Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Benton Harbor & St. Joseph, Michigan:  Interminable Dark Ages

The Innocent Jailing of Quacy Roberts

This is just another story of out-of-control cops using age-old methods of harassment, physical abuse, racism, fear mongering, and evidence planting -- all sanctioned by the white power structure of St. Joseph/Berrien County (Rep. Fred Upton, Whirlpool Corp., etc.) It confounds one who attempts to comprehend how county and local institutions are mired in attitudes and activities that in the year 2009 are considered by most to be immoral and so obviously unjust. Berrien county truly is the land that time forgot.

It’s a story of ANOTHER young, innocent African-American Benton Harbor man being railroaded. This man is a part of a group of people who are suing the city of Benton Harbor and Berrien County - for Cruel and Unusual Punishment for sending them to prison as innocents. It doesn’t take much to understand that the cops are using this man to send a message to anyone who fights back.

The basic story:

Quacy Roberts, age 32, was walking down a Benton Harbor street one day recently when police in two squad cars saw him. They hopped out of their cars, ran up and rushed
him, pushing him against a fence.

They knew who he was. Before BH Officer Andrew Collins was imprisoned this year, Mr. Roberts was one of his many victims. Collins planted more drugs than almost any Benton Harbor officer - on over 200 people it is believed. At his hearing in 2007, Quacy Roberts testified that he was never in possession, and that Collins had planted drugs on him. (This explains the apparent need the police in the squad cars had for stopping Quacy Roberts, plus the fact that he's part of the group suing the city and county.) It should be mentioned, to understand the level of support the federal gov. (and the state) gives to the ultra-corrupt Berrien County, that Officer Andrew Collins was convicted in the federal court NOT for the huge number of lives he ruined through drug planting, but for possession -- he was given 37 months.

Back to the latest story of corruption in St. Joe/Benton Harbor.

After shoving Mr. Roberts into a fence, police searched him and found no drugs.

Two days later they issued a warrant for his arrest. Roberts went to the Berrien County jail, turned himself in, and handed over a bond of $200.

On Friday, June 26 he was found guilty of possession of cocaine by an all-white jury. He had not been in possession of cocaine, and there was no evidence or proof to show that he was. Berrien County all-white juries always go with what the police say.

Quacy Roberts was allowed to go home (?) after being found guilty last Friday.

The big "law enforcers" show: On Monday, the judge issued a warrant for his arrest. WANTED POSTERS WERE ALSO PUT UP ALL OVER BENTON HARBOR. (Wanted posters are a technique used by police to descredit an individual.)

On Tuesday, his house was surrounded by 15 to 20 BH police officers and Berrien county sheriffs, like he was a big time criminal.

Quacy Roberts surrendered and is now in the county jail.