Megan Williams, with mother, Carmen Williams, at the Kanawha County Magistrate Court in Charleston, W.Va., Sept. 18, 2007. Williams is at the center of media attention after her alleged kidnapping and torture by six whites.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos
When: Saturday, November 3, 2007 12:00 Noon (Pre-March Rally to begin at 10 A.M.)
Where: March begins at First Baptist Church 423 Shrewsbury St, Charleston, WVA 25301 and Marchers will proceed to Charleston WVA State Capitol Building for National Rally
Contact:
Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ)
Malik Shabazz, Esq. (Attorney for Megan Williams and the Williams' Family)
Phone: 202-397-4577 Local: (304) 657-1493
Email: shabazzlaw@aol.com
Web: blacklawyersforjustice.org
March Purpose:
To bring national and statewide support to Charleston resident Megan Williams, the Williams Family, and victims of other hate crimes nationwide. The Jena 6 case, the rise in the hanging of nooses, and other current acts of racially motivated injustice and intimidation against Blacks/African Americans will all be highlighted at this National March against Hate Crimes.
Families and victims of hate crimes that are occurring throughout the nation will attend. Black Lawyers For Justice, the Williams Family and organizers are demanding that Federal Hate Crimes charges as well as State hate crime charges be brought in the Williams' case. We are also demanding, with the assistance of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional hearings on hate crimes against Black residents as well a wide range of actions to combat the growing attacks on Blacks in America.
Who are the Organizers?
The primary organizers for the march are Black Lawyers for Justice (BLFJ) and the Support Committee for Megan Williams. This march will be endorsed by at least 100 Black organizations, student groups, clergy, and leaders of every stripe. An initial endorsement list will be produced on 10-15-07.
WHY A MARCH TO SUPPORT MEGAN WILLIAMS AND OPPOSE HATE CRIMES?
On November 3, 2007 a historic National March will take place in Charleston, West Virginia. This call to action is to support young Megan Williams, who is the victim of one of the worst hate crimes in United States history. The March is also called to address an astounding yet unacceptable rise in hate crimes and incidents of injustices currently perpetrated against Blacks (African) Americans.
On September 12, 2007, and in subsequent preliminary hearings, it was revealed that Megan Williams, a twenty year old Black Woman, was lured into a nearby Logan county trailer house of hatred. Young Megan, who also has special disability needs, was viciously and repeatedly raped, choked, stabbed, forced to eat dog and rat feces while her six white tormentors berated her by calling her "nigger" incessantly.
According to evidence gathered, Megan was sodomized with a stick and a noose was tied around her neck for lengthy periods during this week long ordeal all of which has been verified by several of the co-defendants signed confessions. "This is an this ugly and outrageous ordeal."
Prosecutors said. "Every time they stabbed her, they called her 'nigger." Carmen Williams, the mother, told The Charleston Gazette. "She wakes up in the middle of the night screaming, 'Mommy.' What's really, really bad is, we don't know everything, and they did to her. She is crying all the time. No doubt, had she not been rescued they were going to kill her and throw her in a nearby lake."
Arrested are: Frankie Brewster, 49, and her son Bobby Brewster, 24., Karen Burton, 46; her daughter Alisha, 23; Danny Combs, 20, and George Messer, 27 -- six whites from nearby Logan County, West Virginia. The suspects took turns beating, stabbing, choking and sexually abusing Williams, while consistently threatening her with death, according to criminal complaints.
A rope was placed around Williams' neck, her hair was ripped out and she was made to eat dog and rat feces, drink from a toilet and lick up blood, the complaint charges. At one point, she was sexually assaulted while scalding water and melting hot wax from a candle was poured on her body. At another point she was forced to lick the toes of the sadistic defendants. She was stabbed in the leg at least four times and both of her ankles were cut by a female suspect who allegedly taunted her, saying, "This one is for Kunta Kinte, and that's what we do to niggers around here."
"The Megan Williams case is beyond a doubt, one of the worst hate crimes in U.S. History. The Megan Williams case is even worse than the case of the Jena 6..." said Attorney Malik Shabazz Esq., Megan Williams Family Attorney and Spokesman for Black Lawyers For Justice, speaking at the October 3rd preliminary hearing in Logan County, West VA.
Shabazz also stated, "The number of outright hate crimes and injustice cases against Blacks is rising so rapidly it's hard for our office to keep track. We are calling for every concerned person in our community to respond to this national crisis with vigor and due diligence. The November 3rd March in Charleston is a big step in the direction of organizing to challenge the tide of attacks occurring against Blacks".
HATE CRIMES DOCUMENTED
In addition to the Megan Williams case, criminal acts of hatred and intimidation using hanging nooses have sprung up all over the nation. The hanging noose, central to the Jena case, is used by racists as an actionable threat to the safety and well being of Blacks, who have suffered innumerable historical injustices via hanging ropes also known as lynching.
On Sept 7th, a three foot noose was found hung at the University of Maryland, College Park, roiling the campus. On October 4th, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported that police were investigating several cases in which nooses were left at workplaces to intimidate black employees in the Pittsburgh area. The Tribune reported, "A supervisor at the Verizon Wireless Business Services Center in Marshall found a black doll with a noose around its neck and racial slurs directed at it."
Several similar hate crime incidents have been reported in the Pittsburgh area in the last month. In Long Island, New York last month, police found a noose hanging in the locker room. Many believed it was hung by a police officer and was in response to the newly elected Black police chief. Last month, in North Carolina, nooses were found hung at a public school. On October 3rd in Washington D.C., white students and historical Galluadet University for the deaf, reportedly held a Black student hostage for over an hour and repeatedly wrote "KKK" all over his body with markers. All over the U.S., Police assaulting and killing unarmed Black victims is on the rise again.
A FOLLOW UP TO JENA
The November 3rd National March against Hate Crimes is also an effort to end the continued persecution of the Jena 6. Mychal Bell and the Jena 6 are still facing jail time after responding to racist persecution at the High school in Jena, Louisiana. Also the addresses and phone numbers of the Jena 6 Families were posted on Neo-Nazi/Klan websites; subsequently, white supremacists have committed acts of aggression near their homes and BLFJ has copies of letters from various Ku Klux Klan organizations directly threatening the Jena 6 families. Members of the Jena 6 are endorsing and are expected at this march.
Over 100 organizations, student groups, youth organizations, clergy, rappers, and leaders are set to endorse the November 3rd March (a list will be released on 10/15/07). Like in Jena, organizers going to get busses, travel the highway and organize to support Megan Williams and organize against these attacks.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday November 2nd 5:00 pm:
A Pre-March remembrance/ prayer vigil will take place at the Logan County trailer home where Megan Williams was kidnapped and tortured
Saturday November 3rd 10 A.M.:
Pre-March Rally for National March against Hate Crimes and Racism
First Baptist Church 423 Shrewsbury St, Charleston, WVA 25301
Saturday November 3rd 12:00 noon:
National March against Hate Crimes and Racism, Charleston, West VA March will begin in front of the First Baptist Church located at 423 Shrewsbury St, Charleston, WVA 25301 and proceed to the West Virginia State Capitol Building
Saturday November 3rd 5:00 pm:
Fundraiser for Megan Williams and Town Hall Meeting on Race Relations to take place at Rehoboth Cathedral of Christ in Charleston, West Virginia - Bishop James Carter III is the host pastor.
To Endorse This March or for Updates and Further Details, contact us via web at http://www.blacklawyersforjustice.org phone at (202) 397-4577 or via email at Shabazzlaw@aol.com.
CONTACT:
Malik Shabazz, Esq.
202-397-4577
shabazzlaw@aol.com
http://www.blacklawyersforjustice.org
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