In the five weeks since Mark Anthony Barmore was gunned down by police officers in an Illinois daycare center, answers remain elusive.

By all accounts, the 23-year-old African American man was unarmed when police officers Oda Poole and Stan North approached him in a church parking lot. Although Barmore was only wanted for questioning in a domestic dispute, officers pursued him with guns drawn, even after he ran into the church’s daycare facility. Minutes later Barmore was dead. The police shot him three times in the back as the center’s terrified children looked on.

The brutal, public nature of this killing has thrust the city of Rockford into the spotlight, and posed disturbing questions about accountability and the use of excessive force. While the official police report claims Barmore was shot after he reached for an officer’s gun, witnesses tell a different story. They say Barmore had already surrendered; that he was shot after emerging from a storage closet with his hands up. One witness, a teenage girl, says she was threatened by police if she did not change her story to conform to the official report.

It may be tempting to view this story exclusively through the prism of race, and, truth be told, many elements of the story indicate that race probably played a role in the decisions that were made that day. But the fact remains that police violence can happen to anyone, regardless of color or ethnicity.

According to Department of Justice figures, national incidents of police use of violence and deadly force has increased since the late 1990s nationally. While police misconduct has long been an unfortunate hallmark of some police departments in black and Hispanic communities, that reality is also found in some poor white communities. When malfeasance is not brought under control and good law enforcement rewarded the problem can grow.

Cheye Calvo, the white mayor of an affluent, predominantly white suburb of Berwyn heights, Maryland, learned that lesson last year when his house was stormed by police and his dogs shot in what law enforcement later admitted was a mistake. Berwyn Heights is part of Prince Georges County where complaints of police abuse against minorities were longstanding and rarely resolved. Several weeks ago, an unarmed double-leg amputee was tasered and jailed for nearly a week in Merced, California. This past summer, a white great-grandmother in Texas was tasered after failing to sign a ticket. After his ordeal, Calvo wrote, “a pattern and practice of police abuse treated with utter indifference rips at the fabric of our social compact and virtually guarantees more of the same.”

In Rockford, this was not the first shooting incident for either of the officers involved. In fact, one officer, 37-year-old Oda Poole, had already, shot three other people – one fatally – in his five short years with the Rockford police force. Mark Barmore’s tragic story has as much to do with negligence in oversight as it does with racial discrimination.

For this reason, the NAACP has formed a partnership with the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Amnesty International to bring attention to this tragedy. This weekend, we will gather in Rockford to march in the name of justice for Mark Barmore’s family. We are demanding that there be counseling provided for the young children who are showing symptoms of post traumatic stress after being forced to witness the horror of his death. Importantly, we will also be marching for systemic changes as well.

It is hard to believe, but the United States remains the only country in the Western world without national standards for the use of police force, or with ongoing federal training for officers. This lack of uniformity is one of the core factors behind the Rockford tragedy and far too many other police shootings across the nation. There are as many use-of-force policies as there are law enforcement agencies, and as many interpretations of those policies as there are law enforcement officers.

Later this year, Congressman John Conyers will reintroduce the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, which would mandate official standards for the use of force for every law enforcement agency from federal marshals to rank and file cops on the beat. We believe that the bill will help reduce the number of police tragedies like the death of Mark Barmore.

PALM BAY, Fla. -- An age-old punishment got a 32-year-old mother and her 41-year-old boyfriend from Palm Bay thrown in jail. An 8-year-old girl said a bad word over weekend, so the couple washed her mouth out with soap.

The little girl was hospitalized, but was released and put in the custody of the Department of Children and Families along with a sibling.

While you've probably heard of parents washing their kids’ mouth out with soap, police say in this case it wasn't just a form of discipline, it was abuse.

The couple is in hot water after attempting to discipline the 8-year-old girl using a bar of Irish Spring. Police say Wilfredo Rivera forced the little girl to chew on a half-bar of the green soap for 10 minutes after she said the "F" word.

Police said the little girl was foaming at the mouth and wasn't allowed to wash the soap out until she cleaned up her own vomit.

"The detectives handling this case believed it to the point of abuse, child abuse, and that it was malicious torture,” explained Palm Bay police spokesperson Yvonne Martinez said.

Investigators say Rivera was laughing while the girl's mother did nothing until the couple noticed the girl's lips, throat and tongue were swollen. Then Rivera took her to Palm Bay Community Hospital.

However, police say, Rivera didn't stay to get her any help and left after he found out hospital staff called authorities, including the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Their landlord said Rivera told him they left because their daughter wanted to leave.

"He told me that the child was hungry and he said he knew she wasn't hungry because he had fed her something,” landlord Darwyn Rushing said.

When police discovered the girl at her house, she was still showing signs of some sort of allergic reaction that could have had dire consequences.

"Complications that could have turned life threatening,” Martinez said.

The girl was taken by ambulance back to the hospital and the couple was taken to jail. The 8-year-old girl is not the child of the mother’s boyfriend. Herderner and Rivera, however, do have an 18-month-old child together. Both children are in the care and custody of DCF.

Adriyanna Herdener was released on her own recognizance and her boyfriend was released with $20,000 bond. Eyewitness News tried to contact both of them, but was unable to reach them.

This is the reason children are out of control...

Boston police officer who sent a mass e-mail referring to Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. as a "banana-eating jungle monkey" has apologized, saying he's not a racist.

 Boston police officer Justin Barrett apologizes for the e-mail he sent about the Harvard professor.

Officer Justin Barrett told a Boston television station on Wednesday night that he was sorry for the e-mail.

"I regret that I used such words," Barrett told CNN affiliate WCVB-TV. "I have so many friends of every type of culture and race you can name. I am not a racist."

Barrett was placed on administrative leave after the e-mail surfaced, and he might lose his job as a result.

In a news conference held Thursday morning, Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis denounced the e-mail.

"We have a relationship to maintain with the community," he said. "Police officers certainly have First Amendment rights, but they can't cross the line. I believe this crosses the line."

Davis said he spoke Wednesday with Gates, who was "gracious and incredibly thankful that we took action."

Barrett, 36, who is also an active member of the National Guard, sent off a fiery e-mail to some fellow Guard members -- as well as The Boston Globe -- in which he vented about a July 22 Globe column about Gates' controversial arrest. »

Gates, a top African-American scholar, was arrested on July 16 and accused of disorderly conduct after police responded to a report of a possible burglary at his Cambridge home. The charge later was dropped. The incident sparked a debate about racial profiling and police procedures.

Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham supported Gates' actions, asking readers, "Would you stand for this kind of treatment, in your own home, by a police officer who by now clearly has no right to be there?"

In Barrett's e-mail, which was posted on a Boston television station's Web site, he declared that if he had "been the officer he verbally assaulted like a banana-eating jungle monkey, I would have sprayed him in the face with OC (oleoresin capsicum, or pepper spray) deserving of his belligerent non-compliance."

Barrett used the "jungle monkey" phrase four times, three times referring to Gates and once referring to Abraham's writing as "jungle monkey gibberish."

He also declared that he was "not a racist but I am prejudice [sic] towards people who are stupid and pretend to stand up and preach for something they say is freedom but it is merely attention because you do not get enough of it in your little fear-dwelling circle of on-the-bandwagon followers."

Barrett's comments were taken out of context, said his attorney, Peter Marano.

"Officer Barrett did not call professor Gates a jungle monkey or malign him racially," Marano said. "He said his behavior was like that of one. It was a characterization of the actions of that man."

According to a statement from Boston police, Commissioner Edward Davis took action immediately on learning of Barrett's remarks, stripping the officer of his gun and badge.

Barrett is "on administrative leave, pending the outcome of a termination hearing."

CNN has been unable to reach Barrett for comment.

Davis wants Barrett, a two-year member of the Boston police, fired, a source close to the investigation said. But he will continue to be paid while on leave, and no date has been set for his termination hearing

Does anyone know anything about a shooting that just occured off of MLK?

I heard a person by the name of Wayne West was killed.

??????

Montco swim club accused of racial discrimination

Days before a Northeast Philadelphia day camp's membership at a private suburban swim club was rescinded, several of the campers said they had heard racial remarks about themselves at the pool.

The racist and offensive behavior of members of the GOP is now becoming a daily occurrence and it makes you wonder if this is what they deem the priority; it clearly isn’t the plight of the faltering economy, job loss, and rising health care costs.

This is the e-mail distributed by GOP staffers.

The target now is President Obama.  Sherri Goforth, an executive assistant to Tennessee State Republican Caucus Chairwoman Diane Black, e-mailed a picture of all the U.S. presidents, except Obama, on a poster captioned “Historical Keepsake Photo.”  

Rather than a photo of Obama, the last space was entirely black except for two white eyes. 

While some folks are calling for Goforth to be fired – it appears she is only going to receive a verbal reprimand and note in her file.  Her actions aren’t that serious to her superiors and they undoubtedly feel it’s an acceptable insult to the commander in chief.     

Mike Turner, Tennessee House Democratic Caucus Chairman, described the e-mail apparently distributed to Republican legislative staffers as “racist humor.” 

“It’s irresponsible. It’s despicable to have that type of racist humor coming out of their (Republican) caucus,” he told reporters.

Goforth’s boss said she placed a written reprimand in Goforth’s personnel file and told her she could be fired if something similar occurs in the future.  Can’t wait to see what she’ll do next.

“Obviously this communication was done without my knowledge,” Black declared. “It absolutely does not reflect my beliefs.”  Well, that makes me feel a whole lot better, but it’s okay if your staff does it?

The County offered one proposal to open up negotiations for SEIU 521 members on May 8, 2009.  Basically, what they asked for was for all employees to pay their health benefits and all of their retirement benefits.  Depending on your famiy composition, the health benefits  and the retirement (depending on your age) could cost you $463 per pay period.

An OSA makes about $952 biweekly; a Building Services Worker makes about $710 biweekly and a Food Service Worker makes about $675 biweekly.  So now you take $463 from any of their biweekly pay, what exactly would they have left to live on? Based on these figures, they could not even pay rent or a mortgage. 

You do the math, the County proposal was not anything any County employee could live with.  Then I believe they stated that they could not guarantee any layoffs.  Employess were willing to consider some type of proposal but not the one they offered.

Let me tell you a story about my teenage daughter......

Last week we were eating lunch at Champs (yuk) and I set my purse down on the chair. I went to the restroom and asked my daughter to keep an eye on it. She was getting drinks and she left my purse at the table. A man walked in and she rushed and grabbed my purse. I walked out and she said that man came in so I got your purse. The man that came in was black. The restaurant was full of white people. My daughter is a good girl....but she honestly felt this man was the only one in the place who would have stolen my purse.

Why did she do that? What makes her think this way? I am upset with her ...should I be?

This is not a post to argue about black and white issues....I am seriously concerned.

Dallas officer delayed NFL player as relative died...

Police officials said Powell told his commanders he believed he was doing his job, and that he drew his gun but did not point it. Kunkle said Powell was not necessarily acting improperly when he pulled his weapon out, but that once he realized what was happening should have put the gun back, apologized and offered to help the family in any way.“His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, the discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit,” Kunkle said.Moats’ wife, who was in the car along with other relatives, said Powell pointed his weapon at her.“He was pointing a gun at me as soon as I got out of the car,” Tamishia Moats told The Dallas Morning News.The Moats family did not immediately return messages left by The Associated Press. Powell did not respond to requests for comment through the Dallas police union.Video from a dashboard camera inside the officer’s vehicle, obtained by Dallas-Fort Worth station WFAA-TV, revealed an intense exchange in which the officer threatened to jail Moats.He ordered Tamishia Moats, 27, to get back in the SUV, but after pausing for a few seconds, she and another woman rushed into the hospital. She was by the side of her mother, 45-year-old Jonetta Collinsworth, when she died a short time later from breast cancer.“Get in there,” said Powell, yelling at Tamishia Moats as she exited the vehicle. “Let me see your hands!”“Excuse me, my mom is dying,” Tamishia Moats said. “Do you understand?”Ryan Moats explained that he waited until there was no traffic before proceeding through the red light. When Powell asked for proof of insurance, Moats grew more agitated and told the officer to go find it.“My mother-in-law is dying! Right now! You’re wasting my time!” Moats yelled. “I don’t understand why you can’t understand that.”As they argued, the officer got irritated.“Shut your mouth,” the officer said. “You can either settle down and cooperate or I can just take you to jail for running a red light.”By the time the 26-year-old NFL player received a ticket and a lecture from Powell, about 13 minutes had passed. When he and Collinsworth’s father entered the hospital, they learned Collinsworth was dead.Kunkle said the video showed that Moats and his wife “exercised extraordinary patience, restraint in dealing with the behavior of our officer.”“At no time did Mr. Moats identify himself as an NFL football player or expect any kind of special consideration,” Kunkle said. “He handled himself very, very well.”The Moats family, who are black, said they can’t help but think that race might have played a part in the white officer’s behavior.“I think he should lose his job,” Ryan Moats said.When the exchange was at its most contentious, Powell said he could tow Moats’ SUV if he didn’t have insurance and that he could arrest him for fleeing because he didn’t immediately stop when Powell turned on his sirens. The pursuit lasted a little more than a minute.“I can screw you over,” Powell said. “I’d rather not do that. Your attitude will dictate everything that happens.”The ticket issued to Moats was dismissed, Dallas police spokesman Lt. Andy Harvey said.Texans spokesman Kevin Cooper said the team had no comment.Moats, a third-round draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2005 out of Louisiana Tech, was cut by the Eagles in August and later signed with the Texans. In three seasons as a backup, he’s rushed for 441 yards and scored four touchdowns.He was a standout at Bishop Lynch High School, a private school in Dallas, rushing for more than 2,600 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior.

 DALLAS (AP)—A police officer was placed on administrative leave Thursday over a traffic stop involving an NFL player whom he kept in a hospital parking lot and threatened to arrest while his mother-in-law died inside the building.

Officer Robert Powell also drew his gun during the March 18 incident involving Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats in the Dallas suburb of Plano, police said.“I can screw you over,” he said at one point in the videotaped incident. When another officer came with word that Moats’ mother-in-law was indeed dying, Powell’s response was: “All right. I’m almost done.”Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle apologized to the family and announced that Powell would be on paid leave pending an internal investigation.“When we at the command staff reviewed the tape, we were embarrassed, disappointed,” Kunkle said. “It’s hard to find the right word and still be professional in my role as the police chief. But the behavior was not appropriate.”