Coalition for Justice, Hamilton family holds press conference in Chicago
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Demonstrators from Milwaukee protesting the decision by Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm NOT to charge former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney in the shooting death of 31-year-old Dontre Hamilton will make their way to Chicago this weekend. National civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is throwing his support behind the Hamilton family.
"As Americans, we should do better. We all deserve better," Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. said.
The Coalition for Justice has organized the demonstrations we've seen in Milwaukee since Hamilton was shot on April 30th, 2014. The police officer who shot him was fired for his actions leading up to the shooting, but he was never criminally charged.
On Friday, December 26th, more than a dozen members of "Occupy the Hood" marched in Milwaukee -- meeting near 27th and Burleigh. We're told they attempted to block traffic, but they didn't have enough people to make that happen.
On Saturday, December 27th, members of the Coalition for Justice headed to Chicago to partner with the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Rainbow/PUSH is a non-profit organization formed as a merger of two non-profit organizations founded by Jackson — Operation PUSH and the National Rainbow Coalition. The organizations pursue social justice, civil rights and political activism.
They stood on the stage trying to bring attention to the Dontre Hamilton case. They want awareness beyond Milwaukee city limits.
"We cannot sleep on injustice. We will not sleep on injustice. We will prevail," said Nate Hamilton, Dontre Hamilton's brother.
"Injustice leads to chaos and despair. Justice leads to peace. We want peace. We want one set of rules. We want fairness," Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. said.
Reverend Jackson is promising to work with the family and help shine a national spotlight on the case.
"There is in Milwaukee, a pattern of blacks being killed by police. There is a sense of pain in the room today. We're going to escalate this battle as we seek federal intervention," said Rev. Jesse Jackson.
The United States Attorney has announced the United States Department of Justice will undertake a federal review of the case to determine if, under federal civil rights law, there is a basis, both legal and factual, upon which a federal civil rights prosecution may be premised. This review will be conducted by the FBI, the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Civil Rights Division.
"Experts are looking at this matter anew and we are excited by it and we think it will result in a charge, which will bring some closure to this family," said Alex Flynn, Hamilton family attorney.
And with more attention, the Hamilton family hopes comes change.
"We will overcome, but it takes us to reach and search that truth and I know we can and I know we will because God is able," said Nate Hamilton.
Hamilton's family attorney says a civil lawsuit is also currently in the works.
The following message has been posted on a Facebook page created for Saturday's event in Chicago:
"Calling all concerned community members:
We are taking Dontre's story from Milwaukee to the world. We are partnering with the Rainbow Push Coalition to hold a national press conference in Chicago,Illinois (930 East 50th St.) to announce the federal investigation into the murder of Dontre Hamilton, and we want all of you to join us! If you've ever come to a rally, stood with us, met with us, seen us on tv, read about us in the paper, or seen us on social media, etc., we are asking that all come down to Chicago with us so that we can stand united and tell Milwaukee's story!
We told you that we were not going to stop until justice was served, and this is our next step. We are going to tell the nation what this city did to Dontre, and how justice has been too long delayed and denied in MKE. We are going to bring this system of police violence and brutality to its knees, and rebuild anew.
Please Join Us!
Transportation: We are asking that all those that are available please meet us All Peoples Church (2600 North 2nd Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212) where we will be coordinating car pools to transport folks down to Chicago and back. We are asking for all those who can drive and have room for others to ride along please send us an email at TheCoalitionForJustice@gmail.com or give us a call at 414-375.9330. your help would be greatly appreciated.
We are asking that everyone meet at All Peoples by 7am, and we will leave promptly around 7:30. The Rally and Press Conference will begin around 10am and last roughly til about 1pm.
Note: If you would like to join us at the rally/press conference but do not wish to meet us at All Peoples that is totally ok we will look for you in Chicago! We just really want all of you to come out."
"It's not often Milwaukee gets the chance to say what's going on, what we're going through as a community. We don't want another family to be put in this position. (We want to) create new legislation, challenge the procedures and policies of the police department and have them implement new training. I think we're going to continue to pick up momentum," Dontre Hamilton's brother, Nate Hamilton said.
"This is an ugly chapter in American history, these killings of unarmed people. It must stop," Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. said.
Reverend Jesse Jackson says he will be in Milwaukee sometime in the very near future. An exact date is yet to be determined.
One of the family's attorney's says they've had several discussions with the U.S. Attorney's Office, they believe that a federal investigation will prove their case and they hope to see charges.
CLICK HERE for further coverage of the Dontre Hamilton case via FOX6Now.com.