* April 20th, 2010 10:44 am CT
Justice has not come to Duanna Johnson after Monday’s mistrial declaration. Although the Judge asked the jury to continue deliberating, one person was not convinced Officer Bridges McRae acted intentionally in the beating of Miss Johnson.
Since the beating, scores of people have seen the video tape of McRae “winding up” and delivering blow after blow upon Duanna Johnson. McRae claims it was not intentional, that he just wanted to get her fingerprints. It is doubtful that police policy stresses using force over reason in gaining fingerprints.
Why? What aggravated this Officer? Was it because she was belligerent or because she was transgendered?
We will never fully know the answer to that question as she was killed in a shooting at Hollywood near Staten Avenue, on Sunday, November 9, 2008, nine months after the beating.
This series of events is frightening. The impression that this decision leaves is that it is okay to brutally beat a person in custody if they are different, if they are transgendered.
It is appalling that beyond the attacking McRae, there were others who just watched, as one assisted in holding Johnson. Like the Roman soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross, while others watched. I guess they were just doing their job.
Duanna’s voice was not heard in this time, but Justice’s voice will prevail as Prosecutors intend to ask for a new trial.
A “Vigil for Justice” will be held Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 6:30 P.M. at Civic Center Plaza, 125 N. Main St., Downtown Memphis, TN
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