Do You Know Tamika?

The Lima PD knew she was a mother of six young children when they raided her home looking for her boyfriend. Tarika Wilson was shot and killed as she held her 1 year son who was shot in the shoulder. When Tarika’s neighbors informed her mother that the house was being raided she came to the house to see about her daughter and grandchildren, where police told her to “shut up and stay out of the way or you’ll be tazed”.

This all took place on January 4th of this year in Lima, Ohio where one in four residents is black. Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, a white police officer told jurors that he thought his life was in danger when he shot the unarmed Tarika as she held her son in her arms. Chavalia told jurors that he now knows the gunfire he heard was coming from downstairs, where other officers shot two charging pit bulls, but at the time “There was absolutely, positively no doubt in my mind right then and there that whoever this was is shooting at me. They're trying to kill me," Chavalia said. Chavalia pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor counts of negligent homicide and negligent assault. He faces up to eight months in jail if convicted of both counts. An all-white jury was selected on July 28, 2008, with a black woman and a white woman as alternates.

On Monday, August 4, 2008, Sgt Joseph Chavalia was acquitted.

Why was this “officer” charged with misdemeanors? In a town where one in four residents is Black, out of 12 people, there should have been some Blacks on the jury. Have you heard about this case? T.V./Radio coverage? Why isn’t anybody doing anything about this? What can you do?

Inform your Black talk, t.v./radio personalities. Inform you elected officials. Inform family, friends, and colleagues. This happens far, far too often and has been going on since the middle passage. This time it was Tamika next time it could be you or yours. It is time to insist that Black lives be valued.