The Votes Are In!
2023 Readers' Choice is back, bigger and better than ever!
View Winners → 
Hundreds Rally for Peace and Justice in McDade Shooting
Pasadena Independent Apr 11, 2012
by
share with
Photographs by Terry Miller
A deeply saddened Anya Slaughter, the mother of shooting victim Kenrec McDade couldn’t speak at the rally Tuesday evening but her tears spoke volumes. For full story and more pictures please see page……. Photo by Terry Miller
Hundreds Rally for Peace and Justice in McDade Shooting
By Terry Miller
A call for peace and justice was held Tuesday evening on the steps of Pasadena City Hall. Sponsored, in part, by Joe Brown President of the local NAACP. The protest drew approximately 200 people to seek justice in the wake of the latest police officer involved shooting of Kenrec McDade on March 24 in Pasadena.
McDade’s mother Anya Slaughter, father Kenneth McDade, as well asone of the family grandmothers stood side by side, hand in hand with their lawyer Caree Harper, NAACP leaders and religious leaders as well as a few people from Occupy LA.
The attorney for McDade’s mother, Caree Harper offered the microphone to Anya Slaughter but was too emotional to speak to the gathered crowd of supporters. McDade’s father, Kenneth however, told the crowd his family having a very difficult time and thanked everyone for their cards and help but added “Somebody’s got to be held accountable. As long as I’ve got life in my body I’m going to find out what happened to my son.”
Leroy Barnes and numerous other victims of police shootings were named in posters held aloft as well as signs bearing the names of the officers involved in the shootings Pasadena officers who shot McDade on March 24. Some signs were demanding “Jail Killer Cops.”
Numerous speakers told of injustices throughout the United States and made several references to Trayvon Martin whose murder continues to dominate the national news.
While the circumstances are considerably different in the Travon Martin case, the Kendrec McDade killing has sparked a wave of fear and loathing in the minds of many in the community.
Harper said, “We love the police, but there are occasionally a few bad apples in a dept.”
Phillip Sanchez, Pasadena Police Chief, has taken a proactive approach to handling the public and personally attends many community meetings and peace marches in the hope that he and his department be as transparent as possible with the investigation into the shooting that led to McDade’s death March 24.
While many specific questions remain unanswered, there is a sign that progress is being made with so much community dialogue according to one person with whom we spoke Tuesday evening. “ The fact that so many people from all walks of life and ethnicity have come out to support this family is a blessing. People are talking and the police are listening, hopefully.” said one woman who prefered to remain anonymous.
In an email sent to media agencies last week, Caree Harper stated:
“Mr. McDade was not accused of stealing Carrillo’s backpack- not even by police accounts. Further, it is our contention that he ( McDade ) did not commit a crime at all that evening.”
“It is about the Sunset Street shooting location and the fact that Griffin and Newlen killed Mr. McDade without articulating why they did so; without warning; and without seeing any objects on him. Those officers made calculated decisions not to video/audiotape the incident with the patrol car cameras- this was no “split second decision”. This frantic attempt to shift the blame to Mr. McDade is repulsive. Kendrec was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Caree Harper also said that the 911 caller, Oscar Carrillo, stated that when you are so afraid for your life you don’t think about what you are saying in the 911 call…referring to his lies that ultimately led to Kenrec McDade’s death.
“Well, he was so afraid for his life that he pursued the alleged perpetrators instead of running a few feet back to the taco shop and yell for help. Did police search Carrillo’s car and confirm that HE was not armed? What gave him sudden Superman courage to pursue after being so “scared”? Again, Carrillo was NOT the triggerman, the officers each made their own independent decision to shoot, but the police had a duty to ask these questions investigate the contradiction that night.” Harper said.
A Civil lawsuit has been files in the cases and several independent investigations are ongoing including one by the FBI.
More from Pasadena Independent
