UBLAC Milwaukee: The System Continues to Fail Black People and Has Failed Jay Anderson’s Family

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: UBLAC, UBLAC Milwaukee

414-409-3833
ublac.2016@gmail.com

December 7, 2016

The System Continues to Fail Black People and Has Failed Jay Anderson’s Family

We Can Only Imagine What May Be in Store for Sylville Smith’s Family

Our hearts were sadden and broken by the news that Jay Anderson’s killer, Wauwatosa Officer Joseph Mensah, will not be charged in his murder. Unfortunately, we were not surprised. This highly disturbing news perpetuates all the ways that Black Lives do not matter. There are enough reasons why people fear their lives, but to know that Officer Mensah was released back to regular duty, which includes patrolling the same streets where he killed two men within a 12 month period, is unjust and insulting to Jay Anderson’s family, as well as the community where he resided.

On June 23, 2016 Jay Anderson did not plan on dying. He was actually enroute to his 26th birthday celebration. He was parked in Madison Park when he was approached by Officer Mensah. Although Jay was inebriated and showed cleared signs, he complied with the officer’s request to raise his hands and not reach for the gun. Jay continued to keep his hands raised until his arms and head faltered and fell down. Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber described Jay as reaching towards the gun. But Jay never picked up the gun. He was shot six times, five times in the head and one time in the upper right shoulder.

As a community fighting against the killing of Black people, we are collectively exhausted.

We do not expect justice delivered by any individual or state institution, but we do stand with Jay Anderson’s family as a federal investigation is now underway by the the United States Department of Justice. We demand that Officer Mensah be criminally charged for the murder of Jay Anderson. It is beyond disheartening, but tragic for the Black community to repeatedly be exposed to extrajudicial killings of unarmed Black people at the hands of police officers. Too often, these killings result in mistrials, as in the case of Walter Scott, or the officer’s face no charges while Black families and communities are left to sit with the pain of a slain loved one.

We stand with Sylville Smith’s family as they continue to await District Attorney John Chisolm’s decision on whether or not former Milwaukee Police Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown will be charged with Sylville Smith’s murder. It is clear that, although the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s mission claims to “promote public peace and safety by just and vigorous prosecution”; “to seek and to do impartial justice by ensuring that the guilty are punished as stated in their mission statement”, we know that to not be true when it comes to officer involved shootings. We are still demanding charges be filed against Dominique Heaggan-Brown in the murder of Sylville Smith.

UBLAC continue to urge the community to join us in emailing and calling District Attorney John Chisolm’s office demanding he rises to the challenge and charges Dominique Heaggan-Brown. We demand that all video including officer’s bodycam footage be released as well.

WHEN: Today until a decision is announced in both cases.
WHAT: Emailing and Calling District Attorney John Chisolm’s office

District Attorney John Chisolm
Office: 414-278-4646
Email: da.milwaukee@da.wi.gov

UBLAC (Uplifting Black Liberation and Community), UBLAC Milwaukee
A coalition of Black women, queer and trans people working toward Black liberation.