Black preacher arrested while watering flowers sues police
A Black pastor who was arrested by white police officers while watering the flowers of a neighbor who was out of town filed a federal lawsuit alleging the ordeal violated his constitutional rights and caused lingering problems, including emotional distress and anxiety. Michael Jennings filed the lawsuit Friday night against three officers and the central Alabama town of Childersburg, requesting a jury trial and seeking an unspecified amount of money. Jennings’ lawyers held a news conference outside the Birmingham federal courthouse on Saturday to discuss the lawsuit, and the NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, and other groups planned a rally afterward at a downtown park. “I’m here for accountability, and I’m here for justice,” Jennings told the news conference. The suit alleged the actions of Officers Christopher Smith and Justin Gable, Sgt. Jeremy Brooks and the city violated rights protecting against unlawful arrest and guaranteeing free speech. He cited multiple continuing problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and humiliation. Childersburg city attorney Reagan Rumsey didn’t return an email seeking comment. Jennings, 56, was arrested in May after a white neighbor called 911 and said a “younger Black male” and gold SUV were at a house while the owners — who are friends of Jennings and had asked him to watch their home — were away. Jennings identified himself as “Pastor Jennings” but refused to provide identification to the officers, who arrested him on a charge of obstructing government operations after a 20-minute confrontation that included raised voices on both sides. Filed in municipal court, the charge was dismissed within days at the request of the then-police chief. Jennings’ attorneys last month released police body camera video that was obtained following a records request to the city, located 55 miles (88 kilometers) southeast of Birmingham. Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama branch of the NAACP, said the officers who arrested Jennings did “so many things” that weren’t in line with good community policing tactics. “These poor judgment decisions reflect poorly on the type of training the Childersburg police officers receive … if they were acting in accordance within police guidelines,” Simelton said in a statement. While Jennings could have filed a claim against the city seeking damages, attorney Harry Daniels said that wasn’t done because the arrest was well within the time frame allowed by law for a lawsuit. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Alabama NAACP honors difference makers at annual gala
The Alabama NAACP recently held its annual Bridge Crossing Gala. The event, in its 57th year, was at the Embassy Suites Conference Center in Montgomery. Speakers included U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Darlena Battle, Corporate Relations specialist for Alabama Power, emceed the event. As part of the festivities, several people and organizations were honored for their commitment to diversity and building a better Alabama. Students and NAACP members made up the honorees, who included: Outstanding Leadership: Benard Simelton, Alabama NAACP president. Foot Soldiers Scholarship Contributor: Regions Bank. Shining Star Award: Carlos King, creator and executive producer of the “Love & Marriage Huntsville” reality show. Foot Soldiers Scholarship Award: Alyssa Miles, Andrea Wainwright. Gamechanger: Jasmine Washington Cook, Raven Perry-Beach. Trailblazer: Patricia A. Haley. Foot Soldier: Bobby Diggs. Humanitarian: Alec Barnett. Living History: Les Brown. Unsung Hero: Brenda Debose. The NAACP was founded in 1909 with a vision to “ensure a society in which all individuals have equal rights and there is no racial hatred or racial discrimination,” according to the association’s website. It is the nation’s largest civil rights organization, with “over 2 million activists fighting for change and for justice.” For more information about the NAACP and its programs, please visit www.alnaacp.org. Republished with the permission of the Alabama News Center.
NAACP slams Kay Ivey’s Confederate monuments campaign ad
