Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Angry Cincinnati Residents Speak Out

Aired April 18, 2001 - 10:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In Cincinnati, city council officials heard from angry residents in the wake of last week's riots. About 200 people packed the meeting yesterday and spoke out for more than five hours against the police shooting of an unarmed African-American man.

That shooting touched off three nights of arson, looting, and attacks last week. Dozens of people were injured, and more than 800 arrested. It was the worst racial unrest in Cincinnati since the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis.

That shooting in Cincinnati has raised questions about police misconduct. And it's not the first time. In Washington this morning, top lawyers, police officers, and others are gathered for a symposium they call "Behind the Blue Wall of Silence: Understanding Police Misconduct Across America. " There's defense attorney Barry Scheck there, a live picture there.

Let's turn to CNN's Jeanne Meserve, who is in Washington, with more on this.

Jeanne, good morning once again.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Amongst those who are sponsoring the symposium today, the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Black Police Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. You saw Barry Scheck is speaking now.

But speaking this afternoon will be Kenneth Lawson. He joins me now. He is an attorney for the family and estate of Timothy Thomas. Thanks so much for coming in today.

KENNETH LAWSON, ATTORNEY FOR FAMILY AND ESTATE OF TIMOTHY THOMAS: Thank you.

MESERVE: I look at the list of people who are sponsoring this symposium today and have to ask, is this preaching to the choir?

LAWSON: Yeah. I believe that ACLU, National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Black Police Officers all have been crying out through the country this problem exists. It persists, and it needs to be addressed from the president on down. And I think because out it has been ignored is why you saw what you saw in Cincinnati last week.

MESERVE: You've handled racial profiling cases throughout the years. And I have to ask you what you think is the core of this problem. Is it race? It is racism?

LAWSON: I think it's race and -- I believe it is racism. I believe that what we are seeing is not an epidemic, but a problem where we have so many young white officers on the force told since they were little that there's certain black neighborhoods you shouldn't go in because they're dangerous. They're now wearing guns and badges being assigned to the neighborhoods their mothers and fathers told them to stay out of because they're dangerous. They're there, and they are scared. And they're shooting people based out of subjective fears whether than their objective beliefs.

MESERVE: And, Kenneth Lawson, I'm afraid I have to interrupt you. I think we have some breaking news right now. Back to Atlanta.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com