LUMPENPROLETARIAT—A civil rights lawsuit filed Monday against Newark (California) police officer Conrad Rogers argued that video evidence shows that the officer lied in his original testimony, which has allowed him to return to patrolling the streets. Rogers claimed that Teodoro Valencia pointed a weapon at him. The Valencia family, however, stipulates that the officer hid behind a trash can behind a restaurant and that Valencia never turned towards Rogers, nor was he given an opportunity to surrender. The Valencia family attorney spokesperson said the officer, essentially, appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner by shooting Teo Valencia in the back. Listen here. [1]
Messina
***
[Working draft transcript of actual radio broadcast by Messina for Lumpenproletariat, KPFA News, and Early Morning Music with the Experience Collective.]
EARLY MORNING MUSIC—[23 AUG 2016] [music]
[Mumia Abu Jamal commentary]
[music] (c. 55:00)
[News Headlines read by Christina Anistad(sp?)] (c. 57:01)
CHRISTINA ANISTAD: “The family of a Latino man killed in March [of 2016] by a white police officer in Newark [California] filed a civil rights lawsuit Monday [22 August] against the city and the officer Conrad Rogers. 23-year old Teodoro Valencia, Jr. was shot and killed by Officer Rogers and conflicting stories ensued. KPFA’s Justin Gold reports.”
JUSTIN GOLD: “Police originally stated the Valencia was a suspect in an armed robbery. And that he pointed a weapon at Officer Rogers near a Kentucky Fried Chicken. He added that, after pointing the gun, Valencia was shot and ran for several blocks before collapsing. The Valencia family, however, stipulates that the officer hid behind a trash can behind the restaurant and that Valencia never turned towards Rogers, nor was he given the opportunity to surrender. Attorney spokesperson for the Valencia family says that Officer Rogers was in violation of standard police protocol.”
UNNAMED ATTORNEY SPOKESPERSON: “The standard police protocol is to bring in a number of officers, so that they can control the situation and control in a way, which involves the minimal use of force. And, secondly, not giving Teo Valencia an opportunity to surrender and drop his weapon and give himself up and deal with it, the officer, essentially, appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner by shooting this man in the back.”
JUSTIN GOLD: “The coroner’s report confirmed the cause of death was a bullet wound to Valencia’s back from Rogers’ AR-15 assault rifle. Luis Valencia, brother of Teo Valencia says that conflicting accounts are what motivated his family to fight for more transparency on the part of police.”
LUIS VALENCIA: “I decided to challenge the Police Department of the City of Newark because we know the lies they have told myself and my family are not true. It’s time for them to stop hiding behind their badge and to be held accountable for their actions. There are far too many people, who are unjustly killed by the police every day. They get away with it.”
JUSTIN GOLD: “Officer Rogers was initially placed on administrative leave and has since turned to his original capacity within the department. For KPFA Radio, Pacifica Evening News, I’m Justin Gold.”
[News Headlines continue with a story about a victory for teachers unions]
[End of hour-long broadcast]
***
[1] Terrestrial radio broadcast, 94.1 FM (KPFA, Berkeley, CA) with online simulcast and temporary digital archiving: Early Morning Music with the Experience Collective, this one-hour broadcast hosted by Chuck Scurich, Monday, 23 AUG 2016, 05:00 PDT. [Due to copyright restrictions, Early Morning Music with the Experience Collective removes their digital archives from public access two weeks after the initial broadcast date.]
***
[24 AUG 2016]
[Last modified 11:00 PDT 24 AUG 2016]
Lumpenproletariat 