Baton Rouge Settles Case With Black Lives Matter Protesters
Activist Deray McKesson arrested in Baton Rouge. AP Photo/Max Becherer
In response to the killing of Alton Sterling on July 5, 2016, Black Lives Matter protesters gathered in the streets of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Police arrested 92 protesters. East Baton Rouge District Attorney Hillar Moore III said his office would not prosecute the protesters. However, those arrested incurred bond, administrative fees and court costs in order to be released. To have those arrests expunged requires more money.
Activist DeRay McKesson was among those arrested.
A federal class-action lawsuit was filed alleging that the militarized police were aggressive in their response to protesters and used “unconstitutional tactics” to infringe upon the protesters’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and assembly. Fewer than 10 percent of the protesters in the class-action lawsuit were from out of town.
On Tuesday, the Baton Rouge Metro Council approved a settlement to pay the Plaintiff’s $100,000. Four agencies are participating in paying the settlement. The city government, the District Attorney’s Office, Louisiana State Police and East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office will each pay no more than $25,000 under the agreement.
Parish attorney Lea Anne Baston told the Advocate that the price is much smaller than what the city would pay to litigate and if just one of the 92 Plaintiff’s proved they were wrongfully arrested.
In the following video, Deray is interviewed by MSNBC shortly after he was released from jail in July 2016. He addresses criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement and what causes the movement to exist.
Posted on 11/26/2016, in Black lives matter, civil rights and tagged Baton Rouge, Black lives matter, Deray McKesson, federal, lawsuit, settlement. Bookmark the permalink. 16 Comments.
We Hold These Truths To Be Self-Evident 
I agree with DeRay 100%
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Shyloh,
Yes. DeRay kept focus on the foundation.
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Good that most of them won’t be prosecuted. I hope the fees to have the crimes and records expunged aren’t too high.Let’s remember the recent after election protests were much more destructive. Trump riots/anti Trump riots whatever you want to call them were worse.
Speaking of LEOs. Remember Tamir Rice as you watch the dashcam. Remember Tamir Rice because this LEO in spite of confronting a fugitive criminal wasn’t in fear for his life. Because a fugitive criminal hiding in a trunk pointing a toy gun is somehow less threatening than a kid playing in a park with a toy gun.
http://bluelivesmatter.blue/jesse-harrell-lewiston-trunk/
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The fee for expungement in Louisiana is $500 but may be waived if the District Attorney consents to the expungement and the case was dismissed by the District Attorney. An appearance in court is necessary, so for those seeking expungement who do not reside in Baton Rouge, they will need to be represented by legal counsel or personally appear.
Thanks for the link to Blue Lives Matter. I’ll give it a read. Did you get my email?
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Chuquest,
I just read the article on Blue Lives Matter. In my opinion, they wrote something profound which they might not know is profound. They wrote:
So, I suppose the officers’ perspective includes why some police officers shoot Blacks armed or unarmed, (and without knowing anything about their criminal background), but don’t shoot Whites whose criminal backgrounds they know, and who are armed.
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And why does the chief need the community to see this Video to show how dangerous their job is? Most people know that is precisely what they are well paid to do.
I’m so sick of the police pity parties.
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I don’t wanna sound like Debbie Downer, but 100K is pitiful for the violation of one person’s rights much less 90some. But I thought I saw something about the Feds dismissing their civil rights case tho so.,..
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Hey Shannon.
I don’t think the purpose of filing the lawsuit was for money. Rather, it was against the system that arrests, requires those arrested to pay bond and other fees, and then not bring charges. The system gets to keep that money. The system also generates an arrest record that can negatively effect individuals who were never charged.
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i was watching live stream when Deray was arrested, he was NOT on the street, NOT blocking any traffic(there were 2 police cars blocking traffic though)….it was a 100% false arrest, done because he is well known.
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I was also watching live stream, Bill, and I agree with you.
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I saw the video on Twitter and agree.
There is a certain group of people who like calling law enforcement and reporting people as “black terrorist” when there is a demonstration that includes well-known activist such as Deray. . When he was arrested, they had a party on Twitter.
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That is a deep photo. That and the guy throwing the smoke bomb back at police. And the shot of Bree bringing the confederate flag down. Those are the people we should be seeing on the news, even on the campaign trails. NOT uninspired attention seeking clowns like Trump and “poorly educated” super bigots like the Alt-Right creator!
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Shannon,
As far as politicians go, the majority are far removed from what happens in normal everyday life. They build their issues around what they want for Americans, rather than what Americans NEED. This year, the exception to that was Bernie Sanders.
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The more I’ve learned of politics,
The more I miss the times of ignorant bliss.
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Shannon,
I know, right? There are politicians who depend on ignorant bliss. Lobbyists actually run legislation and for those politicians who really want to do their jobs, they find strong push-back from politicians who are doing what lobbyists want.
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