Community Meeting Demands Justice for Luis Gutierrez

Community Meeting Demands Justice for Luis Gutierrez Navarro, Farmworker Killed by Sheriffs on April 30 in Woodland, Calif.

El Organizador/The Organizer
By Our Correspondent

On May 20, more than 200 people gathered at a community meeting in Woodland, Calif., to protest the police killing on April 30 of farmworker Luis Gutierrez Navarro. The meeting was convened by the Sacramento chapter of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA/AFL-CIO) and was endorsed by 16 labor and community organizations.

Al Rojas, vice president of Sacramento LCLAA, opened the meeting and reviewed the known facts in the case:

Luis Gutierrez, age 26, was shot at six times,several in the back by Yolo County Sheriffs one block from his house. He was returning home from a drivers' exam to have lunch with his mom, as was his custom. He was one of an estimated 11,000 farmworkers who toil the fields around Woodland, in Yolo County.

Though Gutierrez had no police record and was not known to belong to any gang, he was stopped by the Woodland sheriff's gang injunction task force -- a unit known widely among Latinos and civil rights activists for harassing, and often violently repressing, Latino youth.

Police involved in the shooting initially claimed that they fired four gunshots after Gutierrez charged them, brandishing a knife. A coroner's report, however, revealed that Gutierrez was killed by six shots, all to the back.

Al Rojas went on to note than an independent investigation is needed to ascertain all the facts in this case, including an answer as to why Gutierrez was stopped by the anti-gang unit in the first place. Rojas' comments were echoed by Sacramento civil rights attorney Mark Merin.

One of the many speakers who spoke up during the discussion was Sylvina Frausto, secretary of the Rev. Uriel Ojeda, the priest of the Gutierrez Navarro family. Ms. Frausto called on the community to unite in the struggle to combat discrimination in the police department. A private investigator who says he has interviewed three witnesses also spoke a nd said he would be soon be disclosing the results of his inquiries.

Solidarity statements were also presented by Laila Ashaq, a representative of the Council on Islamic Relations; the Rev. Ashiya Odeye, representative of the Community Justice Coalition; Luis Magaña, representative of the Yolo County American Friends Service Committee (AFSC); and CT Weber, representative of the Peace and Freedom Party.

A representative from the Mexican Consulate in Sacramento also addressed the meeting and expressed support for the community's effort to secure an independent investigation into this death.

Desiree Rojas, president of Sacramento LCLAA, was one of the panelists. She expressed her outrage over the conduct of the Woodland Police Department and put forward four proposals needed to win justice for Luis Gutierrez -- all of which were supported unanimously by the gathering:

- organize a peaceful march vigil in solidarity with the family and to demand an independent state and federal investigation into the death of Luis Gutierrez Navarro, with=2 0possible criminal charges brought against the police for murder;

- meet with the Yolo Country Board of Supervisors

- meet with the Woodland City Council;

- demand a halt to all "Gang Suppression" routine stops by both city police and county sheriffs.

Al Rojas concluded the community meeting with the chant, "¿Que Queremos [What Do We Want]? Justicia!" - ¿Cuando La Queremos [When Do We Want It]? Ahora!"

For more information, contact: Al Rojas, (916) 712-4251 cell, http://www.lclaasacramento.com
Labor Council for Latin American Advancement AFL-CIO
Frente de Mexicanos en el Exterior (FME)


NEXT "JUSTICE COALITION"
COMMUNITY MEETING :

THURSDAY MAY 28TH, 2009
PRESS CONFERENCE AT 6:OO PM
COMMUNITY MEETING AT :630 PM
WOODLAND COMMUNITY CENTER
2100 EAST STREET
Woodland California 95695