Black man takes a walk in a predominately white county and winds up sitting in front of the library waiting for it to open up. A passerby sees said man, calls the police AND tells them that he looks suspicious and has a gun. Man leaves library because he got bored waiting, police stop him, search him and then a struggle ensues. Man is tasered, choked, maced and kicked. Man then disarms cop, beats the brakes off of him and leaves. Man is then is captured in woods, but not before said cop brings his buddies and breaks his ankle during the chase. WE have heard this story before right? That’s why it wasn’t too much of a shock to me when it happened. The “man” was 18 year old Reginald Cornelius Latson and the place was Stafford County, Va. This young man suffers from autism. His mother served in the military for 11 years and has a great job working for the government. This was not a thug. This was not an unruly kid. This was a kid that started off his morning going for a walk to the library. If you know anything about autism, you know that while “society” may label these kids as mentally retarded, studies show that although they may have some difficulties mentally, they actually are very bright people.
I said all of the above as just a little background to the situation. Now, Truthfully Speaking, I am pissed, upset and disgusted. Why is this 2010 and we still have profiling going on? That was a rhetorical question. I know the answer. Ignorance. Fear. I guess the real question is when is it going to end? Why can’t we as people accept people? This not meant to be a racial rant. It just happens to “us” more than it happens to other people. And maybe, just maybe, it is partly our fault. Maybe that chip that we carry on our shoulders causes our walk to be slightly gaited. Maybe the beatings handed down generation after generation has caused us to walk with air in our chest saying that we are not meant to be messed with. Maybe generations of trying to be heard has caused our voices to be a little deeper, have a slight confrontational tone to it. Maybe all of that has scared you. And maybe the fact that this younger generation is not being properly taught its history has caused them NOT to be afraid anymore. And it’s funny because through everything that we have been through, no one has a right to judge anyone. We ALL have bad apples on our trees. No longer can we say that we don’t have serial killers…DC Snipers anyone? And I know that if I see three white teens anywhere, together, with trench-coats on, in the dead of summer….let’s just say, when I start running, YOU better start running behind me.
But I digress. The man in question has just had a psychological evaluation to determine if he is fit to stand trial and has been sent BACK to jail. Sad. Now let me tell you the disturbing part. The man was searched. No gun. The 911 caller was located and admitted that he/she never saw a gun. Truthfully Speaking, shouldn’t this entire situation be dismissed? If a chain of events occurred due to a lie, then the events in all actuality never occurred. Correct? Fruit of the poisonous tree. Legally speaking, if you barge in my house with no probable cause, find 50 of them thangs, 100,000 in cash and weapons, my lawyer will argue that since there was no search warrant, everything found in my house is fruit of the poisonous tree and is not allowed to be used in court against me, thus the charges are dropped. Shouldn’t the same rule apply here? Man minding his own business; actually going to library to learn something, but someone is “uncomfortable”, calls 911, lies about situation thus man ends up in jail. If that is not poisonous then I don’t know what is. The truth is, the government needs to do right by this man. Make an example in a good way. If not, a cycle perpetuates and ignorance will continue on. That is the Truth and I am sticking by it. Remember, Love God, Love you and Love people.
