Minorities At Risk For Drowning
Obama Honors Fallen Troops
Last October, Pace University junior Danroy Henry (pictured above) was gunned down by police in Thornwood, N.Y.
The case quickly gained the nation's attention, because the details of the shooting didn't match up with the details of Henry's life as an "exemplary student" with no criminal record.
Now the police officer responsible for killing Henry has been named "Officer of the Year" for his "dignity and professionalism" since the shooting.
And his family is taking the news as a slap in the face.
Angella Henry, Danroy's mother (pictured below at podium with husband at right) is outraged:
"It speaks to the arrogance that we have experienced since Oct. 17, 2010. It just shows their inhumanity and their arrogance."
When a fight broke out outside of the bar, Finnegan's owners decided to close down the venue, causing more than 50 attendants to rush out of the establishment.
Area police were immediately called to contain the situation. When they arrived, a cop was said to tap on the window and ask Henry to move his Nissan, which was allegedly parked in a No Stopping zone.
Officers say that was when Henry hit two policemen with his car and then policemen Aaron Hess and Ronald Beckley retaliated with gunfire, shooting Henry and injuring his passenger, Brandon Cox.
But witnesses tell a different story.
They say that officers never asked Henry to move his vehicle and there was no clear reason why Hess, whose shots ultimately killed Henry, used deadly force.
In February, a grand jury decided Hess did not commit a crime, clearing him of indictment, for shooting and killing Henry, also affectionately called "D.J."
In response, Henry's father, Danroy Henry Sr. (pictured) said:
"We will not stop until Mr. Hess is held accountable for the killing of our beloved D.J."
Henry's parents have filed a $120 million lawsuit against the Pleasantville Police Department and are awaiting a federal investigation in to their son's case.
Meanwhile, Hess was awarded this distinction by the Police Benevolent Association of the Pleasantville Police Department for being some sort of hero, rather than an officer who just took someone's life.
Whether Hess was right to pull the trigger or not (and it's likely he wasn't), there is no dispute that he took someone's child, friend and companion.
I really feel it for the Henry family.
In spite of all the negativity and press out there about raising black boys, they raised a bright young man who was admired and praised by his peers.
Twenty long years cultivating, nurturing and educating your most-prized possession -- only to have his life snuffed out because of some haphazard brawl.
What a crying shame.
Something should also be said about how numb our society and the criminal justice system is to black males and murder. No one expects a white male in his prime to be erroneously cut down by a random bullet, particularly a policeman's.
No one would then imagine that the policeman who actually was responsible for that white kid's death, would then be honored for his "dignity and professionalism."
As a matter of fact, when was the last time you even heard of a young white male -- barely out of his teens -- being shot to death by a cop?
The public should protest Hess' distinction and demand that it be rescinded. I pray Henry receives justice with the federal investigation, but even if he and his family are denied that, at least give him his respect.
Amadou Diallo, Patrick Dorismund, Sean Bell, Eleanor Bumpers and all of our people who have been wrongly murdered by police deserve that.
Comments: (60)
Add a comment
By: Khalilah on 4/14/2011 1:58PM
This is so disgusting. They didn't even wait until another year (not saying he should get it) but the same year!!!!!!!!!!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: CeCe on 4/14/2011 2:03PM
There is no excuse for this.
According to the other passengers, Danroy thought the officers were knocking on his window to tell him to move because he was in a fire lane. The officers said that they were trying to tell them to get out of the car.
The boy wasn't trying to run over the cop at all. The cops made a huge error, and they're trying to cover up their mess with more mess.
The officer jumped in front of the moving vehicle (STUPID) because he thought they were trying to run (so he claims).
From what I have read, Danroy was completely innocent. The cop f-d up. Period.
That police department is a complete joke, and I commend the family for their fight.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Kiandon on 4/14/2011 3:48PM
God's justice never fails! In other words, what goes around, comes around. Just sit back and watch it all happen. Amen...
Report This
By: Ellice on 4/14/2011 2:30PM
I'm truly disgusted. I totally understand what African American men goes through, e.g. racial profiling, excessive force. My son was harassed by two Santa Monica cops in California and all he was doing was walking to the bus stop from college and they singled him out and questioned him for about 15 minutes when there were white kids in the same area (directly across the street). How about he had his college project in his hand and he had on his nerdy eyewear. Who gets stopped the black college kid even with a school project in his hands. Of course, they thought he was stealing paper, right? Oh, and listened to this my husband, his father is a retired police officer. He even expressed to the cops that his dad is a retired police officer and the arrogance and disrespect continued. It can happen to any of our Black youth even the ones who grow up with cops in their family. Any cop can be guilty of excessive force, but there are more white cops who do it.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Robert Ryan on 4/14/2011 9:07PM
Well,I live in Worcester,Ma.I had an incident of police racial profiling one summer day,with temperature above 100 degrees on this day.Story:I parked my auto in front of a parking meter across from the city hall,to go pay my excise taxes.Where I had parked ,a lot of people would sometimes double park,leaving their car running,This happen to me on this very hot july day.So after I tried to get in my vehicle to turn the engine on so the air condition could run ,my stereo was on,and it appear to Blasted as yhe engin came on,and as it was playing an officer was walking by,pointed at mesaying,"turn that down",I turned it off,so I could get in on the driver side ,as I didI turned the vehicle back on with the same volume,only ready to move and cool off withe the sunroof open ,windows down to blow the hot air out,during this time ,the same officer 'who didn't go to far,turned around and shouted ,"I said turn that f**king radio down,I then said,"what is the problem officer?,He doubled back to me saying,"I'll tell you my f**king problem.He then pull out his handcuffs,told me to turn around,and put my hands behind my back,I did.While he called in the wagon,several other officers came over as if it was another "Rodney King day".I was humiliated,and also tthe officer tighten the handcuffs as tight as he could get them.Carried to lock-up,a few of the officers was surprise to see me,largely because I knew them and I do not have any police record,tax paying citizen,worked a job 38 yrs,raised a family,I can carry on about my credits to the community,(rather long).So,yes it's going on everywhere,about blacks being profiled on a regular basis.However we need to educated,validate,eleviate,and don't hesitate going to these city hall meetings.It's important to attend to voice your view of the politics and policing of our cities.We as a Black people do not get involve as we should.corruption is mostly carried out within these systems.these cops hardly read you your rights anymore.They are to comfortable with the authority they have,and less responding to your civil rights,especially being an U.S.citizen.We as a people need to address our policing systems across this country,it's a global problem.
Report This
By: Deut818 on 4/16/2011 6:25PM
@ Rober Ryan..
..its called get off your tail and vote these crooks- people out of office, (the Police Chief ) instead sitting there and let others vote for you. Get involved on your community, know your rights as a voting citizen and inspire other young citizens to get involve.
What happen was a unlawful arrest and you have every right to see the police report and the lies the police told to arrest you.
Again Black folks, the ideal by cops(most likely white cops) is to get black folks an arrest record on anything, and its up to you to prove it didn't happen the way the cops said it did. Because at the end of the day, the arrest record will have a negative effect upon you for the rest of your life in ways you can't think of.. or do as I have and its worth getting a GOOD FAMILY LAWYER or sign up to pre paid legal services for a monthly fee with access to a lawyer 24/7 without a retainer fee added to take on your case-- who can fight for you and get the arrest record thrown out and the cop who arrested you written up for a false arrest-- or if you plea--or settled doing mediation-- you can ask for expungement of the record. Again know your CIVIL rights if you are being set-up by a cop to arrest you and cops who arrest you are betting when they arrest you, you don't know your civil rights and I'm not talking about your miranda rights either..
As far as what happened to this innocent young man(RIP one day) who was all but a honor student, a community advocate, excellent record, raised by TWO parent house-hold, a family with strong family values and morals as a ENTIRE FAMILY UNIT,..
..so again here again- we have these young white male cops inexperienced taking a life for no reason because the are AFRAID and don't know how to access a situation without taking a life out of un-threating fear as in this case --as well as many other cases involving innocent blackmales, and so in this case countless white witness made statements stating what happen-- didn't happen as the officer stated..so it didn't matter to the jurors, its a white male cop up against a black male so why fault the white male cop's career finding him guilty over the life of a black male no matter the circumstance as bladant as this injustice-- with all the ear marking of a right out MURDER.. I hope the jurors have no peace at all from their moments to find the cop not guilty.
..this is a wrongful death suit in the making from the start..this young man had a future and was getting ready to go off to a university on a scholarship if I'm not mistaken, shot murdered for no reason at all as a threat to take a cop's life? Why would this young man with plenty other cop/cars at the scene --he would just want to RUN down a cop? Then whites wonder why blacks don't trust cops? This is a typical example and reason why. This happens every single day to blacks all across america, shot first and ask questions later and then lie why the shooting was necessary, and then honor the murdering cop as the cop of the year? Insidiously priceless, Westchester, NY shame on you.
If there ever was a reason to donate for a cause to correct an injustice.. this is certainly a reason to donate, if there's a fund in this young man's name I will be donating a huge amount to repeal the jury's outcome, by way of another trial against this murdering cop.
Believe me this murdering cop's day is coming, tommorrow or years from, justice will be served for his injustice to murder this inoccent young man.
Report This
By: jeromequigley on 4/14/2011 2:33PM
Abena: This article of yours is so Bias that it loses any credential of being based on any kind of real fact. You use the word "allegedly" when speaking of what Mr. Henry did, but you have no trouble basicly convicting Officer Hess of a Severe Crime...with out any proof?? Is that what reporting on a story is about?? Just picking the side you like and writing about things (true or not true, fact or not)that prove what you WANT to believe? Now for the record I think it was Tragic what happened to Danroy Henry, he seemed to be a good kid! But that does not mean I am going to call the Officer out as a Murderer, which Mr Henry's family, their lawyer and countless reporters, bloggers etc etc, have! And most of it was even before the Grand Jury where there was extensive interviews and evidence that was presented. The Henry's Lawyer was right there from jump calling Officer Hess a Cold Blooded Murderer, before the Lawyer had even the smallest amount of FACTS!! And you are doing the same thing in this article. Your line of "Whether Hess was right to pull the trigger or not (and it's likely he wasn't"...So now you have proof that Officer Hess and have judged him to be WRONG?? What did Officer Hess tell you about that night???? Oh that's right you NEVER TALKED TO HIM OR BOTHERED TO APPLY ANY EMPATHY AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON IN HIS HEAD!!
Then you slide in that "but witnesses tell a different story" junk. Oh would those be the same witnesses that were his buddies and in the car with him? The same one's who said that Danroy had not had any thing to drink?? (Yet his BOC seemed to tell a different story didn't it??) Of course his buddies are going to stick up for their friend and not that I blame them for doing so. But that is where the Law comes in and seperates facts from personal feelings to determine what is what. Do I think Danroy was a bad kid, not in the least bit! It was very plain to see the kid was a good kid and on his way to do great things. Does that mean he was incapable from doing some thing stupid in a moment of being buzzed and in a rapidly extreme situation...no it does not! By the facts that have come out, the kid was a little buzzed panicked when officers approached him and took off. He might not even of ever seen Officer Hess or the other officer and I surely don't believe he Tried to run them down. But facts are the car was heading at them and hit Officer Hess who had to make a split second decision to make sure he, the other officers and the students that were ALL about were not hit or killed by the driver of this vehicle also. He had to do the one thing that officers HATE TO DO and that is shoot a man!! Had Officer Hess not reacted the way he did, there may have been a number of students who got hit by the car and died. But that will never be known, and thank god for that! People who seem to thing that Cops just get some great kick out of killing a man have never takin the time to explore or talk to the regular officer out there!! Try it some time. Yes of course their are bad ones but I am speaking of the Majority who are not.
As for Officer Hess getting the "Officer of The Year", it was a slap in no ones face except those who, with out proof, view him as a villian. He was out there doing a job that most peepz would not do, he was responding to a disturbance call when he gets a car flying at him. He does what was needed to protect himself and others and what did that earn him....He was called a KILLER, A COLD BLOODED KILLER based on no facts. So now not only does he have to deal with the termoil of having to come to terms with having to take another mans life in order to keep his own and possible others(which again still effects officers even when they are in the complete right to do so, why because they care)but for the last year he had to also endure people falsely call him a murderer and villian with out any real facts. Then even when all the evidence is presented to the Grand Jury and he was found to be not guilty of any wrong doing it makes no difference!! Why does he endure all this, because he cares about his job and what it means to try and help/protect people. Now who is really getting "slapped in the face"??? You may want to try and come off your racism kick long enough to get some facts togehter before you pass judgement!! As for that tired" when was the last time you saw a white teen killed" BS, please!! I found plenty in 5 seconds from a simple google search much less the one's I knew off the top of my head from reading about them. That kind of line is a desperation move by some one who is trying hard to prop up a weak arguement!!
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: LadyMichele on 4/14/2011 4:46PM
Cops are increasingly becoming NAZIS! They NEED to say to themselves, this is my mother, daughter, father, niece, but nooo, all they think is hang 'em all!
Report This
By: Cassanrda on 4/14/2011 4:45PM
I could not agree more! I am so tired of people bringing up race issues, they are just making it more prominent!!!
The honest truth is a cop made a decision he had to make and I am happy that there are still some thinking people who realize that no matter how good a kid is he can get scared and do stupid things just like any other person NO MATTER THE RACE!
Report This
By: darlenerats on 4/15/2011 1:51PM
Your exactly right Lady Michele. They believe they are acountable to noone, they will see that yes..they are. It's sad that so many criminal nazis (cops) are getting away with and being awarded for their criminal behavior.What we are seeing would certainly make Adolph Hitler VERY PROUD of them.
Report This