27, 2005 4:39 PM
On April 18, Benton Harbor
police arrested activist and civil-rights leader the Rev. Edward Pinkney in his
home. Pinkney has been an outspoken critic and organizer against police
brutality and economic devastation in the largely African American city in
western Michigan.
He has been charged by the Berrien County prosecutor
with four felonies and a misdemeanor following his leading role in the
successful election recall of a city commissioner who strongly supports the
police chief.
Benton Harbor’s Black community rose up in rebellion
in June 2003 after the death of an African American motorcyclist in a police
chase. Residents had long been protesting racist police actions. The economic
depression in the city also has angered the community, which only has to look
across the bridge to the predominantly white and wealthy sister city of St.
Joseph.
Massive repression followed the uprising. Two hundred local and
state police—armed with armored personnel carriers, helicopters and
dogs—occupied the city.
The Rev. Pinkney was one of the community
leaders who spearheaded a large, regional civil-rights march in Benton Harbor a
few weeks after the rebellion. His continuing activities to expose police
brutality, to fight for jobs and investment in Benton Harbor, and to expose the
racist courts and political machine that operates in Berrien County have angered
the ruling elite.
As leader of the Black Autonomy Network of Community
Organizations (BANCO) in Benton Harbor, Pinkney led a recent petition drive that
put the recall of City Commissioner Glenn Yarbrough on the ballot. Yarbrough,
brother of former Mayor Charles Yarbrough and supporter of Police Chief Samuel
Harris, was voted out of office in the Feb. 22 recall election.
The county
prosecutor then went to Berrien Trial Court to overturn the election. Pressure
was reportedly brought on one witness to testify that Rev. Pinkney “bought
votes for $5 each.” The media went along with this frame-up, running
articles denouncing Pinkney and attacking his character. Other charges include
“attempting to influence absentee voters” and helping voters who
couldn’t read to fill out their ballots!
In mid-April Chief Judge
Paul Maloney overturned the recall of Yarbrough and ordered a new recall
election to be held Aug. 2. Pinkney’s arrest followed only a few days
later.
The same day as the Pinkney’s arrest, members of Benton
Harbor’s African American community packed the City Commissioners’
meeting to protest another case of police brutality.
Alzeni Crumble, a
county probation officer, had been stopped by two white Benton Harbor traffic
cops earlier in the day. According to witnesses and others who were permitted to
view the police video of the incident, the police threw Crumble to the
ground.
Supporters of the Rev. Pinkney are preparing for a march and rally
to demand that the frame-up charges be dropped and for an end to police
brutality and racism in Berrien County.
Donations are urgently needed for
his defense. Checks can be made payable to Attorney Tat Parrish and sent c/o
Rev. Edward Pinkney, 1940 Union Street, Benton Harbor, MI 49022.
Articles copyright 1995-2012 Workers World.
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
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