Chili Yazzie -- No Justice for Loreal, Murdered by White Cop in Bordertown, Winslow, Arizona

Loreal Tsingine, Dineh mom, murdered in Winslow, Arizona

Chili Yazzie: My statement before the Navajo Human Rights Commission on their hearing on the murder of Loreal in Winslow by a bad white cop.

By Chili Yazzie

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There is no justice in a 200 lb. police officer tossing a 100 lb. woman around, putting 5 bullets into her and the authorities saying he was right to do what he did. Is it because the guy behind the trigger is white and the person on the ground breathing her last breath is brown?

What is the mentality of this cop, is he a racist, is he deranged, is he a great grandson of Kit Carson, did he just want to do it to see what it felt like and watch a person die or was he truly fearful for his life. What is the degree of a real threat from a small Native woman with a pair of scissors from ten feet away? No matter how one tries to ‘reason’ this, there is no reason, it is the taking of a human life with no justification. It is wrong.
Police officers are trained to stay physically fit, to learn self-defense, take down procedures and techniques on how to defuse potential violent situations; then they have body armor, a baton, a tazer, pepper spray and firearms.

That badge says To Protect and Serve, the understanding being that it is the public who are to be protected and served. For a bad cop who is itching to react with deadly force to a threat whether real or imagined, the motto becomes a case of protect the cop first and above all else. 

The Navajo leadership needs to compel border town law enforcement to review their use of lethal force procedures and require that the ‘shoot to kill’ option be the absolute final recourse. There needs to be consensus on what constitutes a threat, because of the apparent ambiguity, the consequence is the violent terminating of Navajo lives, as in Loreal’s killing and the killing of Clint John in Farmington. The interpretation of a threat seems to be the slightest provocation, which gives a bad cop all the excuse he needs to shoot to kill. These faulty lethal force procedures must be examined and rectified, otherwise the message will be clear that governments condone the unnecessary taking of human life.

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'Justice for Loreal!' Protest killer cop in Winslow, Ariz, Friday July 29, 2016

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Photos Friday July 29, 2016 Winslow Protest

In Winslow, Arizona, there is a long history of racist whites murdering Navajos. Maricopa County has refused to prosecute a killer cop who murdered Dineh mom Loreal Tsingine.

Protest Friday, July 29, 2016 in Winslow, Arizona

By Bordertown Justice Coalition
Censored News

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery’s decision is the most recent continuation of injustice that began on March 27 when Tsingine was killed by Winslow Officer Austin Shipley after shooting her five times at point-blank range. Winslow Police Chief Stephen Garnett and Lt. Ken Arrend, along with the City of Winslow, continue to fail all who seek justice for the family and community of Loreal Tsingine by allowing killer cop Austin Shipley to roam their streets.

Join us and make sure the Winslow Police Department and the City of Winslow, a bordertown settlement, are held accountable for their inhuman crimes towards Indigenous people and other people of color. 

Starting at 5 PM (local Winslow time), we will march from Winslow City Hall towards Winslow Police Department., where we will pause and give the family of Loreal Tsingine, Winslow Community, and general public a chance to speak out and be heard.

Map to Winslow City Hall - https://goo.gl/maps/2z7Dr1ZtFgq

#Justice4Loreal 

#JailRacistKillerCops 

#NativeJusticeNow 

#StopSettlerViolence 

#JusticeForLoreal #ShipleyMustGoToJail

The Bordertown Justice Coalition is comprised of individuals and members of organizations such as: Arizona to Rally Against Native American Mascots, Black Lives Matter Phoenix, The Red Nation, and Council Advocating an Indigenous Manifesto.

http://www.fb.com/BorderTownJustive

http://www.fb.com/TheRedNation

http://www.fb.com/az2ranm/

http://www.indigenize.com

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The Bordertown Justice Coalition demands:

1. An independent review, which must include Navajo Nation government representation, of Loreal Tsingine’s murder. The independent review must not include another Arizona state­entity.

2. For the safety of the Winslow community and Indigenous people, the immediate termination and arrest of killer cop Austin Shipley, and the immediate termination of disgraced Winslow Police Chief Stephen Garnett and Lt. Ken Arrend.

3. AZ DPS’ full report as well as any and all evidence, including Shipley’s body­cam recordings, be made publicly available immediately.

4. An U.S. Department of Justice inquiry into the systemic and pervasive racial profiling and harassment of Arizona police against Indigenous peoples.

5. An official public apology from the City of Winslow to the family and community of Loreal Tsingine for her murder by Austin Shipley. The apology must be made

in Teesto, AZ, with State and National news media present. 

6. The City of Winslow must compensate the Tsingine family for all expenses related to Loreal’s murder by Austin Shipley.

7. Any and all income paid to Austin Shipley by the City of Winslow during his administrative leave be immediately returned to the City of Winslow.

8. The Navajo Nation file a complaint to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) and U.N. Permanent Forum on the Rights of

Indigenous Peoples for rampant abuse, harassment, and treaty violations in U.S. policing of indigenous peoples

PHOENIX! Protest Maricopa County Attorney: Justice for Loreal Tsingine

Photo by Klee Benally in Winslow, Arizona

Today, July 25, 2016: Protest Maricopa County Attorney's decision at 7:30 a.m., 301 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, Arizona

Coalition Protests Maricopa County's Failure to Prosecute Killer Cop Who Murdered Loreal Tsingine

By Monica Spencer, Coalition Organizer

Censored News

PHOENIX – The Bordertown Justice Coalition, in response to Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery’s decision not to pursue criminal charges against Winslow Police Officer Austin Shipley for killing Loreal Tsingine (Diné/Navajo), will hold a protest on July 25 at 7:30 AM in front of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office at 301 West Jefferson St., Phoenix.

Montgomery’s decision is the most recent continuation of injustice that began on March 29 when Tsingine was killed by Winslow Officer Austin Shipley after shooting her five times at point-blank range.

“I was upset and horrified when I heard that our Diné relative was ruthlessly murdered,” Brandon Benallie said. “I was even more appalled when I learned that her body remained in the street until 6:00 AM the next day, which was a further degradation of her humanity and a violation of Navajo customs and beliefs”

Since Tsingine’s murder, the coalition has been working with the Tsingine family to demand justice (see attached demands) and have held a number of protests and community meetings in Winslow.  

Rather than resolving the matter immediately and justly, Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon prolonged the matter by deferring the final decision on what criminal charges would be brought against Austin Shipley to Maricopa County.

“From the beginning we demanded, on behalf of the Tsingine family, a third-party investigation,” said Andrew Curley. “Instead Navajo County passed the buck to Maricopa County, a county with a history of violence and racism toward Indigenous people and other people of color.”

The Maricopa County Attorney Office media release distributed on July 22 did not reference the Arizona policies and procedures that were used to make their decision.  

“Rather than offering a justification for not prosecuting the killer cop, Montgomery’s decision can only be understood as a flippant, lazy attempt to dismiss their negligence,” Monica Spencer stated. “Montgomery failed to offer any recourse or justice for Loreal’s family and her community.”

The Bordertown Justice Coalition is comprised of individuals and members of organizations such as: Arizona to Rally Against Native American Mascots, Black Lives Matter Phoenix, The Red Nation, and Council Advocating an Indigenous Manifesto.

To learn more about the Bordertown Justice Coalition or to participate in future actions, you can ‘like’ the coalition on Facebook.

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The Bordertown Justice Coalition demands:

1. An independent review, which must include Navajo Nation government representation, of Loreal Tsingine’s murder. The independent review must not include another Arizona state-entity.
   
2. For the safety of the Winslow community and Indigenous people, the immediate termination of Winslow Police Chief Stephen Garnett, as well as Winslow Police lieutenant Ken Arrend and killer cop Austin Shipley.
   
3. AZ DPS’ full report as well as any and all evidence, including Shipley’s body-cam recordings, be made publicly available immediately.
   
4. An U.S. Department of Justice inquiry into the systemic and pervasive racial profiling and harassment of Arizona police against Indigenous peoples.
   
5. An official public apology from the City of Winslow to the family and community of Loreal Tsingine for her murder by Austin Shipley. The apology must be made in Teesto, AZ, with State and National news media present.
   
6. The City of Winslow must compensate the Tsingine family for all expenses related to Loreal’s murder by Austin Shipley.
   
7. Any and all income paid to Austin Shipley by the City of Winslow during his administrative leave be immediately returned to the City of Winslow.
   
8. The Navajo Nation file a complaint to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD) and U.N. Permanent Forum on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples for rampant abuse, harassment, and treaty violations in U.S. policing of indigenous peoples

Also see: Navajo Times 'Family of Loreal Tsingine in disbelief over Maricopa County Attorney Decision

http://navajotimes.com/reznews/family-loreal-tsingine-disbelief-maricopa-county-decision/