National

Cop Guilty of Assault, but Will Justice Prevail?

Published

10 years ago

June 17, 2015

by Charlene Muhammad
Special to the NNPA from The Final Call

LOS ANGELES (The Final Call) – An 11 woman, one man jury unanimously convicted LAPD Officer Mary O’Callaghan of assaulting Black South L.A. mother Alesia Thomas.

While the verdict issued in a packed courtroom June 5 was better than allowing Ofc. O’Callaghan to walk away without any accountability, justice has yet to be served, said Ms. Thomas’ grandmother Ada Moses, legal experts, and activists interviewed by The Final Call.

Ofc. O’Callaghan could get three years in jail or be released on probation. She is being held without bail until she is sentenced on July 23.

“I think that they did the right thing, but she should have gotten more time. Three years, that’s nothing,” Ms. Moses told The Final Call.

She said if she could speak to Ofc. O’Callaghan directly, she’d ask her, “If you think about what you did to my granddaughter, how would you feel if that was your daughter, and tell me what would you think or say about it.”

“What would you do about it, and what do you think I should do about my granddaughter,” Ms. Moses continued.

Although Ms. Thomas, 35, died July 22, 2012, following a struggle with the officers who attempted to arrest her at her home after she left her children ages 12 and three outside a police station at 2 a.m., Ofc. O’Callaghan was only charged with felony assault, but nothing remotely indicating she caused a death. Ms. Thomas, who struggled with mental health issues brought her children to police because she could no longer care for them.

Human rights Attorney Nana Gyamfi said she preferred Ofc. O’Callaghan be found guilty than not guilty, but argued she was grossly undercharged. “She was not found guilty of a crime that indicates the truth, which is that her actions caused Alesia Thomas’ death, not even an involuntary manslaughter,” she stated. But Mary O’Callaghan committed a felony and that felony caused a death, Atty. Gyamfi pointed out.

“If it was any other Black person in this city or in this state, that person would be charged with felony murder, first degree murder. Again, better guilty than not guilty, but she has gotten away with murder,” Atty. Gyamfi told The Final Call.

“Our family is pleased that the officer was convicted on the charge that was brought by the Los Angeles District Attorney; this is another step in the continued struggle to obtain full justice for her children,” read a statement by Ms. Thomas’ family.

“For the past 34 months, we have fought for America to see how our loved one, Alesia Thomas, died in the custody of L.A.P.D. Our family prays that the unedited video will be released soon,” the statement continued. Attorney Benjamin Crump released the statement on Twitter moments after the verdict.

Ofc. O’Callaghan could also be terminated from the LAPD if her conviction is not overturned on appeal, according to her attorney Robert Rico. He told reporters during a press conference outside the courthouse he’d be petitioning the judge for a new trial after sentencing.

Atty. Rico said jurors’ emotional reactions to what they saw on dash cam video and not the evidence undergirded their decision to convict. The footage depicted Ofc. O’Callaghan laughing and smoking a cigarette after she’d struck Ms. Thomas in the neck, verbally berated her and stomped her in the stomach and groin.

With the civility and humanity she and fellow officers denied Ms. Thomas during her arrest, Sheriff deputies handcuffed Ofc. O’Callaghan and took her into custody.

When asked by The Final Call if Ofc. O’Callaghan expressed remorse for what she did to Ms. Thomas, Atty. Rico said no, because Ms. Thomas was facing criminal charges.

“The force that was used by Ofc. O’Callaghan she’s always felt has been reasonable and necessary under the circumstances,” he said.

He said his client is far from callous. “Mary O’Callaghan is the type of officer that the residents in the housing projects will tell you buys children Halloween costumes at Halloween when she finds out they didn’t have a Halloween costume,” he said. He also said she’d bring children in the projects candy to pass out at Halloween and gifts at Christmas.

Such actions should be viewed through a lens of certain skepticism some activist point out.

“When we see these videos of a cop giving a Black child a hug, and these videos of these cops playing basketball, picking up a pick-up game with young Black men in the neighborhood, it’s like all of that is something that we need to stop in our community,” said Atty. Gyamfi.

“We’ve got to stop teaching our children that these police officers are benign and that they care about them and that they love them because they pass them candy, because tomorrow they can pass them candy at 4 o’clock and at 5 o’clock, they’re kicking their mom in the genitals … killing them and getting away with it,” she added.

“It’s ridiculous, but it goes to and is a reminder for those who have forgotten for some reason … a reminder to us Black people, really how we’re being looked at and what is happening,” said Atty. Gyamfi.

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Oakland Post: Week of January 1 – 7, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 1 – 7, 2025

Published

5 hours ago

January 2, 2025

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Activism

‘Resist’ a Look at Black Activism in U.S. Through the Eyes of a Native Nigerian

In 1995, after she and her brothers traveled from their native Nigeria to join their mother at her new home in the South Bronx, young Omokha’s eyes were opened. She quickly understood that the color of her skin – which was “synonymous with endless striving and a pursuit of excellence” in Nigeria – was “so problematic in America.”

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

Cover of “Resist! How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America.” Courtesy image.

By Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm Sez

Throughout history, when decisions were needed, the answer has often been “no.”

‘No,’ certain people don’t get the same education as others. ‘No,’ there is no such thing as equality. ‘No,’ voting can be denied and ‘no,’ the laws are different, depending on the color of one’s skin. And in the new book, “Resist!” by Rita Omokha, ‘no,’ there is not an obedient acceptance of those things.

That became a bigger matter to Omokha later, 15 years after her brother was deported: she “saw” him in George Floyd, and it shook her. Troubled, she traveled to America on a “pilgrimage for understanding [her] Blackness…” She began to think about the “Black young people across America” who hadn’t been or wouldn’t be quiet about racism any longer.

She starts this collection of stories with Ella Josephine Baker, whose parents and grandparents modeled activism and who, because of her own student activism, would be “crowned the mother of the Civil Rights Movement.” Baker, in fact, was the woman who formed the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, in 1960.

Nine teenagers, known as the Scottsboro Nine were wrongly arrested for raping two white women in 1931 and were all released, thanks to the determination of white lawyer-allies who were affiliated with the International Labor Defense and the outrage of students on campuses around America.

Students refused to let a “Gentleman’s Agreement” pass when it came to sports and equality in 1940. Barbara Johns demanded equal education under the law in Virginia in 1951. Huey Newton and Bobby Seale formed the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense in 1966. And after Trayvon Martin (2012) and George Floyd (2020) were killed, students used the internet as a new form of fighting for justice.

No doubt, by now, you’ve read a lot of books about activism. There are many of them out there, and they’re pretty hard to miss. With that in mind, there are reasons not to miss “Resist!”

You’ll find the main one by looking between the lines and in each chapter’s opening.

There, Omokha weaves her personal story in with that of activists at different times through the decades, matching her experiences with history and making the whole timeline even more relevant.

In doing so, the point of view she offers – that of a woman who wasn’t totally raised in an atmosphere filled with racism, who wasn’t immersed in it her whole life – lets these historical accounts land with more impact.

This book is for people who love history or a good, short biography, but it’s also excellent reading for anyone who sees a need for protest or action and questions the status quo. If that’s the case, then “Resist!” may be the answer.

“Resist! How a Century of Young Black Activists Shaped America” by Rita Omokha, c.2024, St. Martin’s Press. $29.00

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Black History

Pioneering NASA Physicist George Alcorn Revolutionized Imaging Technology and STEM Education

Born in Indianapolis in 1940, George Alcorn’s scientific curiosity was sparked early on by his father, an automobile mechanic. “I was a very fortunate boy, in that my hero was my daddy,” George once shared with the National Inventors Hall of Fame®. “I thought that what my father was doing was science.” Together, the pair spent hours tinkering with car engines, setting the stage for Alcorn’s future in STEM.

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2024

Oakland Post

Portrait of George Edward Alcorn Jr. Debbie McCallum. Public domain image.

By Tamara Shiloh

George Alcorn was a trailblazing physicist and engineer whose groundbreaking inventions transformed aerospace technology and imaging devices. Best known for his creation of the X-ray imaging spectrometer, Alcorn’s work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) not only advanced space exploration but also reshaped the scientific community’s understanding of deep space phenomena.

Born in Indianapolis in 1940, Alcorn’s scientific curiosity was sparked early on by his father, an automobile mechanic. “I was a very fortunate boy, in that my hero was my daddy,” George once shared with the National Inventors Hall of Fame®. “I thought that what my father was doing was science.” Together, the pair spent hours tinkering with car engines, setting the stage for Alcorn’s future in STEM.

That foundation propelled him through an impressive academic journey. After earning a bachelor’s degree in physics from Occidental College in 1962, he pursued graduate studies at Howard University, where he received a master’s degree in 1963 and a doctorate in atomic and molecular physics in 1967.

Alcorn began his career in private industry, working at IBM on high-performance semiconductor devices. In 1978, he joined NASA GSFC, where his contributions revolutionized imaging technology and space exploration.

In 1982, he invented the X-ray imaging spectrometer, a device that allowed scientists to more accurately detect and analyze elemental and chemical components. The innovation earned him the title of 1984 NASA GSFC Inventor of the Year. This spectrometer has since been used in planetary mapping, star charting, and deep space exploration, and its descendants continue to shape modern imaging technologies.

Beyond his spectrometer, Alcorn contributed to the development of the Freedom Space Station in collaboration with international agencies and invented the Airborne LIDAR Topographic Mapping System (ALTMS). ALTMS uses light to analyze Earth’s surface and has become integral to data collection for environmental studies and drone technology.

Alongside his technical achievements, Alcorn was a passionate educator. He taught physics and engineering at Howard University and mentored underrepresented doctoral candidates at the University of the District of Columbia. Recognizing the importance of engaging students early, he co-founded the Saturday Academy, a weekend program aimed at inspiring inner-city middle schoolers in Washington, D.C., to develop an interest in math and science.

“I believe it’s so important to start learning and enjoying learning as young as possible,” Alcorn said. “It gives children even more of an advantage.”

Alcorn’s contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Robert H. Goddard Award of Merit from NASA GSFC in 2010 and the Alumni Seal Award for Professional Achievement from Occidental College in 2012.

Reflecting on his work, Alcorn remarked, “If you have a good, interesting project, work is not coming to work – it’s coming to an adventure.”