Justice for Alan Blueford Coalition Denounces DA Exoneration of Masso: video, photos & PDFs

by Dave Id

Sat, Nov 10, 2012 12:18AM

On October 2nd, facts surrounding the shooting death of Alan Blueford finally began to come to light. Alan Blueford's parents were provided copies of police and coroner reports on the killing of their son. Those reports were redacted by authorities yet still provide insight into a number of the circumstances surrounding the murder of an unarmed teenager by Oakland police officer Miguel Masso. One sad fact is that Alan Blueford's last words were, "I didn't do anything," before officer Masso gunned him down. On October 3rd, Alameda County district attorney Nancy O'Malley's office issued the results their "investigation" into the shooting, effectively exonerating Masso of any criminal liability in the case. The DA's report relies almost entirely on Masso's account and ignores contradictory witness statements and factual evidence. For instance, Masso claimed that Alan Blueford was holding a gun when Masso first shot him, but the crime scene report says that a gun was found twenty feet away from Alan Blueford (although no forensic photographs were made of the location of this gun). Nancy O'Malley's report makes no mention of the gun being so far from the deceased Alan Blueford. Likewise, O'Malley's report completely ignores the discrepancy that Masso claimed to have first fired when Alan Blueford was still on his feet, yet eleven witnesses stated that Alan Blueford was on the ground before Masso fired all three shots. On October 16th, Alan Blueford's family, attorneys, and supporters delivered an 8-page response to the District Attorney and held a press conference on the steps of the Alameda County court house to announce their disgust with the District Attorney's "biased and unprofessional" work (full video and PDFs below). The Justice for Alan Blueford Coalition (JAB) is continuing to press their demands for accountability by sponsoring the "Bay Area Families March Against Police Brutality" in downtown Oakland on November 10th.

[Pictured above: John Burris speaks to assembled media in front of the Alameda County court house on Fallon Street]

Introduction to JAB's response to DA's exoneration of Masso:

AN EXPOSE OF THE "INVESTIGATION OF THE SHOOTING DEATH OF ALAN BLUEFORD."
Report, dated October 3rd, 2012

TO: NANCY O'MALLEY, ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE OF ALAMEDA COUNTY
AS THEIR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

FROM: THE JUSTICE 4 ALAN BLUEFORD COALITION.

DATE: OCTOBER 16, 2012

INTRODUCTION

The Justice 4 Alan Blueford Coalition denounces the District Attorney's report on the shooting death of Alan Blueford issued October 3rd, 2012, written by Kenneth Mifsud, Senior Deputy District Attorney.

This report is biased and unprofessional, its workmanship so shoddy that it fails to meet the most basic standards of an investigative report. In particular it fails to explain the evidence; it states as facts physical locations and events that there is little or no support for other than Officer Masso's testimony; and it bases its conclusions almost entirely on the claims of a single individual, Officer Masso. Many of Officer Masso's claims are contradicted by several witnesses and some of them are unsupported by the evidence. The report makes no attempt to reconcile these contradictions.

The report issued was not worthy of the people of Alameda County, who elected a District Attorney to pursue the people's interest, not the interests of the Oakland Police Department, known far and wide for its reputation for lying, planting evidence, and refusing for nine years to reform itself while repeatedly promising to do so.

The Justice for Alan Blueford Coalition is pursuing an independent investigation into Alan’s death by the United States Attorney General and the Department of Justice (DOJ) and from our Attorney General of California, Kamala Harris.

(read the full expose below)

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STATEMENT OF DARRELL WHITMAN

I am employed as a Regional Investigator for the U.S. Department of Labor/OSHA. The central part of my work requires conducting witness interviews and evaluating physical evidence to determine factual events. It also requires reviewing and analyzing investigative documents from other federal agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Transportation, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

I believe the District Attorney’s Investigative Report into the death of Alan Blueford lacks professionalism and objectivity, and appears to be directed at swaying public opinion rather than establishing relevant facts.

(read the full statement below)

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For more information:

Justice 4 Alan Blueford
http://justice4alanblueford.org/

Bay Area Families March Against Police Brutality -- Saturday November 10th, 12:00pm
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/10/23/18724382.php

Call out the Alameda District Attorney! Justice 4 Alan Blueford Press Conference
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/10/13/18723674.php

Alan Blueford Press Conference on Released Oakland Police Reports, 10/5/12: video & photos
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/10/07/18723198.php

Blueford Supporters Get the Goods with City Council Disruptions; OPD Releases Police Reports: photos & PDFs
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/10/04/18723068.php

Alan Blueford Supporters Stand up for Justice at Oakland City Council Meeting
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/20/18722141.php

For more information: http://indybay.org/police

§Full video of press conference

by Dave Id

Sat, Nov 10, 2012 12:18AM