TRAVERS: THAT'S RIGHT, WELCOME
TO THE WDSU NEWS HOT SEAT.
TONIGHT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DECISION
NOT TO INDICT THE TWO POLICE
OFFICERS INVOLVED IN THE
SHOOTING DEATH OF ALTON STERLING
IN BATON ROUGE LAST SUMMER.
THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS AND
OUTRAGE IN THE CITY OF BATON
ROUGE.
THE GROUP THAT KEPT THINGS
PEACEFUL WAS TOGETHER BATON
ROUGE.
WE HAVE THE LEADER.
FIRST OFF, TELL OUR VIEWERS HERE
IN NEW ORLEANS THAT HAVE HEARD
ABOUT TOGETHER BATON ROUGE WHAT
EXACTLY TOGETHER BATON ROUGE IS.
>> TOGETHER BATON ROUGE IS A
COALITION OF COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS.
BATON ROUGE IS A VERY SEGREGATED
AND DIVIDED PLACE AND
HISTORICALLY THERE HAS NOT BEEN
A LOT OF COLLABORATION ACROSS OF
THOSE LINES.
ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO A GROUP OF
LEADERS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
MOSTLY PASTORS STARTED BUILDING
THE BEGINNINGS OF A DIFFERENT
KIND OF ORGANIZATION THAT WAS
GOING TO CROSS RACIAL LINES.
IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS DEVELOPING
ITSELF AND SINCE THEN PEOPLE
HAVE ADVOCATED ON A WHOLE RANGE
OF ISSUES, MOST RECENTLY AROUND
LISA FORM -- POLICE REFORM,
HEALTH CARE ISSUES, FLOODING,
TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER ISSUES.
TRAVERS: YOU GUYS WERE AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THE ALTON STERLING
DEATH LAST SUMMER.
YOU HAVE BEEN VERY VOCAL SINCE
THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE DOJ.
WHAT WAS YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT --
WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO THE
ANNOUNCEMENT THESE OFFICERS
WOULD NOT FACE ANY FEDERAL
CRIMINAL CHARGES?
>> AS WE HAVE LEARNED MORE, OUR
REACTION HAS CHANGED.
THERE IS THE SHORT TERM AND THE
LONGER-TERM.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN THE
LONG-TERM, IN THE TIME OF DUTCH
IN THE KIND OF THE DEEPER
PROCESSES OF REFORM THAT NEEDED
TO HAPPEN BEFORE ALTON STERLING
WAS SHOT.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE THE
MEASURE OF WHETHER THIS
COMMUNITY SUCCEEDS IN DEALING
WITH THESE ISSUES.
THEN YOU HAVE THE REALITY OF A
MAN KILLED BY OFFICERS OF THE TO
PLEASE -- OFFICERS OF THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT.
WITHOUT GETTING THAT RIGHT,
WITHOUT THINKING THERE IS
TRANSPARENCY, YOU CANNOT MOVE
ON.
AFTER THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
RELEASED OF THEIR FINDINGS, THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HELD A
MEETING WITH SIX COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, ONE OF WHOM WAS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF TOGETHER BATON
ROUGE AND SHARED A MUCH BROADER
AND MORE UNVEILED SET OF FACTS
OF WHAT TOOK PLACE AND TO NOW
KNOW THOSE AND STRUGGLE WITH
WHAT I WAS IT'S THAT SHARED
PUBLICLY EVEN IF IT WAS THE
DETERMINATION OF THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE NOT TO SEE CHARGES
HAS US FEEL MORE NEEDS TO COME
OUT ON THIS.
THE VIDEO NEEDS TO COME OUT AND
THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THERE WERE
SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS THAT WERE
NOT DISCUSSED IN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE THAT THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE DID TWO DAYS AGO.
TRAVERS: I KNOW ONE OF THE CALLS
WAS IT TO RELEASE OF THE BODY
CAMERA VIDEO.
OBVIOUSLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
SAID IT WAS PART OF AN
INVESTIGATION.
THAT INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN
TURNED OVER TO LOUISIANA TO
ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFF LANDRY AND
LOUISIANA STATE POLICE.
ARE YOU HOPING THEY WILL RELEASE
IT?
INVESTIGATORS DON'T LIKE TO GIVE
TOO MUCH INFORMATION BEFORE THEY
HAVE MADE THEIR FINAL DECISION.
>> IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE
REALLY LOOKED INTO.
SOMETIMES THE VIDEO IS RELEASED
AND SOMETIMES IT IS NOT.
THERE IS NO LAW OR STATUTE SAY
YOU CAN OR SHOULD NOT INSIDE OF
AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION.
IT IS A DETERMINATION MADE BY
THOSE INVESTIGATING BASED ON
PUBLIC INTEREST.
THERE IS ALWAYS A TEMPTATION
WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFICULT NEWS --
WHAT IS IN THE NEWS, WE SAW A
CLIP OF THE VIDEO IN WHICH IT
STARTED WITH TWO OFFICERS
GRAPPLING WITH ALTON STERLING
AND THEN FALLING TO THE GROUND
AND IN THIS AMBIGUOUS SET OF
EVENTS WHERE ONE OF THEM SAID
THERE WAS A GUN BUT YOU COULD
NOT SEE THE GUN OR HIS HAND.
THOSE ARE THE ACCOUNTS THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE LAID OUT.
JUST BEFORE THAT VIDEO STARTS,
ONE OF THE OFFICERS OF DRIVES UP
IN A CAR, GETS OUT AND IS BY ALL
ACCOUNTS PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE
IN HIS DEMEANOR AND
PROFESSIONAL.
THE SECOND OFFICER WHO SHOOTS
ALTON STERLING DRIVES UP AND IN
THE WORDS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE TO US GOT OUT OF THE CAR
HOT AND WITHIN ABOUT 20 SECONDS
OF ARRIVING ON THE SCENE
UNWHOLESOME HIS GUN, POINTED IT
AT THE HEAD OF ALTON STERLING
AND SAID I'M GOING TO SHOOT YOU
-- [BLANK]
THEN THE TAPING HAPPENED AND THE
-- THEN THE TASING HAPPENED AND
THE ALTERCATION BEGAN.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE --
THEIR DETERMINATION WAS AT THAT
THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO BRING
A CIVIL RIGHTS CHARGE AND THAT
IS A THEY'RE CALLED.
WHAT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE IS IS
THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE ONE
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAPPENED
AND THERE IS A THIS MUCH BROADER
STORY AND THERE ARE TAPES AND
PUBLIC RECORDS.
THERE IS AN IMPULSIVE TO SAY
LET'S NOT LET THAT OUT IN CASE
THINGS GET UNRULY AND I THINK
ALL THE LESSONS OF HISTORY ARE
YOU HAVE TO DO JUST THE
OPPOSITE.
IF YOU TRY TO HOLD IT BACK,
PEOPLE START TO FEEL LIKE THE
FIX IS IN AND THEY FEEL LIKE
THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO COVER UP
INFORMATION.
RELEASED THE VIDEOS, GIVE AN
ACCOUNT OF WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE
WE RECEIVED A REALLY DETAILED
ACCOUNT OF ONE SIDE OF IT.
THE SIDE THAT INCLUDES ALL THE
SCOPE OF TORY INFORMATION.
THE PART THAT IS MUCH MORE
AMBIGUOUS -- AND NOW PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY KNOW BUT IT IS NOT
BROADLY ENOUGH UNDERSTOOD.
THAT IS A PLACE THAT DOES NOT
FEEL LIKE A COMFORTABLE PLACE TO
HAVE A OPEN DIALOGUE.
TRAVERS: THE -- WE DEALT WITH
THE SITUATION WHERE OFFICERS
AFTER KATRINA WERE INDICTED BUT
THE STATE INVESTIGATION COULD
BRING NUMEROUS CHARGES INCLUDING
NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE OR EVEN
MANSLAUGHTER.
ARE YOU HOPING SOME CHARGES ARE
FILED BY THE STATE ATTORNEY
GENERAL?
I KNOW THE FAMILY AND THEIR
ATTORNEYS ARE CALLING FOR IT.
THE ATTORNEY USED TO THE LINE
THIS IS A PHENOMENAL CASE FOR
JEFF LANDRY TO BRING CHARGES.
THAT ATTORNEY FOR THE STERLING
FAMILY -- DO YOU THINK THE CASE
IS STRONG FOR JEFF LANDRY TO
CHARGE THE POLICE OFFICERS?
>> FROM WHAT WE HAVE HEARD AND
NOW DAN THAT THE LEVEL OF -- AND
NOW UNDERSTAND THAT THE LEVEL OF
AGGRESSION AND FORTH THAT THIS
OFFICER USED -- A THAT HE
DIRECTLY THREATENED THE LIFE OF
THE PERSON WHO ABOUT A MINUTE
LATER WHOSE LIFE HE TOOK.
I AM NOT AN ATTORNEY.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THE FULL
BREADTH OF EVIDENCE BUT IF THAT
IS IN FACT WHAT IS ON THOSE
TAPES THEN IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR
THAT THERE WILL BE A ALMOST
INCONTESTABLE CASE FOR SOME KIND
OF CHARGE.
NEVERMIND A CONDUCT THAT IS NOT
APPROPRIATE TO A PROFESSIONAL
POLICE OFFICER.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE FEEL THAT IS
IN FACT WHAT IS ON THE VIDEO IS
ONE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
TOLD US WAS ON THE VIDEO, IT IS
HARD TO IMAGINE A SCENARIO WHERE
SOMEONE WOULD SAY NO LAW WAS
BROKEN AT ALL THERE.
INCREASINGLY THAT SEEMS TO BE
THE JUDGMENT OF PEOPLE WHICH IS
A RADICAL DEPARTURE OF WHAT
EVERYONE ASSUMED TO BE THE CASE
A WEEK AGO WHEN YOU ARE ONLY
LOOKING AT THAT PART OF IT.
THAT IS A PART OF LIFE THIS
THING PUBLIC SEEMS SO IMPORTANT.
IF IT SO HAPPENED THAT THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE DOES
NOT FIND EVIDENCE AND THEN THE
TAPE COMES OUT THEN WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE A REALLY DIFFICULT AND
EXPLOSIVES SCENARIO HERE BECAUSE
HOWEVER MUCH YOU KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED, WHEN YOU SEE IT,
EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT.
I FORGOT TO THE FOOTBALL PLAYER
WAS -- HE HAD HIS PENALTY AND
THEN YOU SAW THE VIDEO AND
SUDDENLY IT WAS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE THEY HAD TO INCREASE THE
PENALTY BECAUSE SEEING IT IS
DIFFERENT.
IT WOULD BE REALLY UNFORTUNATE
IF THIS WHOLE PROCESS OF JUSTICE
PLAYS OUT WITHOUT PEOPLE SING IT
BECAUSE -- WITHOUT PEOPLE SEEING
IT BECAUSE IF THEY COME TO
CONCLUSION THAT THERE IS NOT
GROUNDS FOR A CHARGE AND THEN
PEOPLE SEE THE VIOLENCE WITH
WHICH IS THIS OFFICER ACTED
TOWARDS ALTON STERLING, IT COULD
BE A REALLY EXPLOSIVE
ENVIRONMENT.
TRAVERS: YOUR GROUP HAS BEEN
VERY INVOLVED WITH IT TRYING TO
KEEP THE PEACE.
TELLING PEOPLE IF YOU ARE TO
PROTEST, IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL
BUT DO IT PEACEFULLY.
THIS IS A VERY DIVISIVE ISSUE
FOR NOT JUST THE STATE BUT THE
PEOPLE OF AVERAGE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO SAY HE IS A
FELON IN POSSESSION OF A FIREARM
WHO WAS RESISTING ARREST WHICH
WAS OF THE NARRATIVE PUT OUT BY
THE DOJ TO SOME EXTENT.
PEOPLE SAY REGARDLESS OF WHAT IS
GOING ON, DOES THE OFFICER NEED
TO DRAW HIS GUN AND SHOOT
SOMEONE WHO HAD A GUN IN HIS
POCKET.
HOW DO YOU ALL WORK WITH THE
COMMUNITY IN BATON ROUGE TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE PROTESTS FIX --
PROTEST PEACEFULLY.
IT WAS TENSE LAST SUMMER IN
BATON ROUGE.
>> THE NATURE OF OUR
ORGANIZATION IS THE OPPOSITE OF
MONOLITHIC.
WE HAVE CONSERVATIVES, LIBERALS,
WHITE CONGREGATIONS AND BLACK
CONGREGATIONS.
THE WHOLE MIX AND THE BIGGEST
MISTAKE YOU COULD MAKE IS
THINKING EVERYONE IS SEEING AND
EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.
THE FIRST THING WE HAVE DONE IS
CONSTANTLY HAD CONVERSATIONS
WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO BASICALLY
TAKE ON BOARD EACH
OTHERS'REALITIES.
I MAY NOT SEE IT THAT WAY BUT I
WANT TO SEE WHERE YOU'RE COMING
FROM.
AND CALL FROM -- AND CALL FOR
AGGRESSIVE ACTION.
A UNITARY AND PASTOR SAID WE ARE
CALLING FOR PEACE BUT NOT QUIET.
THERE WAS BIT OF DISCOMFORT
AND I THINK WHAT HE MEANT BY
THAT WAS IF THERE IS A CONCERN
THAT A FUNDAMENTAL INJUSTICE IS
TAKING PLACE, BEING QUIET ABOUT
IT DOES NOT HELP THE CAUSE OF
PEACE.
PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THERE IS NO
LEGITIMATE MEANS TO EXPRESS A
GRIEVANCE.
BEING A VOICE FOR PEACE AND A
VOICE THAT WE HAVE A NEED FOR
SYSTEMIC CHANGE, WE NEED A
POLICE FORCE THA -- IT IS MORE
LIKE THE NEW ORLEANS POLICE
FORCE IN THE LATE 1990'S WHEN
THERE IS NOT A LOT OF
ACCOUNTABILITY.
IT IS GOING TO INVOLVE SOME
CONTESTATION AND I THINK
EMBRACING THAT AND TAKING OUR
LUMPS AND PEOPLE SAYING ARE TWO
ABOUT BEING TOGETHER, ASKING
HARD QUESTIONS IS WHAT IT MEANS
TO BE TOGETHER.
WHAT ALLOWS US TO BE A FORCE FOR
PEACE IS FOR PEOPLE TO SAY, WE
HAVE BODY CAMERAS ON EVERY
SINGLE OFFICER.
MAYOR BRAM INSTITUTED A
WHOLESALE CHANGE IN THE USE OF
FORCE PROCEDURES WHICH PUTS
BEVERAGE IN THE TOP 7% OF THE
COUNTRY.
THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT FAST
ENOUGH BUT STARTING TO SEE
CHANGE HAPPEN AND CALL FOR AN
AGGRESSIVE WAY HAS HELPED US TO
BE MORE OF A VOICE FOR PEACE AND
PEACE WILL PROTEST THEN THINGS
STARTED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL.
TRAVERS: HE IS THE LEAD
ORGANIZER FOR TOGETHER BATON
ROUGE.
WE WILL FOLLOW ALL THE
DEVELOPMENTS GOING ON WITH THE
DOJ DECISION AND THE ALTON