Christopher Burgess
Analysis of Police 11.08.07
Teen's shooting part of historical police pattern
My Word
Article Launched:11/08/2006
04:30:07 AM PST
By Alex Scherbatskoy
I am writing in response to a front page article in the Nov. 5 edition entitled “Six Years in the System: A dark journey -- How Chris Burgess ended up shot to death.”
I am a student at Goddard College in Vermont and a Humboldt County resident and property owner. Goddard College has been at the forefront in progressive education for over 100 years, with curriculums focused on social justice, class, and race issues.
My own study includes an extensive exploration of the roots of police violence. The Times-Standard article mentioned above does not in any way explain “how Chris Burgess ended up shot to death,” as the title implies. It does portray the trials and tribulations of Chris' childhood, but these trials and tribulations do not explain the shooting. Neither does the previous Times-Standard article that proclaimed loudly on the front page that Chris was on “meth” when he was killed.
Any educated expert would agree that the shooting of Christopher Burgess is the result of a well-documented, nationwide, systematic pattern of violence that began in 1845 when New York City instituted what is commonly considered the first modern police force (Kristian Williams, 2004, p. 56).
The principal job of these early police was as a patrol to apprehend escaped slaves. In 1996, 20 percent of the American public had direct contact with the police, 471,000 were subject to the use of force, and 373 were killed (U.S. Department
of Justice).
A study of the development of modern policing reveals certain characteristics of police conduct before, during and after police shootings. These characteristics are present in the Christopher Burgess shooting to a striking degree. So much so that, as I stand and listen to the police chief explain his position, I imagine that I could be listening to testimony regarding any of the once-daily deaths that can be attributed to police.
The most notable characteristics have to do with the way that the EPD justifies deadly use of force: By claiming self-defense, by blaming the victim, and by portraying Terry Liles as a hero risking his life for the public safety. Research shows
us, however, that the likelihood of a death increases drastically when police arrive on the scene.
Moreover, the death is 4.75 times as likely to be that of the civilian rather than that of the police officer. This put Chris in a far more dangerous position than Terry Liles.
If Chris Durant is going to claim to be able to explain “how Chris Burgess ended up shot to death,” then he should do his research before publication, because there are thousands of readers of this newspaper that will not do any research whatsoever, and will take Mr. Durant's article at face value.
Chris' death has far more to do with the historical role of police departments than it does with either Chris' or Terry Liles' personal position. A systematic problem needs to be understood that way before a systematic solution can be
forthcoming.
Newspapers have historically been complicit in portraying to the public a “script” of the incident that shapes public perception in a highly predictable way. This version of the incident is shaped out of the rhetoric commonly distributed by the police department, out of a failure to see the incident as anything but an isolated event, and from a failure to investigate beyond a level that might threaten or expose a bureaucratic system that discounts the importance of a human life.
The only way that the fact that Chris had a hard childhood or was on “meth” explains the shooting was to identify him as part of a minority group that has been victimized by the police since their creation in 1845. This community has a choice:
It can let this shooting go as another casualty, or it can make the changes necessary to break the pattern.
Alex Scherbatskoy is from Manila,
Calif.
Comment about bogus police justification
I attended a meeting of the Eureka City Council this afternoon which allowed for public input after a lengthy statement from the Eureka Police Department Chief. The rhetoric of the EPD was of the usual indignant self indulgent sort as were the comments of the couple of citizens who stood up for them- that no one should question their actions until all the “facts” are in, and that only they, the police, are qualified to supply the facts and investigate themselves...
Another argument advanced by the ‘authoritarian’ side is that the boy was disobedient hence it was alright to kill him. One man advancing that insane notion stated that his children never disobeyed him. That may or may not be true but I’ll bet they learn to lie at a very young age…as a matter of survival. The twisted nature and audacity of these arguments betray the fact that the few expressing them are accustomed to never having to answer to any dissenting argument-their statements automatically accepted as above reproach, no matter how unlikely or even impossible; the very honor on which such immunity is based is undeserved. I am fond of saying “Respect; If you don’t command it, don’t demand it.”
On the other side of the issue, many outraged pro-democracy supporters demanded a true investigation by someone outside of the group of apologists and perpetrators of the heinous crime. The idea that only police have the qualifications to investigate themselves is outrageous. The fact that ‘law enforcement’ operates as an anti-democracy agency and places itself above the law was made very clear by the statements they make as well as by their actions. Putting the slayed child ‘on trial’ in such a hearing after he has already been tried, convicted and executed by some IQ capped* policeman is not only a despicable affront to democracy itself but also clear evidence that we cannot depend on police for protection and explains why this country has such a huge crime rate while our jails and prisons are filled to the bursting point with petty offenders and totally innocent people that cops decided they didn’t like the looks of**. Our prisons and jails are filled at a rate that far surpasses that of any other country on earth, both per capita and in raw numbers. Several people tonight voiced a commonly held belief that police should receive more training and learn better negotiating skills and more non lethal forms of ‘defense’. It was also noted that the police were not protecting anyone when this child was shot, almost certainly including the officer who unloaded the fatal round into young Mr. Burgess’ heart.
*“IQ capped”; The practice of barring intelligent people from becoming police officers. One man sued the New London, Connecticut police department after he was rejected for scoring too high on an IQ test in one high profile case. He lost in federal court which stated that it was not discrimination since it was applied to all police officer applicants. If you go to this link on the story you will also find that the test is standard and given in police departments all over.
**”Profiling”; The practice of targeting people based on a dress code, skin color, economic status or other superficial attributes.
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Handbill 06, Theatre Action Outside Courthouse
WHY WE’RE HERE
On October 23, 2006, just months after the EPD shot and killed Cheri Lyn Moore in her apartment, Eureka Police Officer Liles, who should have been in therapy from his involvement in the Moore shooting, shot and killed 16 year- old Christopher
Burgess. Chris Burgess was well-loved by many in the community, WAS NOT VIOLENT, and had been thrown into the juvenile “injustice” system when he was very young. Liles, about 2 years before he killed Chris, had dragged Chris out of bed and beat him badly, fracturing his skull. On October 23, 2006, Liles chased Chris after Chris had been pepper-sprayed by a probation officer who walked into the otherwise safe house he was watching a movie in, and began spraying. Liles shot young Christopher in the heart after chasing him. This is atrocious.
Again, as with Cheri Moore (who was known to the police as having mental health issues, but NOT VIOLENT), the Eureka Police Department, is BLAMING THE VICTIM- and in order to convince the media (happy to take the police’s side) that the EPD’s murderous actions were justified, the EPD has criminalized Chris, and media has gone along with it.
Liles is on paid vacation. The local governments have refused to implement an Independent Police Review Board, as urged by the public for years. The DA has failed to prosecute, investigate, or call on outside investigative action. People, young and old, fear for their and their children’s lives as the police enjoy complete impunity to their deadly actions. Our community is in mourning.
Some demands and goals of the protest:
*'outside' INVESTIGATION- i.e. Attorney General
*the media, local government, and cops STOP CRIMINALIZING THE VICTIM!
*immediate development of a peoples' independent POLICE REVIEW BOARD, blessed by city council board of supes
*DRASTIC POLICY & PROCUDURE CHANGES for police and probation officers- i.e. regarding lethal force
*PUNITIVE ACTION against officers who use excessive force; NO PAID VACATION FOR MURDERERS
*Officer Liles PERMANENTLY OFF THE POLICE FORCE
*VALUE AND RESPECT shown for LIVES of otherwise marginalized people (poor, mentally ill)
*AWARENESS, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, COPWATCH, NEW WAYS TO RELATE TO EACH OTHER- WITHOUT COPS
The intent of this theatre protest is to gather people and keep these issues in the forefront of people’s minds. We have all, in a way, lost a brother or a son.
The police must be held accountable, the system that criminalized Christopher Burgess mustn’t continue to devalue the lives of fellow members of our community. The People must band together to protect and support one another.
Letter From a Teacher
Sub: Chris Burgess - A System's Failure
Date: 10/24/2006 10:40:44 AM Pacific Standard Time
From:
To:
I first met Chris as a student at the Jacob's Ed. Center and saw him stand
up to another kid twice his size. He was very slight and very small compared to
the other boy, but I could tell that this kid had the heart of a lion ...he was not
going to back down, so not knowing either, I intervened and Chris walked
away. He was not the "typical" student for the setting, given most students were
of high school age at that time. I asked him where he was supposed to be and
he took me to his classroom. It was considered a center for Behaviorally
Challenged Children, offering "therapeutic" interventions. It was not long after
our first meeting that I kept hearing his name associated with all kinds of
behavior issues. So what was happening with this child, I asked myself?
I made it a special point to see him everyday to see how things were going.
His response...always negative...nothing was going right for him in school, at
home, or in the community. He felt as if "everybody was after him" no matter
how hard he tried to be good. I could tell just through our conversations, that
he was very bright, yet extremely bored because he wasn't being challenged;
one who would standout because of doing wrong rather than right; one who
was screaming for help. The placement at Jacob's was just the end straw for
him...he hated it because he couldn't be with his friends, or participate in sports,
especially basketball, his favorite. One day, after yet another disciplinary
action, I asked Chris what he really, really liked to do, or what he thought he did
well. I had 5 positive responses in a heartbeat ...go camping, go fishing, work
on the computer, work on the Nature Trail at Grant School, but the really
SPECIAL highlight of his life was being part of the Tai Kwan Do Dojo at Eureka
Mall. There it WAS! This was the carrot I had been looking for..the key to
getting Chris to "think" about his benavior, to make positive choices , and to
regain control of his actions. So I "cut" a deal with him with help from the Dojo
Master, about just how he could earn the tuition needed to resume his
lessons through gaining control of his behavior...after all, it was his choice. He
made it in three weeks! He was so PROUD of himself !!
Were these questions ever asked by Educators whose job is to provide a
free and appropriate education for all students...did anyone even care? I think
not...instead they criminalized his behavior....shifted the responsibility to the
Courts to take control....and used the Foster Care system rather dealing with it
themselves. I don't know how many times Chris at 9 - 10 yr. old was sent to
Juvenile Hall for his infractions that year, but I do know that he spent at least 3
months in there awaiting foster placement. We never got to go fishing because
of it and I lost contact.
I am so very sorry Chris.
Letter to DA by Jane Doe
written December 2006 (author Jane Doe?), less than a month before Terry Liles killed Zachary Cooke, who had just turned 18 years old; after killing 2 teens, Liles was made a leader of the Gang Task Force!!!
It is with great sadness that i am writing to you demanding the resignation of EPD Officer Terry Liles for his direct responsibility in the shooting death of 16 year old Chris Burgess. In this incident, Liles failed to exhaust any other non-lethal means of pursuit and apprehension before resorting to lethal means. This indicates that Liles is not skilled in non-lethal and non-intrusive methods of outreach to troubled youth populations.
People demand that taxpayer supported police officers remain accountable for their actions and can remain calm and safe in tense situations. Chasing a 16 year old into a ravine is clearly not a reason to use lethal means. If Officer Terry Liles is overly concerned about being attacked by the teenagers he pursues, perhaps a less demanding job will be better suited for his personality.
Justice will be served when Terry Liles appears in court for homicide and resigns from the EPD.
Thank you for your concern,
Jane Doe
(BTW - This thread has strayed from the original topic of the EPD shooting death of Cheri Moore. This isn't intentional as police brutality in Eureka region appears to be becoming a pattern, first Cheri Moore, then Chris Burgess. Serious changes are needed to address rampant police brutality, including questioning the need for a lethally armed police force. Community organizations can and will render armed police obsolete, when people realize that state methods of law enforcement only serve the power consolidation of the ruling elites. We hope and pray for a day when police officers can lay down their badge and guns and rejoin the community as aware and educated human beings..)
Letter to Editor
[I can’t remember who wrote this, but it was written in the last days of October, 2006.]
Letter to Editor
I didn't get to speak at Monday's special City Council meeting called by the mayor to address the officer-related shooting death of 16-yr. old Christopher Arrion Burgess because I had to leave to pick up my daughter from school. But if I had been able to speak, my first remark would have been directed to the council members, who stunningly, when asked by the mayor for their comments, said nothing (except Virginia Bass who patronizingly commended the public for their “good behavior”). In a packed room lined on both sides with members of the public patiently waiting their turn to speak out and be heard, not one council member had a single meaningful word to say or a meaningful response to the demands and will of 98% of the public speakers.
Well..."Hello, Yoo-hoo, council members, did you hear a child's been shot and killed by a city police officer?" You've all been doing so much talking these past weeks, on T.V., radio, in print ads, signage on every block, here there everywhere; gave me the impression you liked to communicate. So why then, at this critical time, is each of you speechless? You could have at least offered condolences to the family, (Ms. Bass, again condescendingly reminding us to offer condolences to the Lyles family). Sigh....how pathetic. Well ‘honorable’ city council members, your silence came across loud and clear to this member of the voting public and hence to each of you I say - just as we don't need police officers who can't use good judgment under pressure, we don't need seemingly mute, un-opinionated, politically motivated, cowards sitting on our city council. Shame
on all of you!
Six months ago, similar callous disrespect was shown by silence of all the council but Mr. Kerrigan. And by the way, the proposal regarding a public review committee on police actions wasn't presented to you 6-months ago to serve as seat warmers for your backsides, but rather for you to act on....so anytime now, please.
Petition by a Friend
"My best friend got shot and killed by the people who are suppose to keep us safe!"
- Laurie Tatom
"The last thing that we said was we loved each other!"
- Girlfriend Angel Omstead
"We were watching a movie at my aunts house and three probation officers walked in and said."What's up Chris?" Then started macing us."
- Angel Omstead
"This country detaches itself from displaced children. They say it takes a community to raise a child? Well, where's the community?"
- Marjorie Burgess
"Chris was there for his family when they needed it and he always gave me his last dollars. I can't believe he is gone!"
The Eureka P.D. has shamed our community and made our streets feel unsafe with the presence of officers!