The pitiful case of the USA versus Howard Morgan
HOWARD Morgan is black. Howard Morgan was once a Chicago police officer. Howard Morgan has been shot 28 times by four policeman. He lives. The policemen who shot him are all white.
Morgan works as a detective for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad. While driving his car – he was off duty – Howard Morgan was pulled over by the police. No, not for DWB (Driving Whilst Black) – he was pulled over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. It was Feb 21, 2005.
The white police officers claim they tried to arrest Morgan. They say Morgan drew his service gun and shot at them. They say his bullet hit one officer, who was wearing a bulletproof vest. So. The three others officers shot Howard Morgan 28 times. Twenty-eight. He was shot 21 times in the back. The police either lost control or just wanted Howard Morgan to die. Why?
Morgan’s wife, Rosalind Morgan, tells the Sun-Times:
“Four white officers and one black Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad police man with his weapon on him — around the corner from our home — and he just decided to go crazy? No. That’s ludicrous.”
What happened next? Well, Howard Morgan was charged with the attempted murder of the four white officers. Howard Morgan was found not guilty on somd counts. There was no proof he had fired his weapon. Indeed, at his 2007 trial, the jury cleared Howard Morgan of charges of aggravated battery and discharging a weapon. But the jury was unable to decide on the fourth charge. So. They tried him again. And in January he was found guilty of four counts of attempted murder.
More at: Change.org petition; and here.
Howard Morgan is due to be sentenced on Thursday April 5 2012. He faces 80 years in prison.
Posted: 4th, April 2012 | In: Reviews Comments (10) | TrackBack | Permalink
