Group seeks civilian oversight of L.A. County jails
Town hall meeting set for tonight
A group called the Coalition to End Sheriff Violence in county jails is calling on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to look into the feasibility of permanent civilian oversight of the county jails. A town hall meeting is set for today, March 14, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 1006 East 28th St., in Los Angeles. Second District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas reportedly will be in attendance.
The aim of the meeting is to educate local residents, students, community leaders, and elected officials about the need and benefits of a permanent civilian review board as a means of addressing the “high level of violence” inside the county jails. The town hall will also gather public testimony from South Los Angeles residents personally impacted by sheriff’s violence. There will be performance art addressing the issue.
“When I was incarcerated in the L.A. county jails I was beaten by sheriff deputies and left with out food for days. They beat me up because I told them that it was wrong to beat up inmates after I witnessed them do that,” said Jermond Davis, a South L.A. resident. “A deputy told me to shut the [expletive] up and started beating me. Then he called other deputies over and they stomped on me for a long time. We need a permanent way to hold the sheriff’s accountable.”
“Black and Brown people are the ones who are bearing the brunt of the violence and racism inside the L.A. County jails,” said Patrisse Cullors, founder of the Coalition. “We want South L.A. residents to not only be heard, but to be armed with action that has long-standing positive impacts in this city.”
A group called the Coalition to End Sheriff Violence in county jails called on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to look into the feasibility of permanent civilian oversight of the county jails. A town hall meeting was held Thursday night at 1006 East 28th St., in Los Angeles. Second District Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas was among the speakers, as well as civil rights attorney Samuel Paz, and Coalition founder Patrice Cullors.
Jermond Davis waited anxiously in the front row to hear his name called so that he could tell his story to the public. All he needed was the podium, which at the time was occupied by a woman who with tears in her eyes spoke out against the brutality suffered by her son at the hands of deputy sheriffs.
He and roughly 19,000 inmates were packed into the jail cells of L.A. County.
Speaking Wednesday at a press conference at Crenshaw Boulevard near Stocker Street, community activists including Jim Lafferty of the National Lawyers Guild, actor Harry Lennix, (pictured) Rev. Meri Ka Ra of KRST Unity Center of African Spiritual Science, as well as writer and KPFK radio show host Michael Slate, accused the Los Angeles Police Department of utilizing illegal and intimidating tactics to prevent promotion of the premier of the movie “BA Speaks: Revolution-Nothing Less.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—For a fifth year in a row, Los Angeles had more energy-saving commercial buildings than anywhere else in the country, according to a ranking released today by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The buildings carry the “Energy Star” seal, which apply to energy efficient appliances, such as refrigerators and washing machines, but also to buildings such as schools, offices and retailers that typically use 35 percent less energy than a typical building and emit 35 less greenhouse gases.
The Lupus Foundation of America has sent out its Purple Bus to take awareness about one of the world’s more mysterious diseases to the Los Angeles-area public. Starting today, Jan. 10, the bus will be on tour in key locations until Sunday. The public is urged to come out and learn about the disease, which affects women of color primarily.
