Push to find suspect pulls at race relations, community unity

Following the arrest on Wednesday of Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr., some community leaders are asking if the pursuit of justice for Hannah Graham came at the expense of eroded trust among Central Virginia’s black residents.

Authorities last week identified Matthew, 32, as a person of interest in the case. Graham, an 18-year-old University of Virginia student, disappeared on Sept. 13. Authorities on Tuesday charged Matthew with abduction with intent to defile and on Wednesday night they announced Matthew had been apprehended in Galveston, Texas, some 1,300 miles from Charlottesville.

After Matthew was identified, men who happened to resemble Matthew, who is described as a 6-foot, 230 pound black male with dreadlocks, spoke out in their social circles, digitally on social media and to Charlottesville area news outlets, claiming racial profiling, both overt and covert.

On Wednesday morning, “I was in the barbershop, and it was said to me that there was a young man, a young African-American man, who didn’t fit the description other than having dreadlocks. However, he was pulled over and there were seven police cars surrounding him,” said Wes Bellamy, a community activist and high school teacher.

That someone might be stopped for questioning even though he is 40 pounds lighter and 4 inches shorter “and the only similarity is the hair … that is very disturbing,” Bellamy said. “As a community, we should not be so quick to jump the gun just because of preconceived notions.

“It’s just tough being an African-American male now,” Bellamy said, adding that he sees both sides of the issue. “As law enforcement, they can’t leave any stone unturned … but literally anyone can fit the description.”

Authorities said the notion that they’re stopping anyone and everyone who might match Matthew’s description is not true.

“Any person questioned by us was identified by either video or eyewitness accounts as to who they were,” Charlottesville Police Capt. Gary Pleasants said earlier Wednesday evening in response to a request for comment. “We did not stop and question people simply because they may have resembled someone of interest.”

“The police department has been very specific in establishing who they needed to talk to, first as a person of interest and now as a suspect,” Jones said in an email. “They released video and a picture of that person in an attempt to further along the investigation and now locate the suspect. The community’s responsibility is to report what they may know about the abduction and the suspect. People from all walks of life and different backgrounds have done just that in the search for Hannah Graham and the pursuit of justice.”

Immediately after announcing the abduction charge and again Wednesday night, authorities declined to elaborate on the evidence they’ve gathered or presented to support the abduction charge, citing the need to protect that information should the case go to trial.

But the perception of the lack of full disclosure regarding the evidence is a concern, said M. Rick Turner, head of the local NAACP.

“I would like to see some transparency,” Turner said. “I would like to see the truth — wherever it lies — I want to see it come out. I want Hannah to be found alive. I want [community] tranquility. All of us Americans are suffering with the Michael Brown issue still in our minds,” Turner said.

Days of riots and community unrest erupted in Ferguson, Missouri, after 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed, was fatally shot by a white police officer in August. Violence there has recently reignited, according to news reports from the area.

In the midst of a crisis, it’s easy but unhelpful to point fingers and cast doubt, said City Councilor Kristin Szakos. Yet, Szakos added the sentiment that criminal investigations and justice play out differently depending on the race and social status of those involved is real and legitimate.

“In the wake of the events in Ferguson, we’re reminded how important it was to have good community relations and [that] we’re all citizens here and people need to be able to trust the police,” Szakos said.

Turner is set to speak at a forum about community and police issues at 6 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Monticello High School. The event is open to the public.

As the investigation continues, community leaders are renewing calls for calm, expressing confidence that police are doing the right thing for the right reasons and holding out hope for Hannah’s safe return.

“All of us should share a deep hurt with [Hannah’s parents] John and Susan Graham. Charlottesville is being tested; the test is whether we see Hannah missing as a call for love and unity or fear and hate,” said Hodari Hamilton, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlottesville.

“History and experience warns us that some will see the image of the accused Jesse Matthew’s and confuse that for the image of every black male,” Hamilton said in an email. “This is rooted in simple fear and if unaddressed will grow to hate. Others will see the image of one person who may be guilty of something nefarious. A love of life will cause them to demand justice.”

Jane Dittmar, chairwoman of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors, echoed that sentiment.

“Many of us are struck at how sadly familiar this situation is, and we are grieving together as a community and with the Graham family,” Dittmar said in an email. “The city, county and university live and work in a shared community, and we must heed the advice of our law enforcement professionals to suspend judgment and honor the spirit of our constitution’s requirement of presuming innocence.”

Szakos also expressed support for Charlottesville’s police and noted the powerful role that social media is playing in the ongoing case. As of Wednesday evening, the “Help Find Hannah Graham” Facebook page had more than 35,000 likes. Some updates on the page have gathered nearly 1,500 likes and shares, with people across the country offering their support and prayers to Graham and her family.

“In the middle of a crisis, when our police department is looking for a woman who is still missing, is probably not the best time to do armchair quarterbacking and second guessing,” Szakos said.

“Hopefully we’ll have a happy ending on this,” Turner said. Hamilton agreed.

“Passing the test of moving toward love and unity starts with conversations that don’t avoid race but deal with race and racism,” Hamilton said. “We can hold ourselves accountable by empathizing with all life; demanding justice in the courtroom and requiring our public officials protect people and their right to be safe from all harm, even racism. God bless Hannah Graham and our city.”

“I was in the barbershop, and it was said to me that there was a young man, a young African-American man, who didn’t fit the description other than having dreadlocks. However, he was pulled over and there were seven police cars surrounding him,” said Wes Bellamy, a community activist and high school teacher.

And you believed it. Didn't you, fool.

“...As the investigation continues, community leaders are renewing calls for calm...”
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Let’s see, a young white coed is apparently abducted (and likely also raped, murdered and disposed of) by a black male. And, based upon probable cause, the police identify a specific suspect and seek to arrest him. And, based upon all the preceding, the black community invokes VICTIM STATUS for black males and “calls for calm” need to be made to that black community? WTF is WRONG with that picture.

This whole case is sad on so many levels.

What a crybaby. What a spoiled coddled child. You fit the description of a rapist. I guarantee you less than 1% of the population fits that description. If the police looking sideways because you fit the rough description of a suspeft at you is the worst example of racism you have ever experienced then you’ve never experienced racism.

I think that this is germane vis-a-vis "profiling", DWB, or whatever. To hear the Obama-Holder Dept. of Just Us, the race-grievance industry, and the MSM tell it blacks are the only ones ever pulled over for something.

Well a cursory look at these tables shows some cases where blacks are stopped more often but it not like they are being swarmed over by white racist police as the Obama-Holder Dept. of Just Us, the race-grievance industry, and the MSM would have us believe.

A greater percentage of male drivers (6%) were ticketed than female drivers (4%), and a greater percentage of black (7%) and Hispanic (6%) drivers were ticketed than white drivers (5%). A greater percentage of black drivers (2%) were stopped and allowed to proceed with a no enforcement action than white (1%) and Hispanic (1%) drivers. A greater percentage of drivers ages 18 to 24 (10%) were ticketed than drivers in any other age group.

U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics

Police Behavior during Traffic and Street Stops, 2011

The point: There appears to be federal government, et al. studies that address the bullshit from the Obama-Holder Dept. of Just Us, the race-grievance industry, the MSM, and others.

Cuts both ways. Back in the beltway sniper days (who turned out to be black and muzzie), there were white guys who were almost shot by police because they happened to be driving white vans or white panel trucks near a shooting. Also the profilers said the shooters were white.

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