the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
Aug 25, 2003
In early August, a Wayne County jury awarded four million dollars to the family of Lamar Grable. Grable was shot and killed nearly seven years ago by Detroit police officer Eugene Brown, under circumstances that made it clear the shooting was unprovoked.
Brown shot Grable eight times, including twice in the back. He made conflicting statements about whether Grable was openly holding a gun or concealing one. In any case, the gun Brown claimed he saw was clearly a throwaway. There was never any physical evidence tying Grable to the gun.
Brown already had a lot of experience covering up shootings. He has fired his gun in nine incidents. Grable was the third person he has killed.
The Detroit Police Department clearly wasn’t shocked by Brown’s actions. Instead of bringing charges against him, they brought him back time after time. Only after outrage at his third murder did they try to dump him–by offering him $340,000 to go away!
Since the murder, Grable’s parents, Arnetta Grable and Herman Vallery, have been active in Detroit’s Coalition Against Police Brutality, which has organized protest demonstrations, including one involving over 300 people in September 2000. These demonstrations finally led the city council to reject any award for the murderous cop.
Lamar Grable’s parents also refused to take money from the city to shut up about their son’s murder. They wanted their day in court, where they could expose what Brown had done.
They got it. And the jury believed what they had to say.