In an emotional four-hour hearing Thursday, civil libertarians had a
clear message for members of Miami's Civilian Investigative Panel: We
are counting on you to use your subpoena power to uncover the truth
behind police conduct at November's controversial trade summit protests.
More than 100 people crowded into the City Commission chamber to
hear or deliver testimony about allegations of civil rights violations
by police during the Free Trade Area of the Americas ministerial
meeting. Police officials, who will speak at a Feb. 5 hearing, say their
officers acted properly.
Allegations made by dozens of protesters during the past two months
were recounted, person by person, before two boards that will likely
spend the next few months poring over records and assessing the facts.
Miami's CIP held the meeting jointly with Miami-Dade County's
Independent Review Board -- a panel that also reviews complaints against
police but does not have the CIP's subpoena power.
Most who spoke did not testify about individual complaints, but made general comments about how police handled the protests.
''I hope this investigation restores my faith and my civil
rights,'' said Fred Frost, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO ``If
you allow police officers to get away with what they did on Nov. 20,
then this country is in sorry shape.''
One protester, on the brink of tears, held up an enlarged photo of
herself at the FTAA demonstrations with her neck and shirt soaked in
blood from a rubber bullet allegedly fired at her head.
Others said some protesters were unfairly arrested, thrown to the
ground, denied water for medication, and indiscriminately shot by
officers armed with nonlethal weapons.
''I can't tell you who shot me,'' said Nikki Hartman, who said she
was hit three times by concussion grenades, once in the head. ``I can't
tell you because they weren't identified. And I can't tell you because
my back was turned whenever I was shot.''
Nearly everyone who spoke said law enforcement officials violated
constitutional rights by barring people from protest sites, not wearing
identifiable uniforms, not giving protesters adequate warnings to
disperse and firing indiscriminately at people who were simply
exercising their free speech rights.
''The Miami Police Department did not reflect a model for the
country to follow,'' said Tony Francsetta, a union activist. ``I know
you have a right to do something about this. Don't be afraid to stand up to the people who put you where you are at.''
Several protesters said they were leery about the panels because
they had no enforcement power and because one of the CIP members, Peter
Roulhac, praised Miami Police Chief John Timoney at a public event. They
said a resignation by Roulhac would restore credibility to the board.
Roulhac, chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, did not
speak at the hearing but said afterward he had a lot of ``soul
searching to do tonight.''
''You are not going to find a more objective person,'' he said,
speaking about himself. ``But I heard the community -- big time.''
Protesters also called on the Miami panel to use its subpoena power to find out if the police have been withholding information.
But CIP Chairman Larry Handfield cautioned that they would use their power with discretion.
''Our task is historical, difficult and challenging,'' Handfield
said. ``When you have the power to issue a subpoena, it is a power we
cannot abuse. Nor should we be reluctant to use it when we have the
proper cause to use it. Please understand our job is to be fair,
thorough and unbiased.''
Herald columnist Jim DeFede contributed to this report.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted
material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the
copyright owner. NoNonsense English offers this material
non-commercially for research and educational purposes. I believe this
constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for
in 17 U.S.C ยง 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this
site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain
permission from the copyright owner, i.e. the media service or newspaper
which first published the article online and which is indicated at the
top of the article unless otherwise specified. |