Black San Diegans are nine times likelier to face this charge and nothing else
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Good Morning, I’m Lawrence K. Jackson, it’s WEDNESDAY, JUNE TENTH>>>> BLACK SAN DIEGANS ARE ABOUT NINE TIMES LIKELIER TO FACE THIS CHARGE AND NOTHING ELSE
More on that next. But first... let’s do the headlines….########
SPEAKERS PACKED THE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER YESTERDAY TO EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR THEIR CAUSES AHEAD OF THE COUNCIL’S VOTE ON NEXT YEAR’S BUDGET
ONE OF THE MOST DISCUSSED ISSUES WAS THE CONTRACTED USE OF AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READERS.
THOSE IN FAVOR OF THIS TECHNOLOGY INCLUDE LARRY WEBB, PRESIDENT OF THE MISSION BEACH TOWN COUNCIL.
BUDGETVOTE 3A 0:10
“There is no dispute that our police department is understaffed. Eliminating a proven force multiplier will only worsen the challenges created by the current officer Shortage.”
OTHERS EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER SURVEILLANCE AND DISTRUST OF THE POLICE.
MITCHELLE (MIH-shell) WOODSON IS THE LEGAL DIRECTOR FOR PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY -- A SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY GROUP BASED IN SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO.
BUDGETVOTE 3B 0:17
“Our communities do not trust the police. They do not prevent crime. Instead, they enforce harassment, discrimination and racism on our community members. I see it every single day. And this budget is a message of your values.”
THOSE OPPOSED TO THE LICENSE PLATE READERS SUGGESTED THE CITY COULD USE THAT 2 MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO AVOID CUTS TO PARKS, LIBRARIES, AND THE ARTS.
VISIT KPBS DOT ORG OR JOIN ME HERE TOMORROW TO HEAR MORE ON HOW THE COUNCIL VOTED.
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A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THE CREATION OF SUBCOMMITTEES ON THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD YESTERDAY.
THE VOTE WAS TIED WITH TERRA LAWSON REMER BEING ABSENT FROM YESTERDAY’S MEETING.
THE PROPOSAL WOULD REQUIRE AGENDAS AND MINUTES FOR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS TO BE POSTED ON A PUBLIC WEBSITE
SUPERVISORS WHO VOTED AGAINST THE PROPOSAL RAISED CONCERNS OVER POSSIBLE PUBLIC SAFETY AND PRIVACY ISSUES.
THE BOARD WILL REVISIT THE PROPOSAL ON JUNE TWENTY-FIFTH
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AS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA POSTS SOME OF HIGHEST GAS PRICES IN THE COUNTRY ... A FREE, ELECTRIC RIDE-SHARE SERVICE IS HELPING EASE THE FINANCIAL STRAIN
MID-CITY GO'S SERVICE HAS PROVIDED 10 THOUSAND FREE RIDES BETWEEN NORTH PARK AND CITY HEIGHTS SINCE IT STARTED IN FEBRUARY
OUR PARTNER 10NEWS SAYS IT WAS CREATED TO RECONNECT THE TWO COMMUNITIES THAT WERE SEPARATED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE 15 FREEWAY
From KPBS, you’re listening to San Diego News Now.Stay with me for more of the local news you need.
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ABOUT TWICE A DAY, SAN DIEGO LAW ENFORCEMENT CHARGE SOMEONE WITH RESISTING AN OFFICER – AND NOTHING ELSE. IT’S MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN TO A BLACK PERSON. IN PART ONE OF THIS TWO-PART SERIES, REPORTER KATIE HYSON EXPLORES HOW ONE OF THESE CASES UNFOLDED, AND THE DAMAGE IT LEFT BEHIND.
PC148 PT 1 ft. trt 4:41 SOQ (kh/mb)
On a sunny day last September, Ayisha Williams set up a canopy on the sidewalk outside her father’s house in Emerald Hills. She and her daughter used its shade to get homework done. Her son was sleeping in her car.
Suddenly, police arrived. A peaceful day devolved into chaos.
Someone had complained about the canopy.
Williams put it away.
Bystanders gathered and began to film.
Video shows an officer with his hands on Williams.
NAT POP “I didn’t do nothing! What, cause I’m being loud? You want to arrest me for being loud?”
“You’re walking around and you’re not dictating this stop, we are!”
She told the officer her shoulder was messed up.
NAT POP “I don’t want to take you to the ground but I’m getting pretty close. And you’re going to hit your head.”
Another officer put hands on her 15-year-old daughter. Williams says she warned them her daughter has a heart problem.
This next clip may be difficult to hear.
NAT POP “I want my mommy!” “She’s 15! She’s 15!” “I’m a minor please!” “Mommaaa!”
Another video shows an officer pinning Williams, handcuffed, to the ground.
NAT POP “Cause you wanna act like this. You’re going to jail now!” “No!” “We’re gonna wrap her!” “No don’t wrap me!” “Yes you are! You’re gonna get wrapped now because you did this!” I didn’t do this” See? I told you to stop you don’t listen!” “You wanted to do this”
Three officers held her down. She repeatedly told them she couldn’t breathe.
Officers handcuffed Williams’ daughter.
And woke up her 19-year-old son. They claimed there was marijuana in the car and cited him for possession. Williams says the charge was false and later dismissed. They handcuffed him, too.
NAT POP “Ay why are you beating on my son!”
Williams says her son has disabilities, and the officers were rough. Her son needed a finger splint.
NAT POP chaos
People watching couldn’t make sense of the police response.
NAT POP “They acting like there’s a murderer out here.” “Nah, they just had the tent out, for real.”
They eventually released everyone and left. Williams was given a citation for only one charge: resisting an officer.===
The San Diego Police Department declined to answer questions about this case. They would not provide the police report or body camera footage.
KPBS does have bystander videos, a complaint filed against the police department, and copies of the citations.
SDPD spokesperson Cesar Jimenez answered general questions by email.
He gave three reasons they might charge someone with resisting and nothing else.
If a bystander interferes with an officer doing their job. If someone is detained under reasonable suspicion – for example, if they match the description of a suspect – and they resist. Or if someone resists during a traffic stop, and the officer decides not to charge the traffic violation.
Williams has her own theory.
SOT :03 That’s what he was trying to show me, that I'm in power. I'm in power.
She thinks it’s less about how a citizen acts, and more about how the officer acts.
SOT :07 Just gotta be aware of the police, you know? It’s how they act. It doesn't matter if you comply and if you don't comply.
The charge never went to court. But still caused lasting harm.
SOT :29 It hurts, you know? We're not criminals. None of us ever got in trouble with the law. And for me, I'm their sole parent provider, you know, and to to hear my daughter scream, you know, there's nothing no one can do or, you know, or there's nothing I can do. It hurts and it makes you hate the police, you know, it makes you hate them. Even though we were taught not to hate.
She started therapy for PTSD.
SOT :06 I don't want any interaction with the police in the future. Like I tell my kids, if it's an emergency, we're going to have to figure it out ourselves.
Community advocates had been noticing standalone resisting charges like this one.
They asked for data from the City Attorney.
In November, they received it.
The data show Williams’ charge was part of a much larger pattern.
Trauma like what she experienced is disproportionately falling on the backs of Black San Diegans. They are about nine times likelier than white people to be charged by San Diego law enforcement only with resisting an officer.
Tomorrow in part two, what can be done about it.
Katie Hyson, KPBS News
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AN ENDANGERED BIGHORN SHEEP HAS BEEN FOUND DEAD AT THE BORDER IN THE JACUMBA WILDERNESS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE SAYS THE RAM DIED AFTER BECOMING ENTANGLED IN CONCERTINA WIRE. ENVIRONMENT REPORTER TAMMY MURGA SAYS CONSERVATIONISTS WARNED FEDERAL OFFICIALS IF THE FENCING REMAINS, MORE PROTECTED SPECIES WILL DIE.
BIGHORN 1 :49 soq
The bighorn sheep’s curved horns and front legs were trapped in the bladed coils.
Christina Aiello is a wildlife biologist at Wildlands Network. She found the ram last week in the Jacumba Wilderness decomposing.
BIGHORN 1a 00:04
“It was pretty gruesome to see how fully wrapped up in this wire he was.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is closing gaps in the California-Mexico border with concertina wire.
Aiello has been warning federal officials for months about the consequences of wire fencing in natural areas.
BIGHORN 1b 00:06
“If they leave that razor wire up, you have risks of death or interactions with construction vehicles.”
CBP declined to comment. They have agreed to install small wildlife passages on the border wall. But those passages would be too small for bighorn sheep. Tammy Murga, KPBS News
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TAKING PUBLIC TRANSIT COULD COST A BIT MORE STARTING THIS FALL.
YESTERDAY … SANDAG HELD A PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING TO GET INPUT ON A PROPOSAL TO RAISE FARES.
REPORTER ALEXANDER NGUYEN TALKED TO SOME TRANSIT RIDERS ABOUT THE PLAN.
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FARES 1 (an) TRT: 0:44 SOQ
NATS beep from people paying fare ticket
Right now, to ride the bus (NATS trolly) or trolley, you only need to pay 2-50 for a one-way ticket.
NATS bus stopping
But come this fall … that could increase to 3 dollars.
NATPOP 4073 09;43;33;11 → 09;43;35;13 “This isn’t even a cup of Starbucks.”
Vista resident Patrick McIntosh is a monthly public transit user. He says the fare increases are reasonable.
SOT 4073 09;43;36;02 → 09;43;49;12
CG: PATRICK McINTOSH // Transit rider
“it's a good price. We're getting a much better deal than some areas.”
Monthly passes are $72. That’s much less than in similar-sized metro areas like Portland, Dallas and Salt Lake City. That’s according to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
Fares haven’t increased since 2009. MTS says it’s needed to offset rising costs.
Transit riders can voice their opinions on the proposed fare increases at sandag-dot-org
AN/KPBS.
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That’s it for the podcast today. This podcast is edited by Brooke Ruth and hosted and produced by me, Lawrence K. Jackson. As always you can find more San Diego news online at KPBS dot org. Thanks for listening and have a great day/weekend.
