"Yes, We Are Racist Motherfuckers," Announces Milwaukee Jury

...well, in effect at least. The photo at right (from the Feb. 6, 2005 MJS article mentioned below) depicts Frank Jude shortly after an encounter with a gang of off-duty white policemen at a party. His crime was to arrive at the event with white women (obviously his alleged theft is almost certainly manufactured, though it would be only marginally relevant even if true). An all-white jury deliberated for 26 hours before determining that white is indeed the color of innocence.

The following two articles from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal provide an overview of the case: [JOHN DIEDRICH, "Police suspected in man's beating," Feb. 6, 2005]; [MEG JONES, "Leaders call for calm, change in aftermath of Jude verdict," April 16, 2006]. A quick search on Google turns up remarkably little coverage of the incident outside of Milwaukee. Performing a direct search of the New York Times and Washington Post websites reveals that both carried short pieces from the Associated Press. I wouldn't have learned of the case at all were it not for the brief mention on today's Democracy Now!

About a dozen police dragged him out of a truck and assaulted him before on-duty police arrived in response to a 911 call and proceeded to join in the fun (according to the telephone transcript with the eye-witness, who was still on her cell with 911).

He suffered a concussion, a broken nose and fractured sinus cavity, cuts in both ears, cuts and swelling to his left eye, neck, head, face, legs and back, and a severely sprained left hand, his attorney said. His left eye was swollen shut and continued to bleed for 10 days, he said. [Feb. 6, 2005 MJS article]

Many of the police officers on the force with the assailants are, of course, refusing to cooperate with the investigation. In other news, the city announced it intends to replace its entire staff with Nazi stormtroopers in an effort to employ a more tolerant and professional officer corps.

The Federal Government is reportedly considering whether to get involved - it will be of some interest to see if this case gains wider attention from the media and the government or vanishes before most in this country ever even heard of it.
Tags: [Frank Jude, police brutality, Milwaukee]