Community Outraged at Police-Involved Shootings; Police Say Still Under Investigation :: The Case of David Yim
(BALTIMORE – May 24, 2012) – The Rosemont Community Association monthly meeting last night featured a panel discussion on police-involved shootings of West Baltimore. Part of the purpose of the meeting was to discuss where the community goes from here.
The panel included Wanda Worrell, the president of the Rosemont Community Association, a representative from City Councilman Pete Welch’s office, Cortley C.D. Witherspoon, and Brian Easley. They were most interested in the case of David Yim, a disabled man shot by police on April 10th.
Held at the Rosemont Senior Towers on Poplar Grove near Edmonson Avenue, Project Focus Executive Director Brian Easley said, “The meeting last night was in reference to the police-involved shooting that took place with a disabled man who was shot by police. We filed a complaint with the Citizens Review Board and secured Attorney J. Wyndal Gordon on behalf of the victim, David Yim.”
Easley added, “The turnout – about 20 people - was diverse, including youth. They expressed their concerns. I will say that this incident has galvanized the community to take action against the daily 4th Amendment violations of persons in this community. Illegal searches are rampant in the Winchester-Rosemont Community – which includes Poplar Grove. We won’t stop until this officer is removed from the force because we feel he poses an in imminent threat to the people in the neighborhood.”
Marshall Bell, WOLB 1010 AM host, agreed. Asked to moderate the panel discussion, Bell told BMORENEWS, “I thought it was very productive. I’m not a meeting guy. I’m an action guy. Let’s commit to writing and calling Pete Welch, the Mayor and whomever else: the community wants Officer Fred Murray fired.” He added, “We can at least effect change as best we can.”
The officer involved is currently on administrative leave.
According to Baltimore City Police spokesperson Officer Nicole Monroe, “The case is still under investigation.”
She said that it is important that community residents understand that first the police investigate the incident; and then, the State’s Attorney’s office undertakes an investigation. The bottomline is that it does not always go the officer’s way.
J. Wyndal Gordon, affectionately known as the “Warrior Lawyer”, told BMORENEWS, “The man was shot in the stomach.” He continued, “I think it’s despicable – what happened to him. There is a pandemic of police-involved shootings. It’s totally out of control at this point. It’s not going to stop unless we take direct court action and lobby our legislators to do something about it on a state and federal level because this is simply out of control. He added, “The root of the problem is a lack of accountability through all facets of the judicial system.”
He said, “The [Baltimore City Police] Commissioner, the Mayor, some judges, the Prosecutors – those who are able to do something have done nothing. Like the famous quote says, ‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’”
Wyndal expects to file a civil suit no later than July. They would be seeking compensatory and punitive damages for pain, suffering, and the malicious use of force by police. This could easily be a multi-million dollar law suit.
BMORENEWS obtained a copy of a draft for a resolution that will be submitted at the next City council meeting on Monday, June 4th. It calls for a hearing “[f]or the purpose of calling on representatives from the Baltimore Police Department to appear before the Council to discuss the Department’s procedures for the deployment of deadly force, as well as the policies governing responses to calls for assistance with mentally disabled individuals.”
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