Petition to End Racial Profiling and other forms of Police Terrorism

Please note that James' trial date has been postponed until April 8, so please continue to sign the petition!

The demands of the petition are: 
1) the immediate dropping of all charges against James Williams
2) a transparent investigation into the conduct of Officer Bryan Huesman
3) an end to racial profiling and other forms of police terrorism in Jefferson Parish. 

Below are the details about the events that led to this petition being created:

 On April 7, 2008, James Williams a 26 year old African American man was falsely arrested and assaulted by police officer Bryan J. Huesman.  Huesman is a white officer from the Harahan Police Department. The assault occurred after midnight in the 1300 hundred block of Hickory Avenue.

 Williams, traveling with his seven year old daughter, had just picked up Pam Nath, a Bluffton University professor who has spent much time in New Orleans doing volunteer work since Katrina. That night, Nath, a forty-five year old Anglo-American (white) woman, was on a late arriving plane at the Louis Armstrong International Airport.  Nath and Williams worked together on a number of struggles in the metropolitan area, particularly the struggle for affordable housing and against the demolition of public housing. Nath had loaned Williams her automobile while out of town. Williams was in the process of returning her car by picking her up from the airport. Nath in turn was to drop Williams and his daughter off at the child's home.

 Nath, who was driving, stopped at the intersection of Gardner and Hickory Avenue. A police car pulled up at a ninety degree angle on Hickory Avenue. There were no other cars on the street. The officer flashed his head lights at them. Nath proceeded forward and made a right turn on Hickory Avenue. The officer followed them, put on his top lights and pulled them over. Huesman approached the car on the driver's side and asked Nath if she was lost. Nath responded that she was. She asked if he could tell her where Sawmill Road was. He told her that it was just down the road to the right. He then asked her if it was an apartment complex she was looking for. At this point Williams spoke up because Nath did not know if it was an apartment complex she was going to. Speaking from the passenger side Williams stated: "Yes, it is an apartment complex".

Officer Huesman's Abuse Of Power

At this point Huesman's true nature exposed itself. Huesman peered in the window to see who was speaking to him. Seeing a young African American man with a small child, Huesman kicked off a denigrating campaign aimed at Williams and Nath. He insultingly posed questions to Nath. He demanded to know who this black man was. He demanded that Nath explain why was this 'man' in her company.  Nath attempted to explain that both of them were associates who had worked together and are still working together. Huesman displayed his disdain and contempt for both refusing to believe the words of Nath. He asked Nath several times sarcastically was Williams "her nephew," or was he "her cousin"? He demanded Williams' I.D. and tells them that he must run it. Williams provided his license and then questioned Huesman as to why he needed to run his I.D, and why they were stopped in the first place. Agitated by Williams' questioning of his disrespectful conduct, officer Huesman then ordered Williams out of the car and proceeded  "to teach him a lesson".   Denouncing Williams as an "ass hole," Officer Huesman physically roughed Williams up a bit. Nath attempted to get out of the car to stop the officer, but was ordered by Huesman to get back in the car. Williams was viciously told by officer Huesman that he was going to jail that night.

 Officer Huesman placed Williams in the police car. He then returned to Nath's car and conducted a search of the car. Nath requested if he had a warrant, and Huesman stated that he didn't need one. Huesman found nothing of criminal wrongdoing.  He mean-spiritedly looked for a reason to punish Nath to teach her a lesson too. He wrote up two tickets: 1) Failure to change her address, and 2) Impeding the flow of traffic. 

Officer Huesman Concocts a Tale

Williams was then brought to jail and locked up. He was charged with: Battery on a police officer and Resisting an officer. Officer Huesman then concocted a story (a Lie) to cover his dirty deeds.  The police officer's tale was:  "Arrestee was the passenger of a vehicle that was cited for traffic violations. During the traffic stop the arrestee became irate with the officer. The officer asked the arrestee for his identification and the arrestee refused. Arrestee was then instructed out of the vehicle. The officer conducted a pat down for weapons on the arrestee. The arrestee still being irate pushed the officer almost causing the officer to fall. Arrestee then attempted to flee. The officer was able to gain control of the arrestees arm and a brief struggle insued. The officer gained control of the arrestee and was aboe to handcuff dbl lkd and read arrestee his rights per arrestee his rights per Miranda. The vehicle involved was issued two traffic violations."  (officer's exact statement with all its misspellings and grammatical errors)

Police Terror

Officer Huesman exhibited two main features of this so called "free and democratic" government of the U.S.A.  First this government of rich billionaires hates black people, particularly black men.  African Americans are routinely abused and murdered by the police. Huesman displayed his hatred for black men when he roughed up Williams and tried to cover it up with a lie. And second this government of the rich billionaires hates black and white unity.  The government as acted out by officer Huesman hates when working people of different races unite against a common enemy- the rich and their government and their police terrorists.  As a low down white supremacist and coward, officer Huesman and his kind know that multinational class unity spells doom for the government and its police terrorists.

Help us stop these growing injustices! We need your help!

• Sign the petition:  We, the undersigned demand the immediate dropping of all charges against James Williams, a transparent investigation into the conduct of Office Bryan Huesman, and an end to racial profiling and other forms of police terrorism in Jefferson Parish.  Concurrent with eyewitness testimony, we believe that James Williams did not assault any officer or break any laws on April 7, 2008.  We believe that a fair and thorough investigation of the traffic stop on that morning will reveal that Bryan Huesman abused his power.
  
  
  
  
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• Pass this information and link to this petition along to others.
  
  
  
  
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• Call or mail the District Attorney's office & request that both charges be dismissed:  Paul D. Connick Jr.; 24th Judicial District; 200 Derbigny Street; Gretna, LA 70053-5850;                               (504)3...               

 Contact us: 
friendsofjameswilliams@gmail.com