PRESS CONF: Exposing the systematic cover-up of the execution of Pedie Perez, 24.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Good Afternoon,

On Monday, June 15 at 11:30AM there will be a press conference to expose the systematic cover-up of the execution of Pedie Perez, 24 year old, unarmed citizen who was murdered by Richmond Police Officer Wallace Jensen September 14, 2014. It will be held at 725 Court St in Martinez, CA. The father, mother and immediate family of Pedie Perez, along with members of the Oscar Grant Committee, will be present at this press conference.

On Jan 20, 2015, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office released a 3-page report completely exonerating Officer Wallace Jensen of any wrongdoing in the shooting of Pedie Perez:

“We conclude that ... the officer acted in lawful self- defense, Based on our review, we believe the officer’s actions constitute Justifiable Homicide.”

However, the District Attorney's report merely repeats the coached testimony that Officer Jensen narrated when he was sequestered at a local hotel with his attorney, Teri Leone of the Police Legal Defense Fund. There were at least three other eye witnesses to the shooting, two of which were interviewed by District Attorney's office, but their interviews concerning the incident are not recounted or dealt with in any way in the report.

However citizens investigating the incident have subsequently interviewed the eye witnesses and found that the witnesses agreed that Pedie Perez did NOT attack the officer, did NOT try to seize his weapon, and was in no way a reasonable threat to Officer Wallace. Some footage of the eye witnesses recountings of the incident can be seen in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRA9oQmVgb4

Although the DA's report claims that Pedie Perez attacked the police officer, according to Officer Jensen’s own testimony at the Coroner’s inquest (Dec 10, 2014), it was Jensen that attacked Perez while Perez was walking away:

While Jensen tried to contact another officer on police radio, he said Perez got up and walked away, even though the officer said he had told Perez he was not free to go.
“Fuck this. I’m out of here,” Jensen said he recalled Perez saying.
Jensen grabbed Perez from behind and swept out his legs, knocking him to the ground, he said.

Perez got back to his feet. The officer said he radioed for backup and knocked Perez down again, this time from the front with something like a “judo throw.”

The District Attorney's report states that the office must be guided by the “law that states that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Jensen's actions were not in self-defense” but the report in no way even discusses two eye witnesses that claim that his actions were absolutely NOT in self-defense. Their narratives have been excluded, but in fact their testimony should be considered by a trier of fact who should make the determination of whether they are credible in a legal proceeding. At least two eye witnesses contradict Officer Jensen's story, providing ample grounds to initiate a prosecution of the officer for murder in this case.


For more information and photos, please contact:

The Oscar Grant Committee Against Police Brutality and State Repression
http://www.oscargrantcommittee.org *** OscarGrantCommittee.ogc [at] gmail.com
Telephone: Gene Ruyle (510) 332-3865 *** Rick Perez (510) 220-4096

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