Vol. 80/No. 15 April 18, 2016
Cop account of killing of Jamar Clark ‘not true’
AND JACQUIE HENDERSON
Two marches converged on the Government Center, one that began where Clark was killed, organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, and the other called by Black Lives Matter.
Clark’s sister Danielle Burns told the Militant, “We want people to know that we are not OK with this.”
“We’re Black, we’re Latinos, we’re white, we’re Asians,” Mel Reeves, an organizer for Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar, told the crowd. “We’ve united to fight for Jamar and we can win.”
“The officers are supposed to protect and serve. Everybody’s life matters,” James Clark, father of Jamar, told another rally April 1.
In announcing his decision Freeman released for the first time dozens of videos on the events that day. None show clearly the shooting of Jamar Clark.
Freeman said the confrontation began after Clark assaulted RayAnn Hayes. She has given varying accounts of what happened that night but told the press, “I never said anything about domestic violence.”
The transcript of the initial call to 911 requesting an ambulance makes no mention of Clark or any domestic dispute. “There was an altercation downstairs in the building and I tried to break it up and in the process of it I think my leg’s sprained,” a caller who identified herself as RayAnn said.
After Hayes was in the ambulance, Freeman said that Clark tried to get in, although that is not visible in the videos.
When Hennepin County Emergency Medical Services Deputy Chief Michael Trullinger arrives, Clark can be seen backing away from the ambulance. In its description of the video the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes that “Trullinger displays no overt emotional response during his interaction with Clark, and later walks out of the frame.”
According to Freeman, when Ringgenberg and Schwarze arrive they each grab one of Clark’s wrists and tried to handcuff him and that in the “ensuing struggle … Ringgenberg landed on his side on top of Clark, who was on his back.” The cops claim that Clark reached for Ringgenberg’s gun and that Schwarze put his gun to Clark’s head. When Clark refused to let go, Schwarze shot him point blank. None of this is caught on tape.
Clark said, “I’m ready to die,” the cops claim. “The only people who heard what Jamar said were the two officers and Mr. Clark,” Freeman said. “And he is not here.” In a video immediately after the shooting a woman can be heard shouting, “He didn’t have to do that.”
While some eyewitnesses said that Clark was handcuffed when he was shot, that does not appear to be the case.
Teto Wilson, who said he saw the shooting, said Clark “was thoroughly pinned down” and the cop account is “just not true.”
“Your entire narrative today was to push the propaganda of the Minneapolis Police Department,” said Minneapolis NAACP spokesperson Raeisha Williams. “You, Mr. Freeman, did not give a fair and accurate portrayal.”
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