Justice Department Officials to Visit Shreveport in Wake of March 15 Police Shooting

Shreveport, LA, Times ^ | 05-01-03 | Keri, Kirby

[Theodore R.]

Representatives of the U.S. Justice Department's community relations service will be in Shreveport by week's end to look into feelings about the March 15 fatal shooting of Shreveporter Marquise Hudspeth by police, who mistook his cellular telephone for a gun.

[Theodore R.]

This case is reminding me of the 1992 Rodney King fiasco. After the Los Angeles officers were acquitted in the state trial in Simi Valley, blacks rioted. Then the Justice Department charged the officers with civil rights violations. The federal jury felt compelled to convict or be held morally responsible for further rioting should there have been an acquittal for violating Rodney King's civil rights.

Of course, ultimately Rodney King became a lawsuit millionaire in the Age of Clinton.

"Can't we all just get along?"