[Vision2020] Reverse Racism?

[Joe Campbell]

Oops! Missed this post!

Joe Campbell

On May 29, 2009, at 9:02 PM, bear at moscow.com wrote:

> This article appeared on the KLEW website, and I'm printing it here  
> with a
> question for the Visionaries, is it a case of reverse racism?
>
> LEWISTON - A Nez Perce Tribal elder and paralegal says law enforcement
> overstepped its bounds during a shooting on Cottonwood Creek Road last
> week.
> Randall Vernon Ellenwood died and Ricardo Daniel Rodriguez was injured
> when they were shot by the officer in what is described as a traffic  
> stop
> and ensuing physical altercation.
> In a news release issued Tuesday, ISP said their trooper, who  
> allegedly
> fired the shots at the men, had jurisdiction on the county road.
> But the owner of the property where the shootings happened, Clifford
> Allen, says when the trooper stepped on Indian-owned land, he was  
> nothing
> more than "A mad man with a pistol in his hand."
> "For him to do what he did was absolutely illegal," said Allen.  
> "What he
> should have done was stopped down at the highway and waited for his
> backup, which was the Tribal Police."
> Allen said he wasn't home until about 15 minutes after the shooting  
> took
> place, and has not seen video of the actual incident. He says that  
> video
> may exist though.
> Allen doesn't deny reports that the men fled ISP after a previous  
> traffic
> stop, but says the men "sensed a hatred" in the trooper and felt the  
> need
> to flee to a "sanctuary" or "safe place."
> "I wasn't home and so they just kind of stopped and did things on  
> their
> own," said Allen. "Unfortunately had I been there, they'd probably  
> still
> be alive."
> ISP says the officer opened fire after being attacked and  
> overpowered by
> the two men. The officer involved has not been identified.
> Allen said Ellenwood was a family friend who went to school with his
> children.
> Allen says he is acting as Rodriguez’ consultant, as the FBI continu 
> es its
> investigation.
> Allen said he is meeting with attorneys at the end of the week to  
> pursue
> legal action against the state and county officers on his property  
> that
> day.
> "We'll have to do something of that sort in order to prove that their
> liable by trespass, and if that's the case, they have to pay for  
> damages,"
> said Allen.
>
>
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