The NAACP wants the Department of Justice to investigate the death of Jim Rogers, a 54-year-old Black man who died after an incident with a Pittsburgh police officer in October 2021.
Rogers passed away the day after police officer Keith Edmonds repeatedly used a taser on him.
Janette McCarthy Wallace, general counsel of the NAACP, said that Jim Rogers and Black America should have been treated better. statement.
She added that communities are still suffering at the hands of those who are supposed to protect them, and progress is impossible without accountability.
The encounter started when Edmonds responded to a report of a stolen bicycle and encountered Rogers.
Video from a body camera that was released in January shows Rogers, who seemed confused, putting his hands up when he saw Edmonds approaching.
Edmonds asked Rogers if he stole the bike, to which Rogers responded by denying it and saying he thought the bike was being given away.
Rogers also mentioned that he did not have any weapons.
Edmonds requested Rogers's wallet before taking it from his pocket. Rogers then tried to grab it back.
As a result, Edmonds forced Rogers to the ground and demanded compliance.
Rogers repeatedly stated that he was listening to Edmonds and trying to cooperate.
Edmonds then used his Taser to threaten Rogers, instructing him to put his hands behind his back.
Rogers apologized and denied wrongdoing.
Edmonds then used his Taser on Rogers, who tried to run. This happened multiple times, and Rogers fell to the ground.
When Rogers attempted to run again, Edmonds used the Taser once more. Rogers fell and mumbled incoherently.
A neighbor asked for Rogers to be given a moment to recover, but Edmonds told the neighbor to stay back.
In total, Edmonds used the Taser at least 10 times in three minutes and 15 seconds.
After being placed in a police car, Rogers is shown struggling to breathe and hitting his head against the car's cage. He also seemed to be in pain.
Despite Rogers calling for help, officers told him to relax because medics were on their way, according to the video.
Unfortunately, no medical assistance was provided to Rogers, and he was told to stop yelling.
Rogers was eventually taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, even though another hospital was nearby.
Rogers died the next day. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office stated that he died as a result of a lack of oxygen to the brain, but it was ruled as accidental.
Five officers who were fired following Rogers’ death, including Edmonds, have been reinstated. One officer is undergoing arbitration while the fifth officer retired.
In the letter to Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the DOJ, the NAACP described the incident as 'deeply troubling.'
The letter states that although Mr. Rogers was unarmed and not perceived as a threat, Officer Edmond tased him ten times. Despite Mr. Rogers' repeated calls for help, the police failed to provide adequate medical assistance by not promptly taking him to the nearest hospital. Additionally, the local prosecutor has not pressed criminal charges against the officers. According to news reports, the city reinstated three of the four officers involved. Without federal intervention, the police officers will not be held accountable for their actions.
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala Jr. initiated a grand jury investigation into Rogers’ death, but no charges were filed. Nonetheless, the city reached an $8 million settlement in a federal lawsuit with Rogers’ estate last year.
