Community leaders from the National Action Network spoke with Alton Sterling’s attorney via live video chat, and discussed police reform this Saturday at the House of Justice.
According to NAN, the Attorney of Alton Sterling, Edmond Jordan, joined the Saturday Action Rally to give an update on the current status of Sterling’s case in Baton Rouge, LA. Both of the African American men were shot by law enforcement within less than 24 hours of each other. NAN says this demonstrates a consistent failure in the Law Enforcement system.
The rally went from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday in response to the police shootings of two African American men, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. The President of NAN San Diego and Reverend, Shane Harris, and several pastors discussed the racial issues in the Law Enforcement system on both local and national levels.
“I am tired of watching the inconsistency of our criminal justice system,” said Harris in a release. “Every day those who live in our urban communities have been terrorized by those who say they are there to protect and serve.”
Harris and NAN San Diego are aiming to reform the historical failings of investigations into the police shootings of African American men. They are asking the Federal DOJ to get involved sooner and consistently implement independent investigations along with police reform.
In the release, Harris emphasized that NAN is not anti-police but believes there is a strong need to reform corrupt practices.
“By no means are we against law enforcement but we are against bad cops and believe that those cops must be dealt with,” said Harris in a statement.
The rally also considered previous cases of police brutality in San Diego, such as the Robert Branch case involving the choking of a man by an off-duty officer.
“It is even more shocking to me that in times like these that candidates for office on both national levels and local levels have said less about the reform we need around policing in this country,” said Harris.