Next, one of the next big cases
you have coming up is Pamela
Turner talk. A little bit about
that. What's the strategy and where
are we at in that oh, May 13th?
It would be the two year anniversary
of the tragic killing of Pamela Turner
unarmed black woman who was on her back,
Ana police officer who was on his feet,
shot at her five times here in her in
her face, her chest and her stomach Ann.
Unbelievably. He still employed
by the Baytown Police Department,
so we're demanding that he be
terminated for what he did.
On that video,
claiming the life of Pamela Turner
on May 25th will be the next court
hearing for Officer de la Cruz,
the officer who killed Pam Turner
Ann is ironic.
That is owned the same day as
the one year anniversary of the
killing of George Floyd.
So we have to make sure that we
elevate Pamela Turner's name,
becauses her life matters.
Black Women lives matter,
and too often black women are not
given the attention or the recognition
that others are given when they are
killed and justifiably in America.
What is the
strategy and the evidence you have in
this case with Pam Turner?
Like George flora?
The video shows us.
Exactly what happened.
Exactly, you know.
Like in all situations.
The courts often come up with
technical justifications to justify
the killing of unarmed black people,
but thank God for technology.
Thank God for video.
The only difference between
Rodney King and George Floyd
and Pamela Turner is that
we now have better video.
What? What is justice in this case? In
Pamela Turner's case,
to make sure that she gets 4 justice
to make sure that her family receives
this same justice as if it was a
white woman down there who was getting
shot in the face and in the chest
in the stomach by police officer
unarmed and had they released the body Cam
video to you, they have not
released the body Cam video to us,
but thank God there was a citizen
who captured cell phone video.
That went viral,
and I expect that on May 13th all
America to be watching that video
of Pamela Turner as we have a
rally for justice for Pam Turner
and supporting black women.
And let me say it again,
and I suspect all the world will
be re watching that video of Pam Turner.
It would go viral again on May 13th as we
have a rally for justice for Pam Turner
and support a black women in Baytown,
TX at 12 noon on May 13th.
Do you plan to meet with the family
lawyer in town? Yes. Oh OK.
And what is it? The message that
you share with him when you when
you meet with them that I know
it's a long road to justice but
don't give up because Pam Turner.
Is worth fighting for?
Do you think because their their
their mother is worth fighting for?
And it's been two years is that is that?
Is there any obstacles? We think
we might face in this case. Well.
I've been a civil rights lawyer for the
better part of my professional career,
but I've been black all my life
and it is a learned experience as
a black person in America that we
can never take for granted that a
police officer will be convicted for
killing a black person and gently,
despite whatever evidence we have.
So just like we were focused on making
sure we got justice for George Floyd,
we have to be focused.
To make sure we get justice
for Pamela Turner,
what was that moment like
for you when you heard that
guilty verdict three times?
Well, I think like most people in America,
we were able to exhale.
I was so heartened by all of the
people protesting the multi culture,
the multi generational,
the multi geographical people from
all walks of life who were saying
until we get justice for George Floyd.
None of us can breathe.
What is your message to the
graduates out here today?
That we can have a better America
that we can have a more just America
with them just standing up and using
their influence in their forces.
We can have a better America fallout
children one where you know Ahmad Arbor
is not lynched for jacking while black.
Warren where?
Brianna Taylor can sleep in peace and
not be killed by police busting in
her front door at 1:00 in the morning
at legally and then justifiably,
leaving her body mutilated with six bullets.
And we can have a more jest and
better ameryka where George Floyd
gets an opportunity to take a breath.
We found a police putting his knee on
his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
Did you ever think that you would
be the face of this movement?
And what is it like being that, you know?
I'm always humbled when people
you know give these titles.
Black America attorneys
general and other things,
so you take him very humbly, but you never,
ever forget what your mission is.
Your mission is to try to make sure
that little black and Brown children,
little marginalized communities are
never kept away from the American
promise that they are never.
Kept away from those
constitutional protections that
are promised to all Americans.
And so as I stand here is
Texas Southern University,
the home of the Thurgood Marshall Law School.
I'm forever.
I'm forever grateful that their good
Marshall blazed a trail that I.
Fallen and that I hope to make that
trail wider for the graduating class of
the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
To continue to champion the cause
for justice for marginalized
people all over the world.
Pamela Turner, do you see the struggle over
the Taser being an obstacle in the core
in the case? Do you see that being an issue?
I know they're going to present all
counter defenses to try to justify this
police officer who assaulted and battered.
This woman who was doing absolutely nothing
and then taste her even though she never
presented a threat of violence to him.
And then when she did with any.
Human being would do,
who stays were trying to pull that a Xylem,
or get a taza prevent themselves from
being tazed, and they go to the ground.
He gets up on his feet.
And we now have expert testimony,
objective evidence that had
he been trained properly,
he should have known that there was no
way that she could find that Taser again
without getting the cartridge that he had.
Is so.
It is tragic that this black woman was
killed by this police officer in this
manner it was unnecessary and unjustifiable.
He had all kind of options he
could have gave verbal commands
he could have created distance.
He could have our call for backup.
He could've did any number of things
but the shoot her five times.
I mean sure to shoot at her five times while
she was on her back saying I'm pregnant.
It was obvious he had no.
Consideration and respect for her life
or any life that could have been inside
her and the reason I get so emotional.
Because when I think of Pam Turner,
I think about my mother.
I think about my sister.
I think about my wife.
I think about any number of black women
who could have been on that ground with
that police saying they didn't matter.
And so whatever justification they
try to offer it is the intellectual
justification of discrimination,
because they would not have
done that to a white woman.
And I have one thing.
No.
I just want one quick thing
that is when you look
at those students out there today, do you
see in the other you think to yourself one
of these people could be a
hashtag one day? Dasta tragedy
it doesn't matter. Who you are.
Who your parents are,
what neighborhood you live in with.
Zip code you live in,
what degrees you have. It seems like.
Black people can be careful walking
while black driving while black
shopping while black sleeping while
black babysitting while black.
I mean, think of all the instances
where black people have been killed.
And they were committing no crime.
Botham, Jones in his own apartment,
Atiana Jefferson, babysitting.
Vertical Terence Crutcher walking away
with his hands up in broad daylight.
It did not matter any of them.
Could represent any one of those graduates
that graduated from Texas Southern.
Becaused tragically.
Our skin color has been equated with
criminality and until we can change that.
Dynamic where they see our children
like they see their children.
I think this implicit bias will proliferate.
Too many more hashtags that I.
Can't even bear to fathom.