"We saw justice when Kelvin Sewell came. We no longer see justice. We see racial discrimination, we see unfairness, and it's time for a change," said Rev. James Jones, pastor of New Macedonia Baptist Church in Pocomoke City. "We the people of Pocomoke, especially the Citizens for a Better Pocomoke, will continue to stand for what we feel is right, which is to promote what Kelvin Sewell has done. We will fight until he is re-instated. We want it. We demand it."
As part of this effort, the ACLU has filed Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request with the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor to see what other recent examples exist of "misconduct in office" charges pursued against Maryland law enforcement officers by the State Prosecutor. On Friday, the State Prosecutor agreed to provide the requested information promptly.
"Chief Kelvin Sewell and other Black officers from Pocomoke City are whistleblowers who have been targeted with a conspiracy of racial discrimination and retaliation by officials in Pocomoke and Worcester County," said Susan Goering, Executive Director of the ACLU of Maryland. "We believe that our State government should be defending these whistleblowers, who have exposed a culture of racial harassment in Worcester County, not prosecuting them over a minor fender bender with no injuries. There are many recent allegations of official misconduct by Maryland police involving real victims with real and substantial injuries that deserve the State Prosecutor's attention."
Kelvin Sewell, the popular and respected first Black police chief in Pocomoke City, brought true community policing, and a dramatic drop in crime. In the process, he became the face of accountable policing in the small Eastern Shore town. Yet when Mr. Sewell defended Black officers on his staff who filed serious complaints of racial harassment, he along with the other Black officers became targets of retaliation.
When that happened, Chief Sewell, Lt. Green and Detective Savage filed formal charges of racial discrimination and retaliation against officials from Pocomoke City, Worcester County and the State -charges later endorsed and joined by the United State's government. Pocomoke officials responded by firing Mr. Sewell and Det. Savage, and to make matters worse, they joined with Worcester County officials to call in the State Prosecutor's office, urging prosecutors to investigate outrageously false and offensive rumors about the three officers.
With the help of the ACLU and Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, the three officers filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court in Baltimore, challenging the discrimination and retaliation they have suffered. A few months after the lawsuit was filed, the State Prosecutor lodged charges against Mr. Sewell and Mr. Green related to the handling of a 2014 fender-bender involving a driver and two parked cars, in which no injuries occurred and all property damages were paid by insurance.
It was on these charges that Chief Sewell stood trial earlier this month December before a nearly all-white Worcester County jury, winning acquittal on a conspiracy charge but suffering wrongful conviction on a count of misconduct. This week, Chief Sewell's criminal defense lawyers moved to overturn the conviction as contrary to the law and the evidence. Lt. Green's trial begins December 19.
18 comments:
Um...he's not being "reinstated". He is now a convicted criminal.
Welcome to the slower lower eastern shore.....
The first two words of this story sum it up: Deeply troubled.
Right he was convicted of a crime because he was w "whistle blower".
Dave T: The guy was convicted ! That makes him a criminal. And from the little information I've followed on this, there was reportedly no lack of a preponderance of evidence, which means it very clear cut that he was caught red handed. Sounds like he got what was coming to him.
Is misconduct a felony or something? Please explain.
The whole shore is the biggest good ole boy thing I've ever seen but a fender bender is big news? What about the Somerset drunk, or the radar trap king of Fruitland? Oh that's right, they were white. As am I.
Until you racist clowns back off, you are endangering me and my family by triggering a race war.
They conspired to do crooked and illegal acts in the commision of the office they held. They, and the ACLU, can not and should not hide behind race to try and cover up their crimes. The crimes are no longer alleged, it is convictions by a jury. So now the ACLU thinks that blacks can not be held accountable for criminal acts because of their race? That's absurd.
2:15pm....your the only one making it racist, honestly, you and those like you the problem
He's GONE, the AX was handed down. Move along, nothing more to see here...unless you are here ONLY to ENTICE....once again.
GO AWAY ACLU!
It doesn't matter if it's a felony. If he broke the law, how can he enforce it? He has no credibility in court. Therefore, he cannot testify. If he were to try to testify in court, his conviction would be brought up and used against him for credibility purposes. Hire him as a school employee or a trash man. He is done in law enforcement due to his conviction. It's pretty cut and dry throughout the country.
Funny not a mention of him getting his buddy out of a DWI and damaging other people's property. Let's not be honest and truthful but lie and blame it all on race.
Really a sad fact when a pastor of a church demands a convicted criminal be the police chief. Such a good example. No wonder so many of the black race are headed down the wrong road.
If the pastor knows the facts and still says those things, his own integrity is in question.
If he doesn't know the facts and says those things, his intelligence is in question.
What do you expect from someone who hides behind "Gods will".
I guess they will keep fighting for "justice" until they get the result they want. Even if it is the wrong result.
The real defendants will be in Federal Court in Baltimore City soon. You guys are commenting on a Worcester County good ole boys conviction system.
Playing the race card as always when they don't get their way
Sounds like the ex-chief brought his Baltimore 'values' with him. Regarding this 'event' he and his cohorts were just crooks with badges. It's good they are gone and better that they've had to answer judicially.
Next case!
Post a Comment