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In this episode of Radio Teco News, we sit down with Michelle Monterrosa, the older sister of Sean Monterrosa. Three years ago, Sean Monterrosa was killed by Vallejo police. Since then, Michelle and her sister Ashley have been tirelessly fighting for justice. Michelle shares who her brother was, the arts pop-up show that was recently held in Sean's honor, and gives us an update on Sean's case.
As Vallejo's city government pushes to give the Vallejo Police Department a new headquarters on the city's waterfront, community members have questioned why the controversial police department, known for killing 19 people since 2010 and marking on-duty shootings by bending the tips of their badges, deserves such a prime piece of real estate. The conflict over the new headquarters echoes past fights as Vallejo's waterfront has a long history of protest, dating back to work stoppages by Black sailors after the nearby Port Chicago explosion during World War II. Even as protests against the police killing of Sean Monterrosa swelled in Vallejo in 2020, then-City Manager Greg Nyhoff moved forward with plans to place the police headquarters either at a former office building on the waterfront or the main library blocks away. In the face of community opposition and astronomical cost estimates, the city has steadfastly refused to consider other options. Guest: Javier Arbona-Homar, assistant professor at the University of California Davis in American studies and design. ----------- Vallejo's waterfront along Mare Island Way is a popular destination for family friendly activities with its wide paved path, grassy areas for gatherings and activities, and plenty of space to cast a line into the water. But the area also holds a rich history as a space where people have exercised their First Amendment rights. That included protests following the police killing of Sean Monterrosa in the summer of 2020… including loud ones with a police helicopter overhead… Woman: Not one more! Crowd: Note one more! That's also included quieter demonstrations involving the younger relatives of people impacted by police violence. Young boy: Justice for my uncle, Mario Romero [applause] Even further back, Vallejo's waterfront was also home to work stoppages by Black sailors in a highly segregated Navy during World War II. Park Ranger: What happened here, July 17, 1944, is little known to most Americans, and almost forgotten in history. We now look back on this day as an early event in the civil rights movement. As UC Davis researchers recently noted, Vallejo's waterfront has been one of many landscapes for Black resistance against police violence. Javier Arbona-Homar: Not to mention that it was also the setting for various uprisings and sometimes smaller or sometimes kind of larger so-called riots, where Black sailors found themselves fighting in the streets of Vallejo against white residents and white shore patrol. It's also where Vallejo's historically white police department wants to relocate its headquarters. It's a move many local residents say the department doesn't deserve, considering its history of violence… Colin Eaton: "I'll fuck you up." …civil rights abuses… David McLaughlin: "Stop fighting and get on the ground." …and overall costs to local taxpayers. KPIX: The lawsuits accuse police of racial profiling, excessive force and other misconduct… I'm Brian Krans. I'm a reporter and producer with the Vallejo Sun. In this episode, we're going to take a look back at the historical significance of Vallejo's waterfront in the struggle for racial and social justice, and how the Vallejo Police Department's quest for a new waterfront headquarters fits into that history.
00:00 Intro 01:05 Mass shooter claims multiple lives 04:48 Fired for making headshot in California on video LEO Round Table (law enforcement talk show) Season 7, Episode 42a (1,840) filmed on 10/17/2022 Topic 1 concerns a 15-year-old gunman killing 5 people, Raleigh (North Carolina) police Officer Gabriel Torres, Nicole Conners, Susan Karnatz, Mary Marshal, and James Roger Thompson. Also mentioned: Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson and Marcille Lynn Gardner. Topic 2 concerns Louisville (Kentucky) police Officer Katie R. Crews pleading guilty for excessive force after firing a pepper ball at Machelle McAtee, former San Antonio (Texas) police officer James Brennand being charged for the shooting of Erik Cantu, Philadelphia Judge Barbara A. McDermott tossing out murder charges against Philadelphia police Officer Ryan Pownall for the fatal shooting of David Jones, and a Vallejo (California) police officer being fired for the fatal shooting of Sean Monterrosa. Also mentioned: Jane Roh, District Attorney Larry Krasner, and Melissa Nold. Show Panelists and Personalities: Chip DeBlock (Host and retired police Detective) John Newman (retired police assistant Chief) Bret Bartlett (retired police Captain) Randy Sutton (retired police Lieutenant) David D'Agresta (retired police Officer and sheriff's Corporal) Will Statzer (Producer) Related Events, Organizations and Books: 25th Annual Community Harvest (September 2022) https://www.1905familyofrestaurants.com/ The 2nd Annual National Law Enforcement Survival Summit https://thewoundedblue.org/event/the-2nd-annual-national-law-enforcement-survival-summit/ The Wounded Blue - Lt. Randy Sutton's charity https://thewoundedblue.org/ Rescuing 911: The Fight For America's Safety - by Lt. Randy Sutton https://rescuing911.org/ They're Lying: The Media, The Left, and The Death of George Floyd - by Liz Collin https://thelieexposed.com/ Content Partners: ThisIsButter - One of the BEST law enforcement video channels https://www.youtube.com/c/ThisIsButter1/ The Free Press - LEO Round Table is in their Cops and Crimes section 5 days a week https://www.tampafp.com/ https://www.tampafp.com/category/cops-and-crime/ Video Show Schedule: Mondays at 7pm ET - 90 minute LIVE show on YouTube, Facebook1, Facebook2, LinkedIn and Twitter Tue - Sat at 9am ET - Excerpts from LIVE show are uploaded to YouTube and Rumble (approx. time) Syndicated Radio Schedule: http://leoroundtable.com/radio/syndicated-radio-stations/ Podcasts: Website: http://leoroundtable.com/ Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/leoroundtable YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/leoroundtable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leoroundtable/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LEORoundTable LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/leo-round-table Sponsors: MotionDSP https://www.motiondsp.com/ Bang Energy - Energy drinks and products https://bangenergy.com/ The International Firearm Specialist Academy - The New Standard for Firearm Knowledge https://www.gunlearn.com/ Guardian Alliance Technologies - Hire Smarter, Investigate Applicants with Precision & Speed https://guardianalliancetechnologies.com/ MyMedicare.live - save money in Medicare insurance options from the experts http://www.mymedicare.live/ TAC-TOTE - Rapid access and deployment with magnetic technology https://tac-tote.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leoroundtable/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/leoroundtable/support
This week Mysonne and Tamika speak with Attorney Lee Merritt about the recent viral video that shows a ‘physical altercation' between Atlanta police officer and an Ohio woman, after her refusal to sign a ticket. They also, go more in depth about the responsibilities of a police officer. Later on in the episode, they also speak with the sisters of Sean Monterrosa, a 22-year-old Latino American man who was fatally shot on June 2, 2020, by Vallejo police officer Jarrett Tonn, and discuss the different actions they are taking to get justice for their brother. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Vallejo Police Det. Jarrett Tonn shot Sean Monterrosa in the back of the head on June 2, 2020, amid wide-scale looting following the police murder of George Floyd in Mineapolis. Since then, Tonn's been fired — and soon likely rehired — and the California Attorney General is still deciding whether he'll face criminal charges. At the same time, Sean's sisters, Michelle and Ashley, are trying to avoid burning out while fighting for justice for Sean and on behalf of the dozens of other families impacted by police killings in Vallejo. EPISODE: [scanner traffic] In the early morning hours of June 2nd 2020… caravans of burglars continued to break into businesses all over Solano County… stealing what they could… trying to get guns, pot, cash and prescription medications. As police officers from across the area scattered throughout the city to respond to the roving thefts… SCANNER: If anybody passes that, we're coming from Concord. …Vallejo Police Detective Jarrett Tonn… badge number 673 and a member of the department's SWAT team… was scared. He'd heard ANTIFA was coming to town. TONN: And there had also been some online social media chatter about specifically those people and Antifa actually, coming into Vallejo to, to do violence and cause harm. Shortly after midnight… Tonn and two other detectives witnessed a group of people breaking into the Walgreens on Redwood Street. Captain Lee Horton… badge number 5-43… told them to drive into the parking lot… as he went around the back… hoping to box in the looters. As the detectives drove in… Horton warned over the radio… that the suspects could have weapons. HORTON: Wearing all black. It looks like they're armed. Possibly armed. Horton would later tell internal investigators… he broadcasted out that the subjects were possibly armed… because one of them had something in his hand. HORTON: I saw some kind of object in his hand but I couldn't identify what it was. That person was 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa… a first generation San Francisco native…and the son of Argentinian immigrants. A carpenter by trade… Sean had a roofing hammer tucked into the pocket of his hoodie. Video surveillance footage released by Vallejo police shows him trying to break into a locked cabinet in the Walgreens pharmacy… just minutes before he was killed. SCANNER: Shots fired. Suspect down. DISPATCHER: Copy. Shots fired, suspect down on Redwood. Tonn… who had already been involved in three shootings since joining Vallejo police in 2014… was sitting in the middle of the backseat of an unmarked pickup truck. Before it had even come to a full stop… he fired his high-powered rifle five times through the truck's windshield… hitting Monterrosa once in the back of the head… killing him instantly. TONN: Hey, he pointed a gun at us. TONN 2: Hey, he tried to pull a gun out on you know, pointed a gun at us. Despite finding out that the suspected gun was actually a hammer… Vallejo internal affairs investigator… Detective Kevin Rose… badge number 680… let Tonn run with the idea that he found himself in immediate danger. ROSE: Do you feel like you had any other options? TONN: No, none whatsoever. ROSE: Were the suspects immediate actions prior to your firing your weapon indicative of any other action to you? TONN: The only thing and again, this is why I say, now that I know after the fact I'm 100% baffled of what could have happened. Everything he did at that time, and still my mind that was the actions of someone who is going to take you know, you know, attack us and try to kill us… [fade under] Sean's death came in the middle of international protests over the police murder of George Floyd… which happend just a week earlier. Sean's killing thrust his older sister Michelle… and younger sister Ashley… first into a panicked rush for answers… and now a years-long quest for justice… that they're still figuring out how to sustain. MICHELLE: Fuck the police, fuck the police, fuck the pigs, took my brother, too. And I don't want anyone to go through what we went through. Enough is enough… ASHLEY: We just buried our brother yesterday… The Monterrosa sisters vowed to be the last family to have a loved one killed by the Vallejo Police Department. Officers there have shot and killed 18 people since 2010. As of this recording… current Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams… the first Black man to hold the seat… has managed to keep his officers from killing anyone for the last two years… something the department hasn't been able to do for decades. But following the killing of Sean Monterrosa… something different happened. KQED's THE BAY: Ericka Cruz Guevarra: Vallejo police chief Shawny Williams has served a notice of intent to fire officer Jarrett Taan who shot and killed 22 year old Sean Monterosa in June of last year. Sukey Lewis: This is a really big step for the city in terms of being able to point to something to show you know civilians who have been criticizing the police department and the accountability process that look we're firing moving to fire this officer who you know was involved in this very high profile controversial shooting. In December… Jarett Tonn became the first Vallejo police officer in at least 20 years to lose his job… directly related to killing someone on-duty. It was one of several reforms Michelle and Ashley are happy to see finally happening within the Vallejo Police Department. MICHELLE: We've seen progress and it took a lot for us to step back and kind of analyze the wins the many victories and wins we've had in between, obviously, the Attorney General taking on the case was huge too, Tonn being fired is huge. That was until last Friday… when sources confirmed to the Vallejo Sun that Jarrett Tonn is likely to get his job back… because a mandatory review hearing for law enforcement officers facing discipline… overturned his termination for use of force violations. While the Monterrosa family was upset about Tonn returning to the Vallejo Police Department… they still await to hear whether he'll be charged with a crime. MICHELLE: There's a lot of little things playing but I don't think the outcomes are any different, or demands are still always the same… the California DOJ can bring, go arrest him and bring those charges forward. State Attorney General Rob Bonta agreed to investigate Monterrosa's killing… but only after his predecessor… Xavier Becerra… and Solano County District Attorney Krishna Abrams… both refused. BONTA: Jobs have easy parts and they have hard parts and it's really important that we do all the parts of our jobs. Sometimes a specific issue or case has a lot of public interest and public scrutiny, we must still do our job in those cases. The shooting remains a political issue in the hotly contested Solano County DA's race. Abrams' opponent… Chief Deputy DA Sharon Henry… says Abrams abdicated her responsibility. HENRY: Officer involved shootings, those decisions should be made by the local district attorney. If a shooting happens in Solano County, the decision should be made by the Solano County DA. My name is Brian Krans. I'm a reporter with the Vallejo Sun. In this episode… we're going to look back on the Vallejo police killing of Sean Monterrosa two years later… ONE YEAR RALLY: Song: “...Sean Monterrosa…” We're also going to cover why the police killing is still a major political issue at the county and state level… and hear from the Monterrosa sisters about their fight for justice… while grieving in public… and still trying to find some semblance of normalcy in their lives. ASHLEY: We can scream and bleed and do whatever we can and sometimes they just won't even listen. And it's like we're screaming at a brick wall. Sometimes that's what it feels. Yeah. MICHELLE: It's just a lot and you know, the system expects families to keep going, keep trying to like, find normality after all, all of this, and it's hard for everyone. Everyone interprets trauma differently. But it's just fucked up [laughs]. Yeah INTRO
In Solano County, two high-profile police killings loom large over the race for District Attorney on June 7. That's because the incumbent, Krishna Abrams, recused herself from investigating the deaths of Willie McCoy in 2019 and Sean Monterrosa in 2020, citing the public's lack of confidence in her office.Now she's running against her own chief deputy DA, Sharon Henry, who argues that the DA's office hasn't been independent enough to make tough, politically fraught decisions. Guest: Scott Morris, investigative reporter with the Vallejo Sun Related links: KQED's 2022 Voter Guide Solano DA candidates Abrams, Henry debate equity, accountability in ACLU forum Incumbents lead fundraising in Solano Sheriff, DA's race The Life and Death of Willie McCoy This episode was edited and produced by Maria Esquinca and Alan Montecillo, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra
Dramos is joined by activist and head of Gathering For Justice to deep dive into police killings in the Latin community, why the statistic don't show the real problem, why our stories are rarely heard and what we can do.Sean Monterrosa sisters interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJUCt5G31Rc Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This episode contains descriptions of police violence. After Vallejo police officer Jarrett Tonn shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2, 2020, the Vallejo Police Department hired the OIR Group, a firm that provides independent reviews of police actions, to investigate what happened the night of Monterrosa's death. The findings of the yearlong investigation were released earlier this month. They conclude that the officers involved in the shooting failed to follow department policy and de-escalate the situation. In response, Chief Shawny Williams has served Tonn with a letter saying that he plans to fire him, though Tonn can still appeal this decision. Criminal investigators from Vallejo and the DA's office interviewed the officers, including Jarrett Tonn, after the shooting — and these recordings are now available. What investigators found provides some clues into Tonn's mindset on that evening, and why Vallejo PD has decided to fire him. Guest: Sukey Lewis, KQED criminal justice reporter and host of On Our Watch This episode was produced by Alan Montecillo, Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Carlos Cabrera-Lomelí, and hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra.
Ohio man who ‘didn't say anything' before shooting into car and killing two of three teens found smoking in his garage was convicted in their deaths, faces life sentence. A Vallejo cop was fired for the unreasonable and unlawful shooting of Sean Monterrosa a year ago. Tucker Carlson just said contracting covid “feminizes people.” An anti-vaxxer ‘karen' sings a Christmas song at a county board meeting. A Kentucky sheriff is wanted on assault charges after allegedly punching a girl at a basketball game. Jersey City's New Police Chief Has Never Been a Cop. California Attorney General to investigate Torrance police after racist text scandal. 2 arrested after a fight over Splenda at a restaurant.Co-Host: Sen. Nina TurnerRead And View More HERE:Ohio Man Who ‘Didn't Say Anything' Before Shooting Into Car and Killing Two of Three Teens Found Smoking In His Garage Was Convicted In Their Deaths, Faces Life SentenceVallejo detective facing termination said there was no option ‘whatsoever' but to kill Sean MonterrosaOMG! Tucker Carlson just said contracting covid “feminizes people.”AntiVax Christmas Song - San Diego County Board MeetingKentucky sheriff wanted on assault charge after allegedly punching girl at basketball gameJersey City's New Police Chief Has Never Been a CopTorrance police traded racist, homophobic texts. It could jeopardize hundreds of cases2 arrested after Splenda melee at McDonald's brings ‘national embarrassment' See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
It’s almost been a year since Vallejo police officer Jarrett Tonn shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2, as protests against police violence were happening nationwide. Last week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced his office would review the investigation. Monterrosa’s family — and those who have been fighting for more police reform in Vallejo — hope this is a turning point in police accountability in the city, and even across the state. Guest: Brian Krans, freelance reporter Subscribe to our newsletter here.
What are threats to youth wellness? In episode 2, “Threats to Youth Wellness”, we hear from: Professor Kevin Nadal, Ph.D introducing the concept of microagressions and intersectional trauma to remind of the daily traumas that compromise youth wellness. A Q&A with Ashley Monterrosa, a youth activist thrust into activism after the killing of her brother Sean Monterrosa at the hands of the Vallejo Police Department. A reflection by Professor Kenjus T. Watson, on schooling, loss, and reclamation of self in community. Drawing From the Well is hosted by Tiffani Marie and is produced by Jon Reyes. Music by King Most. DFTW is supported by Community Responsive Education, continue the conversation at wellnessmovement.co
Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, sisters of Sean Monterrosa, murdered victim of the Vallejo Police Department earlier this Summer, joined the Advocate Daily Podcast to talk about the love they hold for their brother and the strength his memory still gives them. There have been reports in the past that Vallejo PD officers bend their badges to signify having killed someone. Where can trust be found in a community when the police department acts as a cult rather than an entity to protect and serve ALL residents? The Monterrosa sisters harrowingly and passionately embark on a journey exploring Sean's last day, how his martyrdom inspires them to advocate for other persecuted souls, and why the system isn't "broken," it was built to protect the installation and ideology of white supremacy. A revolution is necessary. The Gathering For Justice's mission can be found here. And always stay looped in on KultureHub.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kulture-hub/support
Interview with Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa https://kpfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Sean-Monterrosa_5.04.mp3 jQuery(document).ready(function($) { var media = $('#audio-343729-55'); media.on('canplay', function (ev) { this.currentTime = 0; }); }); ThisIsLucyKang · “Sean died for a bigger cause”: Remembering Sean Monterrosa Twenty-two year-old San Francisco resident Sean Monterrosa was unarmed and kneeling with his hands raised when Vallejo Police Officer Jarrett Tonn fatally shot him through the windshield of a moving police vehicle in a Walgreens parking lot during the early morning hours of June 2nd. The family couldn't get any answers from the police that night. Instead, it took a day and a half for the police department to admit an officer had killed someone, and the police union filed a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of the names of officers involved. Later it was discovered that vital evidence, the windshield from the police car, had been destroyed, prompting an investigation by the California Department of Justice. Sean was shot less than an hour from when he sent his last text message to his sisters. Vallejo Police Officer Jarrett Tonn has been involved in multiple shootings in recent years. The Vallejo Police Department is currently under investigation for the alleged practice of bending their badges to commemorate fatal shootings, first reported by Open Vallejo. The Vallejo Police Department is the third most murderous police department in California. The following is an edited excerpt from a longer interview with Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, Sean's sisters: ______ MM: I'm Michelle Monterrosa. I'm Sean Monterrosa's oldest sibling. AM: I'm Ashley Monterrosa, and I'm Sean's baby sister. MM: And we shared a bedroom with Sean. So no matter what, we were always very close. So we, even though we're all two years apart – AM: It felt like triplets. MM: Yeah. And my little sister, Ashley here, she's lived through Sean and I, you know, on what to do and not to do. AM: I feel like an old lady because I've lived through them that I know like, okay, I know what not to do. And I feel like I've lived so much through them. You know, for me being the younger sister, I was Robin and Sean was Batman. Like I was always with him. He was always on the driver's seat. And I was always on the passenger seat. And we were just always together. So, you know, there's nothing we won't do for Sean. And there's nothing I won't do for Michelle, and vice versa. Photo: Sean Monterrosa (center) with his parents Neftali and Laura MM: You can ask all his teachers, And a lot of teachers say we're not supposed to favor students. But all his teachers said that he was one person that shed such light. There was a light from him that… It's one face you can never forget. He read 50 books within one semester. It's hard enough to get kids in high school to even want to read one or two, right? But Sean kept telling her, I need more books, I need more books. Cause he was so… My dad reads and I think he – AM: He was hungry for knowledge. Always. MM: I remember his main books that we have at home was The 48 Laws of Power, the Malcolm X autobiography, Assata Shakur, you know, just literature related to social justice. He was always about empowering himself and empowering the people, but also educating himself on history that we're not taught. He always spoke for the voiceless. AM: And Sean would always take off his shirt to give to the next person and give his very last dime to help the other person. MM: And I do believe my brother came to this lifetime to fight. You know, his life was a fight every day. You know, being a young Latino man, you already have all adversities against you. AM: Yeah. MM: He was an awesome person. We got a text message from him at 11:49 for us to sign a petition – AM: On June 1st. MM: On June 1st, to get George Floyd justice. And we both signed it. So after that, we didn't think of anything. We were like, okay, he didn't respond, let's go to bed, right? I'm already asleep. And then this girl my brother had just met and started kind of talking to calls us saying Sean's dead, Sean's dead, hysterically crying. And after that call, I went and instantly got on my knees and prayed in the kitchen. My parents are asleep and they're freaking out, what's going on? And this is while we have curfew in place. AM: We weren't allowed to go out after 8PM. MM: And I said, forget the rules. It's Sean. I got to go figure out what's going on. So she had mentioned that it was Vallejo. And me and Ashley were like Vallejo, what are they doing in Vallejo? AM: And luckily we all shared, all three of us shared our locations with each other. So we thought something had gone wrong. MM: So we go over there. Me and Ashley however, the whole time we were driving out there, the whole time, we were sick. I've never felt so sick. And I do truly believe that you're connected to your loved ones. You know, you instantly feel when something's not right. And my stomach was upset. I wanted to throw up the whole night. AM: Yeah, the entire drive to Vallejo, even before getting on the Bay Bridge, Michelle wanted to throw up. And for me, I had really strong stomach pains, like really bad. MM: And we've never felt like that. And I truly believe maybe it was his spirit letting us know. AM: And just the nerves overall cause we didn't know what we were going to encounter once we got there. MM: So we didn't get many answers there. We knew that the police murdered Sean. We didn't know how. We just knew that – AM: It had happened. MM: It had happened. But we all know at the end of the day, my brother wasn't over there looking to go shoot a cop or anything, you know. AM: He didn't even have a gun at the end of the day MM: And you know, nothing, nothing in this world will make sense to why Jarrett Tonn did what he did. AM: He was shot in the neck and out the head. They flipped him over and handcuffed him and kept my brother in handcuffs until the paramedics came. MM: And it just goes to show how fearful these cops are when unarmed Black and brown men are, you know – AM: Even dead, you're still scared of them. MM: You're so scared of them. You still have to handcuff and knowing that you already have… That entry wound, we all know it. There's no really survival chances, you know. And that's something that still hurts. They didn't give him a chance. AM: The car didn't even stop. Jarrett Tonn was in the backseat. There was no reason for him to quote, unquote, fear for his life. “At the end of the day, Jarrett Tonn cannot be the executioner, cannot be the judge to take my brother's life. Whatever my brother was doing, it's not punishable by death. And it just hurts.” – Michelle Monterrosa MM: At the end of the day, Jarrett Tonn cannot be the executioner, cannot be the judge to take my brother's life. Whatever my brother was doing, it's not punishable by death. And it just hurts. But I promise, I promise to never stop fighting for Sean and the other voiceless in Vallejo. AM: You know, Sean's a martyr now. And martyrs never die. And, you know, Sean died for a bigger cause. MM: And it just goes to show at the end of the day that my brother's name will not die in vain. And I feel like my brother, with his last text message, it was a message to us to continue to fight. ______ This story is part of the series TAKEN FROM US: Remembering lives lost to police violence. This piece was reported and recorded by Chris Lee and edited and produced by Lucy Kang. First aired on UpFront on September 17, 2020. The post “Sean died for a bigger cause”: Remembering Sean Monterrosa appeared first on KPFA.
Protester in London denouncing the US Muslim ban, which like the ending of temporary protected status (TPS) are part of the Trump Administrations policies to alienate and criminalize immigrants to the US. (Photo: Wikipedia) 0:08 – Behind the new unemployment numbers Michele Evermore (@EvermoreMichele) is a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project in Washington, D.C. focusing on social insurance. 0:25 – KPFA News: The Census Bureau recently released statistics on poverty, income, and health insurance coverage for last year. It shows median household income in 2019 increased 6.8% from 2018, and the official poverty rate decreased 1.3 percentage points — all before COVID hit. KPFA's Linda Khoury has more. 0:34 – South Bay sweeps threaten curbside communities, as several shelters close permanently Aug 15. Caltrans has scheduled a sweep for today, and Cupertino has a sweep scheduled Sep 21. Shaunn Cartwright is an advocate with the ‘Unhoused Response Group,' which formed at the beginning of the pandemic and advocates and supports curbside communities in the South Bay. 0:49 – In another edition from our series Taken from Us, we hear from Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa, the sisters of 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa. Sean was unarmed and kneeling with his hands raised when Vallejo Police Officer Jarrett Tonn fatally shot him through the windshield of a moving police vehicle in a Walgreens parking lot during the early morning hours of June 2nd. The family couldn't get any answers from the police that night. Instead, it took a day and a half for the police department to admit an officer had killed someone, and the police union filed a temporary restraining order to prevent the release of the names of officers involved. Later it was discovered that vital evidence, the windshield from the police car, had been destroyed, prompting an investigation by the California Department of Justice. Our reporter Chris Lee (@chrislee_xyz) spoke with Sean's two sisters in San Francisco, where he was born and raised. There is a car caravan to demand justice this Saturday, Sep 19th at 12 noon at Holly Park in San Francisco. Michelle and Ashley Monterrosa are currently fundraising and working with Bay Area artist Oree Originol to display pictures of Sean and other victims of police violence on a billboard space directly in front of the Vallejo Police Department. 1:08 – The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Trump's repeal of TPS protections for 400,000 people Rosa Carranza is a Bay Area activist, preschool teacher, and TPS recipient herself. 1:20 – Is California Waste Solutions laundering money and bribing Oakland City officials? The Oakland Public Ethics Commission and The Oaklandside are investigating. Darwin Bond Graham is news editor of the Oaklandside. His latest investigation is Accusations of political ‘money laundering' under investigation in Oakland. 1:34 – How can outdoor performing arts happen in SF. And how to do it safely. Andrew Wood is Director of the SF International Arts Fest, which is calling for the reopening of outdoor sites for the performing arts. 1:45 – The Oakland International Film Festival kicks off today (Sep 17-27) David Roach is the director of the Oakland International Film Festival, now in its 18th year and virtual. The festival will feature 68 filmmakers and kicks off *today, Thursday Sep 17 at 3pm with the film, We Are the Dream, The Kids of the MLK Oratorical Festival and panel discussion. The post “We live in distress” One Oakland teacher on 9th Circuit upholding Trumps revoking TPS for 400,000 people; Plus: San Jose, Cupertino scheduling homeless sweeps, despite COVID moratorium appeared first on KPFA.
Front entrance to Oakland Technical High School. Oakland Unified School District reopened on Monday without an agreement with the union OEA on how to safely reopen schools. On this show: 0:08 – Oakland Unified School District reopened, virtually, on Monday — but without a union agreement. So what does this mean for teachers and academic instruction? We're joined by Chaz Garcia, an OUSD teacher and 2nd Vice President of the Oakland Education Association, and Roseann Torres, who represents District 5 on the Oakland Unified School Board. 0:35 – Attorneys for the family of Sean Monterrosa have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Vallejo Police Department and the officer who killed the 22-year-old man. They're calling the fatal police shooting “flat out murder.” KPFA's Chris Lee (@chrislee_xyz) reports. 0:40 – John Burris is a civil rights attorney representing the family of Sean Monterrosa, shot and killed by Vallejo Police on June 2. He says this case, in which the police union has destroyed evidence to avoid repercussions, is just one example of the Vallejo Police acting “out of control.” 0:54 – In the final installment of our series “Taken From Us,” we remember Oscar Grant. In 2009, a BART police officer shot and killed 22-year-old Grant at Fruitvale BART Station, prompting mass protests in Oakland. KPFA's Chris Lee (@chrislee_xyz) spoke to Wanda Johnson, Oscar's mother, for the latest story in our series “Taken From Us” about the lives of those killed by police violence. This story was edited by Lucy Kang (@ThisIsLucyKang). 1:08 – Last week, a massive explosion caused by the detonation of unsafely stored ammonium nitrate decimated about a quarter of Lebanon's capital city, Beirut, killing more than 200 people and destroying three hospitals, the city's port, and the homes of an estimated 200,000 people.We're joined by Rania Masri (@rania_masri), a Lebanese-American academic, activist, human rights advocate and professor of environmental science, currently in Beirut. She calls for political responsibility and asks, “What kind of a political system is it that allows for this level of incompetence?” 1:20 – Four million Californians may be at risk of COVID evictions by September, and homelessness is expected to increase by 20% in just one month. Melvin Willis, an organizer for ACCE in Contra Costa County and member of Richmond City Council, joins us for a conversation about these looming evictions and ACCE organizing for AB 1436, which would strengthen eviction protections while creating a way for landlords to still get paid. 1:41 – Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey's husband, David Lacey, is facing charges for pulling a gun on Black Lives Matter protester Melina Abdullah (@DocMellyMel) and saying “I will shoot you.” Melina joins us to discuss the incident. She is the chair of Pan-African Studies at Cal State-LA and the co-founder of the LA chapter of Black Lives Matter. 1:50 – Wealthy Democratic donor Ed Buck is facing four new felony charges. For more, we're joined by Jasmyne Cannick (@Jasmyne), a strategist and political commentator based in Los Angeles. She's a lead organizer in the movement for justice for Timothy Dean and Gemmel Moore, two Black gay men found dead at the home of Ed Buck. The post OUSD reopens without union agreement; attorney representing Sean Monterrosa's family says Vallejo PD is “out of control”; and Lebanese activist calls for political responsibility in wake of explosion appeared first on KPFA.
Sean Monterrosa was shot and killed a few weeks in Vallejo, California. Unfortunately, Vallejo has the highest per capita killings by police in the state. I'm doing a 2 part episode on the city and 2 major killings. This episode is part 1 of 2 in unraveling two of two killings on two young men since 2019.References available at: www.afewbadapplespodcast.com
Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Attorney General William Barr scrutinized at House Judiciary hearing for using troops at protests. Senior National Guard Commander says troops used excessive force on protesters. Mayors urge funding for cities in next coronavirus relief bill, after Republican plan excludes it. President Donald Trump promotes false video about coronavirus, questions experts. California sues Trump administration's plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from census count. San Francisco unions speak out against police killing of Sean Monterrosa in Vallejo. Image by Bill Oxford on Unsplash.com The post House Democrats grill Attorney General over troop deployment to quash protests; California sues Trump administration's plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from census count appeared first on KPFA.
Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. Attorney General William Barr scrutinized at House Judiciary hearing for using troops at protests. Senior National Guard Commander says troops used excessive force on protesters. Mayors urge funding for cities in next coronavirus relief bill, after Republican plan excludes it. President Donald Trump promotes false video about coronavirus, questions experts. California sues Trump administration's plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from census count. San Francisco unions speak out against police killing of Sean Monterrosa in Vallejo. Image by Bill Oxford on Unsplash.com The post House Democrats grill Attorney General over troop deployment to quash protests; California sues Trump administration's plan to exclude undocumented immigrants from census count appeared first on KPFA.
Courthouse in the Muscogee Creek Nation, whose territory was at question in McGirt v. Oklahoma On this show: 0:08 – The latest unemployment filing numbers are out, more than 1 million new claims are still being filed each week — but analyzing the number is difficult, because of the enormous backlog that exists. Dean Baker, senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and K. Sabeel Rahman, president of Demos, join us. 0:34 – What are you dealing with during Covid-19? We take listener calls: One person calls to urge a Green New Deal, teachers call in to express frustration with Fresno schools reopening, a healthcare worker says seeing people in their city without masks on makes them feel “disposable,” and a homeowner wants to see mortgage relief from the government. 1:08 – The Vallejo Police Department has released a highly-produced video that contains body camera footage from the night Sean Monterrosa was shot and killed by officer Jarrett Tonn — but none of it shows Sean in the moment he was gunned down. Brian Krans (@citizenkrans) is an independent investigative reporter and producer working with Open Vallejo. He joins us, as well as John Burris, civil rights lawyer representing the family of Sean Monterrosa. The family is calling for VPD chief Shawny Williams to resign and says they suspect there is more video to be obtained. 1:20 – Today was the last day for Supreme Court opinions during this term. In two major opinions, Trump v. Mazars and Trump v. Vance, the court gave Manhattan's attorney but not Congress access to the president's tax returns. Marjorie Cohn (@marjoriecohn) is a professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and former president of the National Lawyers Guild. You can read her articles at marjoriecohn.com. 1:33 – In a 5-4 decision with liberal justices and Gorsuch in the majority, the Supreme Court has decided in McGirt v. Oklahoma that most of eastern Oklahoma is Native American reservation territory. It's a major decision for tribal sovereignty and for the Muscogee Creek Nation – we hear response from Joel West Williams, citizen of the Cherokee Nation and staff attorney at Native American Rights Fund. 1:46 – In two decisions Wednesday, the Supreme Court decided that Catholic schools can discriminate against teachers on the basis of age or disability, and also that employers don't have to cover birth control for workers. Imani Gandy (@AngryBlackLady), Senior Editor of Law and Policy at Rewire.News and co-host of the podcast Boom! Lawyered, joins us to talk about the two cases, Little Sisters of the Poor and Our Lady of Guadalupe. The post Supreme Court rules half of Oklahoma is Indigenous land; Vallejo Police release edited video of Sean Monterrosa killing; Unemployment claims are historic & unprecedented appeared first on KPFA.
0:08 – Could there be another stimulus check? Will Republicans block an extension of the paycheck protection program under the idea that the economy is recovering on its own? Mitch Jeserich, host of Letters & Politics weekdays at 10AM, joins us for “Mondays with Mitch.” We chat about new unemployment data and what it might mean for future aid packages, plus Black Lives Matter suing the White House over the violent removal of protesters in Lafayette Square, and House Democrats' new “policing reform” bill. 0:34 – John Burris, longtime civil rights attorney who has represented families of people killed by police violence, joins us to talk about why it's so hard to charge, prosecute and convict police. Burris is also involved in monitoring Oakland Police Department's negotiated settlement agreement, enacted after a massive police misconduct lawsuit in 2003. 1:08 – Assemblymember Shirley Weber represents California's District 79 and chairs the California Legislative Black Caucus. She has been outspoken this week against systemic racism in California and across the U.S. and talks about taking on police violence in state policy — including by changing the use of lethal force, making it easier to prosecute law enforcement and reforming an 1800s-era law that allowed police impunity after shooting people suspected of felonies. 1:34 – Augie Gonsalez Sr. talks about his son, Augie Gonsalez, a 29-year-old man shot and killed by Hayward Police on November 15, 2018. The Gonsalez family has been fighting for justice and an independent investigation for over a year. 1:45 – Sean Monterrosa, 22, was shot and killed on his knees last week by a Vallejo police officer. Lisa Davis, lead organizer for the Justice Coalition of Vallejo, talks about the struggle for justice for Sean and all of the recent victims of Vallejo's police department. The post Why is it so hard to charge, prosecute and convict cops who kill? Plus, the pursuit of justice for Augie Gonsalez in Hayward and Sean Monterrosa in Vallejo appeared first on KPFA.
0:08 – The NYPD's budget is nearly $6 billion. How do activists go about defunding it? We talk with Alex Vitale, professor of sociology and coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College, and the author of The End of Policing. Vitale has been outspoken this month in calling to defund NYPD. 0:34 – On Wednesday, three Oakland councilmembers sent a letter to Mayor Libby Schaaf demanding that she order Oakland Police to cease their use of tear gas against protesters. Meanwhile, medical professionals are sounding the alarm about dangerous respiratory irritants increasing illness and the risk of Covid-19 transmission. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong is an infectious disease specialist at UCSF. He helped to coordinate a petition asking law enforcement to stop using tear gas on protesters because of the Covid-19 pandemic. 0:38 – We take your calls about protester safety during the time of coronavirus and police repression. 1:08 – Will SF stop police with histories of abuse from getting jobs in the city? San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin and SF Supervisor Shamann Walton are pushing a resolution that would prevent the hiring of “problem cops” – officers with misconduct on their records. Boudin is also leading a push to bar police unions from pouring cash into prosecutor elections. 1:22 – Vallejo Police shot and killed 22-year-old San Francisco resident Sean Monterrosa on Monday night while he was kneeling. Brian Krans (@citizenkrans), independent journalist and contributor to Open Vallejo, gives an update on what we know about the killing. 1:34 – Who's benefiting from relief from the Treasury during the coronavirus crisis? David Dayen (@ddayen) of The American Prospect talks about why the stock market is recovering, but workers aren't. 1:52 – An estimated 8,000 people took to the streets of Oakland last night in a protest called “Fuck Your Curfew,” in defiance of the county-wide 8PM curfew in Alameda County, and in protest of police repression Monday against young people protesting police brutality. Lucy Kang (@ThisIsLucyKang) and Ariel Boone (@arielboone) report from Oakland. Photo from Indybay. The post Alex Vitale on how to defund the $6 billion NYPD; Medical community demands police stop tear gassing protesters during Covid; SF could stop hiring cops with misconduct records appeared first on KPFA.
On this show: 0:08 – Is organized labor poised to expel police unions? We talk with Bill Fletcher, Jr., long-time writer and social justice activist, with work in the trade union movement, electoral politics and international affairs. 1:08 – John Eligon is a national correspondent for the New York Times covering race. He has been in Minneapolis reporting on the uprising after the police killing of George Floyd. 1:34 – Vallejo police shot and killed another person on Tuesday. Brian Krans, independent journalist, contributor to Open Vallejo, joins us. Editor's note 9/2/2020: The name of the shooting victim is Sean Monterrosa. 1:45 – What does defunding the police look like in Oakland? James Burch is Policy Coordinator with the Anti-Police Terror Project. The post Vallejo police shoot and kill unarmed man; plus, John Eligon on the uprising for George Floyd in Minneapolis appeared first on KPFA.