Coalition Joins Williams Family in Quest for Justice

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ron Scott
313 587 6466

January 9, 2006

Coalition Joins Williams Family in Quest for Justice

Demands Public and Legal Action in Aftermath of Morningstar Verdict

The Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality is calling representatives of the State Legislature, Wayne County government officials, and other City of Detroit and public agencies to join in the call for justice in the case of Eric “Mr. Magoo” Williams, gunned down last year by Michigan State Trooper Jay Morningstar.

“The acquittal of Trooper Morningstar on murder and manslaughter charges by the Wayne County Circuit Court jury is a vote for barbarism and injustice,” said Coalition spokesperson Ron Scott. “The Coalition has received numerous calls and e-mails from Detroiters as well as suburbanites demanding that we refuse to let Eric Williams die in vain.

“Many of Detroit’s homeless have asked for the assistance of the Coalition, as they now too feel that they may become targets of police violence,” Scott continued. “This is one case where Detroit police officers did their job and testified against a heinous miscarriage of justice. We want to expose the assaults by Michigan State Troopers which have even occurred against Detroit officers.

“The Coalition joins the family of Eric Williams in their efforts to pursue civil remedies for a civil wrong. We must go further; we don’t want the homeless to disappear just because there’s a Super Bowl coming. And as for Trooper Morningstar, we believe he should not be allowed to continue ‘business as usual’ as long as this specter of violence clouds his career. Citizens cannot trust this kind of law enforcement.”

The Coalition is organizing a major public meeting to address the Williams case in the near future.

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