The Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday told a crowd at Central State University that people across the country are concerned about the August shooting death of a Fairfield man by police at Walmart, and called on the Ohio attorney general to release the video of the shooting.
Sharpton said authorities should release the video because they have already suggested that John Crawford III was pointing an air rifle at someone in the Beavercreek store, which he says has “poisoned” the minds of the public, some of whom will be on the grand jury that hears the case.
“So the fair thing to do is put the tape out so when the grand jury meets, they walk in knowing at least what was and what wasn’t on the tape,” said Sharpton, a MSNBC host and civil rights activist. “I come to Central State tonight to say to the attorney general, let’s go to the tape.”
Attorney General Mike DeWine has repeatedly said he will not release the tape before a trial.
“I think that it is playing with dynamite, frankly, to release that tape at this point,” DeWine said last month. “And I think the dynamite simply is that it blows up and you can’t get a fair trial. That’s what we worry about.”
Speaking to about 850 students, faculty and community members, Sharpton said he was alarmed by the beating and killing of multiple black people at the hands of police nationwide within a period of weeks, including 22-year-old Crawford.
He said he does not know whether police acted appropriately or not in each of the cases.
But he said it is worrisome that police unions deny wrongdoing in every single case where police kill and injure people.
He called the Crawford case a public concern, but noted the grand jury hearing is private. He said showing the tape will end speculation and arguments about what led to Crawford’s death on Aug. 5.
Sharpton also spoke about the importance of not letting anger and hardship paralyze people and make them feel they cannot make a difference.
He said holding the powerful accountable requires heading to the polls, and voting is a way to do something about police shooting unarmed people.
He warned the audience that not voting is the same as helping the opposition.
Other speakers, including NAACP Unit Dayton President Derrick Forward, also urged the audience to get registered to vote and get involved.
“I say you should vote when you think about what happened to Trayvon Martin down in Florida,” he said. “Why do I vote? I vote when I think about John Crawford III.”
Darryl Brown Lee, 29, said Sharpton inspired him to register to vote right after the event concluded, because he needs to help give a voice to the black community.
“There needs to be unity,” he said.
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