The American Red Cross

20 April 2010

Memphis Cop Goes Free After Mistrial

A mistrial is all a federal court judge can say after a Memphis cop is charged with beating a transgender woman and violating their civil rights.

In February of 2008, Duanna Johnson, a man living a lifestyle as a woman, was arrested for prostitution. A simple charge but all hell broke loose when Johnson was accused of not complying with a Memphis police officer.

Johnson stood 6 foot 5 inches and well over 200lbs the day of the arrest. Officer Bridges Mcrae, no small guy either, had 5 witness say he had no reason to hit the plaintiff, but those 5 witness say he did anyway. And because of a surveillance camera in the police station, its plain for anyone can see that he repeatedly hit Johnson in the face while the Johnson was seated. I don't see much of a threat but to make it all worse, Mcrae was also wearing handcuffs around his knuckles during the incident.

With peper spray, tazers and the fact that you're surrounded by other police officers in a police station being in your favor of making a detainee become compliant, why would you hit them like that. This sounds like this guy was very passionate about the situation. Not praying to his lord like he said he was after the trial.

With twelve jurors total, all could say that Mcrae was guilty of violating Johnson's civil rights but one. Right after federal judge Thomas Anderson declared a mistrial, the prosecution said it would retry the case.

Duanna Johnson was shot and killed 9 months after the arrest in early 2008. Mcrae is no longer a Memphis police officer but is able to go home while he waits for the next trial.

My question is, whats the Johnson family gonna do now? What are local civil rights organizations, in Memphis or wherever, going to DO about this? Enough talking. Who killed Johnson and what was their motive? Is this an example of how Memphis treats someone that goes agaist a white police officer? You be the judge.

A lot of unanswered questions with a sad ending. Hard to believe civil rights is still such an issue in 2010.

SOURCES:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gUMAI4X7kRIn2qsipft8hUtF-aIAD9F6D0KO0

http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/mostpopular/story/Transgender-Beating-Case-Judge-Declares-Mistrial/U9en1LZArUS43fVS0GYPcw.cspx

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local/041910-mistrial-declared-in-mcrae-trial