Again
as if on cue, from a scene 75 years ago, the tentacles of
racism and injustice have shown their presence in rural
America, in Virginia. On May 24, 2010, 18 year old Reginald Latson, from Virginia,
was from all accounts racially profiled, beaten, taunted,
and jailed before being sent to Western
State Mental
Hospital for evaluation, as a result of a complete mental
breakdown. He merely found himself in the wrong place at
the wrong time in a bad situation, and at the mercy of those
sworn to protect him.
Latson, who is autistic, went for a walk as normal in his
neighborhood, with which he was familiar. While seen sitting
in front of a library, waiting for it to open, a call to
police was made, indicating there was a suspicious man that
might have a gun. Reginald, completely unaware that he was
a suspect, decided to leave the library when realizing that
it was not opening and continued his walk.
After
some time, there was a confrontation with law enforcement
officers at which point, the officer in question attacked
him from behind and started to choke him. A struggle ensued
and Latson was pepper sprayed and hit with a nightstick.
As Latson tried to stop the brutal attack, he grabbed the
pepper spray, threw it and ran into nearby woods. Approximately
30 minutes later he stated he heard dogs and lots of police
coming towards him. When approached, he said “my eyes, my
eyes, I can’t see,” to which they responded, “screw your
eyes”. While throwing him to the ground and kicking him,
he continued to plead his innocence, “I didn’t do anything
wrong,” to which the officers responded, “it doesn’t matter,
welcome to Stafford
County!”
Latson was subsequently transported to jail, where he was
interrogated and subjugated to continued torture, despite
the fact that a gun was never found. After a scheduled bond
hearing, the judge handed down a 30 day emergency treatment
order and Latson was transferred to Western
State Hospital
in Staunton, VA, where he received therapy. To add insult to injury, once the local
judge learned of his mother’s vigorous campaign to raise
public awareness about what happened to her son, he was
immediately returned to jail, and has been denied bond twice!
 Latson
has been charged with three felony counts of assaulting
an officer, disarming law enforcement and assault with malice
to an Officer.
The
officer in question has testified with several contradictions
in his story. He has acknowledged that he did engaged Mr.
Latson, searched him and found no gun. The county is well
aware of the wrong accusations on the part of the officer
and is doing everything, in my opinion, to protect him and
their interests. It is morally troubling that no one has
considered the tremendous mental damage that is being done
to Latson and his state of mind.
On
June 29th his mother, filed an official complaint with the
Department of Justice against the Stafford County Sheriff’s
Department. What has happened to Latson, unfortunately,
is the story of countless people, across the country, who
find themselves at the mercy of the Justice system and vigilante
officers. Given the facts, all charges should be dropped
against Latson, and a public apology rendered post-haste
by the Stafford County Sheriffs Department to Mr. Latson
and his family. Not only were basic civil rights violated,
but Latson’s dignity as a human being has been assaulted
as well. The only thing that Latson is clearly guilty of
is being the usual suspect! Young, Black and in his case
autistic, justice delayed and ignored is indeed justice
denied!
BlackCommentator.com Guest Commentator, The Reverend D. D. Prather, is a noted Civil/Social Justice
Activist,
a native of Atlanta, Georgia
and former National Member of the NAACP Board of Directors.
Click here to contact the Reverend Prather.
|
Jul 29, 2010 - Issue 386
is
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