Haitian's cop abusers found guilty; verdict pleases Jesse

Haitian's cop abusers found guilty; verdict pleases Jesse

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Monday hailed a federal court jury's conviction of three white officers found guilty of conspiring to cover up a policeman's role in the sodomizing of Haitian immigrant Abner Louima.

"This verdict vindicates the persistence and patience we have in the judicial process," Jackson said, referring to growing national complaints against police misconduct and abuse.

"The federal government has acted appropriately in the Rodney King and Louima cases," said Jackson.

"We want the U.S. Justice Department to protect the civil rights of the innocent as it relates to unarmed Amadou Diallo," he said, referring to the shooting death of the African immigrant shot at 41 times by white cops and hit 19 times.

All four of those officers were acquitted by a racially mixed jury that included four Black women.

Referring to the Louima second trial that stemmed from the 1997 sodomizing of Louima in the toilet of a NY police station with a broken broom handle, Jackson said: "This verdict sends a strong message that brutality must end and that the blue code of silence must stop.

"We must now intensify our efforts to receive justice for the Diallo family." Jackson has asked U.S. Attorney Janet Reno to investigate the Diallo shooting and to retry the officers. Jackson said when tried on the federal level, people of color generally receive the justice they deserve.

The federal court jury found Charles Schwarz, 34, an ex-cop, and police officers Thomas Wiese, 37, and Thomas Bruder, 34, guilty of conspiracy to obstruct justice because they testified that Schwarz was not present during the attack on Louima.

They're facing a sentence of five years in prison. Schwarz faces a possible life sentence for last year's conviction of violating Louima's civil rights when he held Louima down as officer Justin Volpe sodomized him with a broken broom handle inside a Brooklyn police station toilet on Aug. 9, 1997.

And, the Rev. Paul Jakes, president of the Christian Council on Urban Affairs, weighed in on the Louima verdict calling it a "sensible resolve to save businesses and the self-interest of the city because they realized that people are at a boiling point and that they can no longer be ignored.

"We're dissatisfied with the senseless killings and maimings that have left a big distrust of our law enforcement officials," Jakes said. "There must be an open eye for justice to all races, classes and creeds," said Jakes.

"There is no true victory either for the family or for the community when the victims are dead," said Jakes. "This has affected many families across two continents and it is still a bitter-sweet resolution of an ongoing, systemic evil."

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