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At 11am, I'll be live tweeting a press conference from the family of #CaseyGoodsonJr. Goodson's mother, Tamala Payne, will share a prepared statement and answer questions.
Follow the thread below for updates, and follow @matternews_ for a story after the presser.
Follow the thread below for updates, and follow @matternews_ for a story after the presser.
Still waiting for the webinar to start. Will let you know as soon as it begins!
Also, I hope everyone is taking care of themselves these days. There's a lot going on and it's absolutely critical that we do our best to take of each other, and take of ourselves.
Also, I hope everyone is taking care of themselves these days. There's a lot going on and it's absolutely critical that we do our best to take of each other, and take of ourselves.
The presser is beginning.
After a brief rundown of the agenda, Sean Walton of Walton + Brown law firm begins speaking.
"Casey was peaceful. Casey was somebody who, on his keychain, he had Mickey Mouse."
After a brief rundown of the agenda, Sean Walton of Walton + Brown law firm begins speaking.
"Casey was peaceful. Casey was somebody who, on his keychain, he had Mickey Mouse."
"He loved this world," Walton said. "He loved his family. That's who Casey is."
Walton shares background about how proud Casey was of working toward his goal of owning his own fleet of trucks, and working toward becoming a CCW instructor.
Walton shares background about how proud Casey was of working toward his goal of owning his own fleet of trucks, and working toward becoming a CCW instructor.
"Casey was not a suspect. Casey was not involved in any criminal investigation," Walton said. "Casey was someone living his life like .. us."
He advocated for gun safety and taught that to his family, Walton said.
He advocated for gun safety and taught that to his family, Walton said.
Walton says that once Casey's grandfather passed away, Casey wanted to be the protector of his family.
"As Black people in this country, our skin cannot be weaponized," he said.
Walton cont'd, talking about how white people can openly carrying rifles, contrary to Black folks.
"As Black people in this country, our skin cannot be weaponized," he said.
Walton cont'd, talking about how white people can openly carrying rifles, contrary to Black folks.
"Casey was courageous, because in a world that does not protect him, he made the decision that he wanted to exercise that right and protect his family and himself," Walton said.
He is now speaking about what Casey was doing leading up to his death.
He is now speaking about what Casey was doing leading up to his death.
"Casey was someone who was killed on his kitchen floor, simply because he was a Black man and his skin was weaponized," Walton said.
"Casey tried to protect himself, and unfortunately was unable to do so, and we have to protect Casey."
"Casey tried to protect himself, and unfortunately was unable to do so, and we have to protect Casey."
Walton shares how Casey's grandmother and his 5-year-old sibling saw Casey lying dead on the floor of their kitchen.
"We have no idea what happened that led to Jason Meade choosing to take Casey's life," he said."
"We have no idea what happened that led to Jason Meade choosing to take Casey's life," he said."
"We need to look at the actions of Jason Meade... and look at how the family was treated after [Casey's] death."
"This trauma will affect this family for generations," Walton said.
"This trauma will affect this family for generations," Walton said.
Walton is talking about how many folks are passionate about gun ownership.
"Unfortunately Black people cannot be passionate about their right to bear arms," he said.
"Unfortunately Black people cannot be passionate about their right to bear arms," he said.
Walton reiterates the generational trauma the Goodson family will face, and opens the floor for Tamala Payne, #CaseyGoodsonJrs mother, to speak.
Ms. Payne said she pulled up to the scene. She was angry, she said, and she wanted answers.
Tamala said the officers on the scene wouldn't let her go be with her children or her mother.
Tamala said the officers on the scene wouldn't let her go be with her children or her mother.
"We were standing out there and they wouldn't confirm what hospital he was going to. They wouldn't give us information if he was dead or alive. We knew his eyes were open but we didn't know if he was dead or alive," Tamala Payne said.
#CaseyGoodsonJr
#CaseyGoodsonJr
Tamala Payne said one deputy called her a bitch multiple times.
The kids were outside in the cold, she said, and the officers wouldn't let them in to get more clothes.
"We will never be the same. And we still don't ahve answers as to why. Why, why are we going through this?"
The kids were outside in the cold, she said, and the officers wouldn't let them in to get more clothes.
"We will never be the same. And we still don't ahve answers as to why. Why, why are we going through this?"
"He was just a Black man coming home from a dentist appointment. He didn't do anything, and he was killed and murdered," Payne said. "The man who did it, refuses to even speak. He won't even say why."
Sean Walton takes over speaking again.
"Understand their pain, and the pain of so many people across this country. This has gone on for so long. We have to put an end to the assault on Black people in this country," Walton said.
"Understand their pain, and the pain of so many people across this country. This has gone on for so long. We have to put an end to the assault on Black people in this country," Walton said.
Sarah Gelsomino of Friedman & Gilbert law firm:
"Nothing can bring back Casey. At this point, this family deserves to know what happened and this family deserves to see the officer, the man who murdered Casey, face consequences for his actions."
"Nothing can bring back Casey. At this point, this family deserves to know what happened and this family deserves to see the officer, the man who murdered Casey, face consequences for his actions."
Gelsomino continues, adding that an independent investigation is absolutely necessary.
"We remain extremely concerned that the way this investigation was handled form the moment of the shooting that this investigation is tainted," she said.
"We remain extremely concerned that the way this investigation was handled form the moment of the shooting that this investigation is tainted," she said.
"It was those officers on the scene that set the stage for the investigation. When the Critical Division Response Team from CPD came to investigate this case, they brought in their bias against Casey and their favor toward Meade," Gelsomino said.
Gelsomino talks about a survey (I missed the name) that says that officers involved in deadly shootings should not be handcuffed, should not be treated as suspects and should be given emotional support.
"The search team has admitted to us in other deadly use of force cases, that in the beginning of the investigation they assume that the shooting is justified," Gelsomino said.
"We know, and the attorney general agrees, that there is a whole host of problems that could of arisen now, and we will never know what was missed," Gelsomino said."
"We will always have questions, and that is unfair to this family and this community...
"We will always have questions, and that is unfair to this family and this community...
...Because we know that Meade has a long history of problems," she said.
"What did this department know about him when they put him in this position that resulted in violence and took Casey's life in his own home?"
"What did this department know about him when they put him in this position that resulted in violence and took Casey's life in his own home?"
"We know that regularly what happens...that an officer like Meade who kills someone is immediately given a new gun... But maybe he's off the streets for a while on administrative leave, but they'll put him back on.
"If Meade is back on the streets acting as a police officer before the end of this investigation, what we have is an officer being investigated for not only civil rights violations, but also murder. And he would be out policing our communities. It is unsafe," Gelsomino said.
"I implore the media to push this issue: Where is Jason Meade? How is this community safe from him at least until the end of this criminal investigation?" Gelsomino said.
Moves to answering some questions in the chat with a reminder:
Moves to answering some questions in the chat with a reminder:
"The possession of a firearm does not justify the deadly use-of-force. To believe otherwise is wrong," Gelsomino said.
"When we hear justifications - and there will be justifications from the police department. Meade hasn't made a statement yet."
"When we hear justifications - and there will be justifications from the police department. Meade hasn't made a statement yet."
"Did Casey present any threat to Jason when he opened the door to bring food to his family? We don't believe that he did," Gelsomino ends.
Walton brings up a white man who threatened to shoot officers with a gun on the day of Casey's death. The man is still alive, Walton said.
Walton brings up a white man who threatened to shoot officers with a gun on the day of Casey's death. The man is still alive, Walton said.
Walton said there is no claim that Casey violated a gun law, so why was he targeted?
"The suspect here is Jason Meade. Let's stop criminalizing Casey without any facts that would criminalize him," Walton said.
"The suspect here is Jason Meade. Let's stop criminalizing Casey without any facts that would criminalize him," Walton said.
"The people who have been criminalized in this case are the family. That's how they were treated at the scene and when the officers left. They were criminalized and victimized," Gelsomino said.
"We don't control the public, but people are outraged, and they should be outraged at this death. At Casey's death. This is just another name that goes on the list of Black peopel gunned down by law enforcement in this country. and it has to stop," Gelsonimo said.
Walton said that Casey's uncle was threatened by an officer who came into his home. The officer, Walton said, pointed a gun at Casey's uncle and threatened to shoot him.
"Use of deadly force is not justified just because an officer is upset or doesn't like a person's response to them or is being talked back to," Gelsomino clarified.
Tamala is about to talk about who all was in the hoes when Casey was killed.
Tamala is about to talk about who all was in the hoes when Casey was killed.
"I want everything done in peace. My son was a peaceful man and I want his legacy to continue in peace. I want justice. That is all I'm calling for. I want Jason Meade arrested. I want Jason Meade charged," Tamala Payne said.
"This is about receiving justice for my son."
"This is about receiving justice for my son."
The law firms and Tamala Payne are finishing up the press conference.
"It's important that we keep an eye on this investigation," Gelsonimo said.
They will release a Q&A fact sheet later today.
"It's important that we keep an eye on this investigation," Gelsonimo said.
They will release a Q&A fact sheet later today.
That concludes the #CaseyGoodsonJr press conference.
Please be on the lookout for a story coming out shortly from @matternews_.
And if you have any questions or information regarding this investigation, please send me a DM or email me at [email protected].
Please be on the lookout for a story coming out shortly from @matternews_.
And if you have any questions or information regarding this investigation, please send me a DM or email me at [email protected].
