Actions challenge criminal injustice system

The Harris County criminal justice system here has historically been racist and targeted the poor, with justice denied for untold generations. Within the last year, the struggle against this system has intensified to the point that ruling-class politicians have been challenged to examine its violent and racist practices.

July 10 rally demands indictment of racist vigilante Joe Horn. Photo: Jon Axford

Recently the federal Department of Justice did a five-day examination of the Harris County Jail, a massive complex of detention centers where more than 100 prisoners have been “found” dead.

A Houston Chronicle review of state and county records reveals that from January 2001 through December 2006, at least 101 inmates—an average of about 17 per year—have died while in the custody of the jail. In 2006 alone, after three consecutive years of failing to comply with state standards, the jail recorded 22 in-custody deaths.

At the times of their deaths, at least 72 of the inmates—more than 70 percent—were awaiting court hearings and had yet to be convicted of the crimes that led to their incarceration.

U.S. Congressperson John Conyers (D-Mich.), who heads the House Judiciary Committee, will hold a hearing at Houston City Hall in mid-July to take testimony from victims of Harris County injustice and from family members of those who did not survive.

Rally demands indictment of racist vigilante

On July 10, a week after vigilante Joe Horn was no-billed for killing two Afro-Colombians last November who he said he believed had broken into his neighbor’s home, a militant rally was held. Hundreds of outraged and energetic people gathered in front of the Harris County Courthouse to demand that Horn be indicted for murder.

Horn is the Pasadena, Texas, man who made national news for shooting the two alleged burglars in the back. Despite a 911 operator telling Horn to stay inside his home, Horn was recorded telling the operator: “Well, here it goes, buddy. You hear the shotgun clicking and I’m going. Move and you’re dead.” The sound of him cocking his shotgun and then firing can be heard on the 911 recording.

A Harris County grand jury cleared Horn of all charges on June 30, enraging many in Houston’s African-American community as well as many others of all nationalities throughout the metropolitan Houston area.

At the rally, the speakers berated the racism that is systemic in Harris County’s criminal justice system and demanded that Horn’s shooting be taken before another grand jury, one representative of all the nationalities that make up Harris County.

Nation of Islam Minister Robert Mohammad outlined the five points that the Coalition for Justice, which organized the protest, had agreed upon. They were:

1. We oppose criminal activity in the streets of Harris County and in the suites of Harris County government.

2. We call on the DA, Kenneth Madgison, to take Horn’s case before another grand jury with the same vigor used to indict Blacks, Latinos and the poor of all races.

3. We want the racial makeup of the grand jury that no-billed Horn to be revealed and call for all grand juries to reflect the racial diversity of Harris County.

4. We call for the immediate and unconditional resignation of Sheriff Tommy Thomas and his command staff.

5. We call on local, county, state and national elected officials to endorse the request made by Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for an inquiry by the Department of Justice into the entire legal system of Harris County.

Other speakers included attorney Sadiyah Evangelista with the Millions More Movement; Marcario Ramirez, a long-time Chicano activist; a representative of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement; and Don Cook with the Harris County Green Party.

Minister Quannell X with the New Black Panther Nation introduced Stephanie Storey, the fiancée of one of Horn’s victims.

Kofi Taharka, chair of the National Black United Front, Houston chapter, asked the crowd to raise their hands if they planned to attend the next meeting of the Coalition for Justice on July 15, at 7:00 p.m. at the S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, 3815 Live Oak. Almost the entire crowd lifted their hands into the air and cheered.

Taharka stressed that this ongoing struggle for justice in Harris County was open to all. “This is not a Quannell X thing. This is not a Black thing. This is for ALL those who want to fight for justice!” he said. “Our community has allies in the Hispanic community and we need them. And we don’t hate all white people. We have some whites here today and they are working side by side with us. If we all work together, we can win!”

The day after the rally, the two Harris County jailers responsible for the Jan. 10 death of Clarence Freeman, a prisoner, were fired. Taharka said, “This is the beginning of justice for Freeman. The end will be when the jailers are charged and convicted of his murder.”

Cherry Bradley-Freeman, Freeman’s spouse, who had spoken at the rally, said the firings give her hope that the people responsible for her husband’s death will face justice. “I’m glad that they have come forward and admit what I already knew,” she said.

The firings came three days after the U.S. Department of Justice launched what was expected to be a five-day inspection of the downtown county jail facilities to determine whether they are operating under “lawful” conditions.