VTMBH Article: Body
BROOKLYN- About 600 mourners filled St. Jerome Roman Catholic Church on Feb. 2 to bid a final farewell to Georgy Louisgene, the 23-year-old man killed by two policemen on Jan. 16. In an encounter at a housing development that remains as mysterious as it is tragic, the two policemen fired eight shots at Louisgene, five of which hit him.
The family and community organizations held two rallies prior to the funeral and a third demonstration at the site of Louisgenes death, the front of 3501 Foster Avenue. Community leaders such as City Councilwoman Yvette Clarke were present at the funeral. Families of police brutality victims and representatives from Haitian organizations like the Haitian Coalition for Justice and Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees also attended.
While the priest conducted a somber funeral service inside the packed church, about 40 families, friends, and activists stood between the church steps and the awaiting hearse, chanting to the beat of drums and yelling out a variety of phrases, chiefly, No justice, no peace.
The police are doing their job, muttered a young man derisively in a choked voice as the coffin was carried to the hearse.
Cries and lamentations mingled with the activist songs cacophonously, drawing the attention of passers-by. The smell of burning incense wafted into the air as the mourners each held a stick and chanted in Kreyol, They hit us. The hit hurts us bad, O. The mornings frigid, biting winds were no deterrent, so caught were they in beating their drums and marching on.
He didnt deserve to die this way; he was a good guy, said James Jerome, a friend of Louisgenes.
Sgt. James Muirhead and Police Officer Joe Thompson of the NYPD 67th Precinct fired eight bullets at Louisgene, who they said was lunging at them with a knife and hooked object. Five shots pierced his 115 pound frame. Family, friends and others continue to wonder why the policemen fired so many shots that they say were sure to kill him, to such parts of his body as the lower back and left side.
The family shouldnt let this go, they should take it far, said Monti John, identifying himself as Louisgenes best friend. They should find out what the purpose is, whats the reason [for the shooting].
According to Michael D. Roberts, Clarkes spokesman, the councilwoman met with the family and promised to provide any information that the family requests of the NYPD, including faxes and reports regarding the case. The familys attorney, Dayo O. Owotomo, said that they will take legal action against the police department.
There were two other demonstrations held prior to Saturdays climactic one. On Wednesday, Jan. 30, there was a candlelight vigil at the Vanderveer Estates, where the young man was shot, followed by a march to the 67th Precinct. About 60 people, many of them extended family members, participated in the march. At the wake on Friday, Feb. 1, there were even fewer demonstrators, although a few men stood outside of the funeral home with a large, poster-sized picture of Louisgene throughout the night. Among the many signs and placards, one taped to a car stated, no difference between bin Laden and a white police force.
On those two occasions, the police, their cars and vans parked nearby and along the route, outnumbered the protestors. On Wednesday night, across from the police precinct where about 40 officers stood, Louisgenes older sister, Abellard, shouted into the megaphone, We put food on their tables, but when we call them for help, they kill us.
On the march from the church to the site of the killing on Saturday morning, Louisgenes grief-stricken mother, Andresia, shouted at policeman directing traffic. See what you guys have done to me, she shouted three times in Kreyol.
The mothers waist was held by two or three men, who encouraged her to stand up straight, since she had no strength to keep herself upright. Louisgenes father, George, said he had no strength to be interviewed.
Sympathizers came from afar to support the Louisgene family and the cause against police brutality. Instead of being intimidated by the police presence, they used the opportunity to let the police know that they thought of them as murderers and racists.
Juanita Young, whose son Malcolm Ferguson was killed by police in the Bronx a few years ago, said, They were saying that 9/11 changed people, but this just proves that the NYPD is still the same.
At Wednesday evenings vigil, the mothers of Anthony Baez and Anthony Rosario, two Puerto Ricans killed by police were also present. Rosarios mother, Margarita Rosario, said she attended the vigil because the police killings of young people of color must stop. She said the families and communities must continue fighting against police brutality together.
We have to keep going, she said.
Clark Walker, a 31-year-old Haitian man, said, This is a time for us to put our heads together to show what liberty really is.
There were white, Asian and Latino men and women, young and old at the rallies and funeral, representing various activist groups and organizations.
The cops are on the wrong side. They dont respect the people, said Moshe Rothenberg, a literacy teacher at Wingate High School who was passing out a communist newspaper.
City officials have a different take on the matter, however, On February 3, at a candlelight vigil for Amadou Diallo, the West African immigrant shot 41 times by four policemen in 1998, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the likelihood of such police shootings is now less.
The outreach and the confidence in all communities that [Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly ] and I are building will be sufficient to explain to people, comfort people, and convince people that well take steps to make sure whatever event takes place doesnt happen again, said Bloomberg.
The family and community organizations held two rallies prior to the funeral and a third demonstration at the site of Louisgenes death, the front of 3501 Foster Avenue. Community leaders such as City Councilwoman Yvette Clarke were present at the funeral. Families of police brutality victims and representatives from Haitian organizations like the Haitian Coalition for Justice and Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees also attended.
While the priest conducted a somber funeral service inside the packed church, about 40 families, friends, and activists stood between the church steps and the awaiting hearse, chanting to the beat of drums and yelling out a variety of phrases, chiefly, No justice, no peace.
The police are doing their job, muttered a young man derisively in a choked voice as the coffin was carried to the hearse.
Cries and lamentations mingled with the activist songs cacophonously, drawing the attention of passers-by. The smell of burning incense wafted into the air as the mourners each held a stick and chanted in Kreyol, They hit us. The hit hurts us bad, O. The mornings frigid, biting winds were no deterrent, so caught were they in beating their drums and marching on.
He didnt deserve to die this way; he was a good guy, said James Jerome, a friend of Louisgenes.
Sgt. James Muirhead and Police Officer Joe Thompson of the NYPD 67th Precinct fired eight bullets at Louisgene, who they said was lunging at them with a knife and hooked object. Five shots pierced his 115 pound frame. Family, friends and others continue to wonder why the policemen fired so many shots that they say were sure to kill him, to such parts of his body as the lower back and left side.
The family shouldnt let this go, they should take it far, said Monti John, identifying himself as Louisgenes best friend. They should find out what the purpose is, whats the reason [for the shooting].
According to Michael D. Roberts, Clarkes spokesman, the councilwoman met with the family and promised to provide any information that the family requests of the NYPD, including faxes and reports regarding the case. The familys attorney, Dayo O. Owotomo, said that they will take legal action against the police department.
There were two other demonstrations held prior to Saturdays climactic one. On Wednesday, Jan. 30, there was a candlelight vigil at the Vanderveer Estates, where the young man was shot, followed by a march to the 67th Precinct. About 60 people, many of them extended family members, participated in the march. At the wake on Friday, Feb. 1, there were even fewer demonstrators, although a few men stood outside of the funeral home with a large, poster-sized picture of Louisgene throughout the night. Among the many signs and placards, one taped to a car stated, no difference between bin Laden and a white police force.
On those two occasions, the police, their cars and vans parked nearby and along the route, outnumbered the protestors. On Wednesday night, across from the police precinct where about 40 officers stood, Louisgenes older sister, Abellard, shouted into the megaphone, We put food on their tables, but when we call them for help, they kill us.
On the march from the church to the site of the killing on Saturday morning, Louisgenes grief-stricken mother, Andresia, shouted at policeman directing traffic. See what you guys have done to me, she shouted three times in Kreyol.
The mothers waist was held by two or three men, who encouraged her to stand up straight, since she had no strength to keep herself upright. Louisgenes father, George, said he had no strength to be interviewed.
Sympathizers came from afar to support the Louisgene family and the cause against police brutality. Instead of being intimidated by the police presence, they used the opportunity to let the police know that they thought of them as murderers and racists.
Juanita Young, whose son Malcolm Ferguson was killed by police in the Bronx a few years ago, said, They were saying that 9/11 changed people, but this just proves that the NYPD is still the same.
At Wednesday evenings vigil, the mothers of Anthony Baez and Anthony Rosario, two Puerto Ricans killed by police were also present. Rosarios mother, Margarita Rosario, said she attended the vigil because the police killings of young people of color must stop. She said the families and communities must continue fighting against police brutality together.
We have to keep going, she said.
Clark Walker, a 31-year-old Haitian man, said, This is a time for us to put our heads together to show what liberty really is.
There were white, Asian and Latino men and women, young and old at the rallies and funeral, representing various activist groups and organizations.
The cops are on the wrong side. They dont respect the people, said Moshe Rothenberg, a literacy teacher at Wingate High School who was passing out a communist newspaper.
City officials have a different take on the matter, however, On February 3, at a candlelight vigil for Amadou Diallo, the West African immigrant shot 41 times by four policemen in 1998, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the likelihood of such police shootings is now less.
The outreach and the confidence in all communities that [Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly ] and I are building will be sufficient to explain to people, comfort people, and convince people that well take steps to make sure whatever event takes place doesnt happen again, said Bloomberg.