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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 3 OcTOber 2017

Protest leaders: We’re not going away, in spite of arrests

Church to pledge that “Pepper spray is a non-le- Counihan said. Others were
law-abiding but disruptive thal tool used when unlaw- also doused with pepper
demonstrations will contin- ful behavior occurs to pro- spray, including Heather
ue. They also alleged that tect life and property.” De Mian, a wheelchair-
police have too often be- Jackson said a stun gun bound videographer who
come violent with protest- was used on one protester frequently live-streams at
ers. who resisted arrest. protests. Neither Counihan
The Rev. Darryl Gray of Several protesters marched nor De Mian were arrested.
the Missouri Baptist State to Busch Stadium Friday “As citizens of this wonder-
Convention was arrested night — some even un- ful city we have stood to-
Friday night. The protest furled a banner inside the gether in public to raise our
was among many since a ballpark that read, “Stop voices to express concerns
judge last month acquitted Killing Us.” for the safety of our black
former police officer Jason Later, the demonstrators and brown family, and the
Stockley in the death of a were in the street when po- police have continued to
black man. lice suddenly began allow- react and respond with
State Rep. Bruce Franks speaks to reporters outside city hall in St. Police spokeswoman ing traffic to pass through, completely unnecessary
Louis. He said, “One thing we have to get set straight first is black Schron Jackson said Gray said the Rev. Erin Couni- and dangerous violence,”
folks will stop being disproportionately affected by this system.” was among three people han, a white Presbyterian Counihan said.
(Laurie Skrivan/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) arrested Friday. She de- minister. She said she raised Gray, 63, faces a municipal
By JIM SALTER responsible for “unneces- fended the action taken concern to officers who re- charge of interfering with
Associated Press sary and dangerous vio- by officers. sponded by grabbing her. an officer, defended his
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The ar- lence” against demonstra- “Officers deploy tactics Gray, who is black, inter- actions.
rest of a clergyman who tors, St. Louis protest lead- when criminal activity aris- vened on Counihan’s be- “They (police) had no call
was taken to the ground ers said Monday. es and escalation depends half and was taken to the to put their hands on her at
and subdued with pepper About 20 faith leaders and on the level of aggression,” ground forcefully, pepper- all,” Gray said. “Everything
spray is the latest incident other protest organizers Jackson said in an email. sprayed, and arrested, was non-violent.”q
in which police have been gathered at Wayman AME

Oklahoma judge rules former
cop will face 4th murder trial

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — An old Jeremey Lake. The
Oklahoma judge Monday shooting occurred while
ruled that a white former Kepler was off-duty. His tri-
police officer will face a al is scheduled to start on
fourth murder trial in the Oct. 9.
2014 killing of his daughter’s Holmes has presided over
black boyfriend. all of Kepler’s previous tri-
Tulsa County District Judge als. In Kepler’s most recent
Sharon Holmes overruled trial, held in July, jurors
motions filed by attorneys deadlocked 6-6 after al-
for former Tulsa officer most three hours of delib-
Shannon Kepler to dismiss erations.
the case. Kepler doesn’t deny shoot-
Defense attorneys argued ing Lake, but he told inves-
to have the case thrown tigators that he acted in
out of court on several self-defense because he
grounds in the months thought Lake was armed.
since Kepler’s third mistrial Police found no weapon
was declared. on Lake or at the scene.
One motion said Kepler is Kepler, who retired from the
a member of an American police force after he was
Indian tribe and can’t be charged, was a 24-year po-
tried by state prosecutors. lice veteran who has said
Another claimed repeated he was trying to protect his
trials violated Kepler’s right 18-year-old daughter, who
to due process. had run away from home
Kepler, 57, is charged in the and was living in a crime-
fatal shooting of 19-year- ridden neighborhood. q