Virtual Town Hall: Discussion on Ending Money Bail organized to educate the public on ending money bail, the Pretrial Fairness Act, and future steps.
#EndMoneyBail
Co-hosted by: Wayman AME Church Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington Normal Bloomington-Normal Chapter of NAACP Bloomington-Normal League of Women Voters Coalition to End Money Bond Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal Bloomington-Normal Democratic Socialists of America YWCA McLean County Not In Our Town Bloomington-Normal
Those wishing to sign up for ‘Decarcerate BloNo’ can email decarcerateblono@gmail.com. We’ve also got our next meeting for local folks like us to build connections, learn more about the implementation of the PFA, and determine our next steps for supporting our community until cash bail ends in 2023. Join us on Thursday, February 18, 6:30 – 7:30 pm. Register here.
If you’d like to stay updated on and get involved in our work, sign up.
For more on police reform see here. For more on the Pretrial Fairness Act, see here.
Two Peoria-area teens will likely be spending the rest of their lives in prison:
(Left) Zaveon Marks (circa 10-years-old); (right) Jermontay Brock
Zaveon Marks, 15, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the 2019 murder of 16-year old Zarious Fair. Zaveon was charged as an adult. Circuit Court Judge Katherine Gorman made the legal finding that the 15-year old was particularly depraved and beyond the possibility of rehabilitation.
“I hope you prove me wrong, Mr. Marks, and that you take advantage of the opportunities that you will have while in custody,” Judge Gorman said.
The next day, Jermontay Brock was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder of two people at a Bradley University party in the summer of 2018. One of the victims, Nasjay Murry, grew up on the southside of Chicago, and chose Bradley University in Peoria because she thought she would be safe from the violence that plagued her neighborhood.
Both of these cases involved minors committing senseless acts of violence that ended in the tragic deaths of people. Both judges in these cases found the teens to be particularly depraved and therefore beyond the possibility of rehabilitation. This legal opinion is necessary in order to charge minors with anything over 40 years. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2012 that life sentences for juveniles violated the 8th Amendment; and, the Illinois Supreme Court has found anything over 40 years is considered a life sentence and would not include juveniles except in cases where a legal finding is made that the juvenile is beyond the possibility of rehabilitation. However, both will be eligible for parole after 20 years.
Incarcerating juveniles for life is especially expensive. It costs $38,000 a year to incarcerate a person in Illinois. After the age of fifty, the cost typically doubles.1 If Zaveon Marks serves his full sentence he’ll be released at age 60, and will have cost the taxpayers $2,090,000. If Jermontay Brock serves his full sentence he’ll be in his mid-70s by the time of his release and will have cost taxpayers $3,268,000.
On Thursday, June 26th, 2020 a small group of triggered geriatrics (mostly people of a colonial complexion) stood in front of the McLean County History Museum. Led by McLean County GOP Chair Connie Beard, they decried the creation of a boycott list of about 20 businesses in the Central Illinois Area. The boycott list was created in response to racial tensions in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and the surprising (and alleged) cultural shift in support of Black Liberation occurring nation wide. The businesses that made the list have a history of racist policies or the owners have a history of racist statements & behavior.
Connie Beard’s employer, Denbesten Real Estate, is on this list because of her outspoken support of President Trump. And, despite her support of some incredibly racist policies, she is adamant she is not racist. She even brought her black friend to prove it.2
“We are all one race. We are all one family and children of God,” Beard said. “To judge someone just on the color of their skin, to treat them differently, is not only foolish, it’s a sin.”
She blamed the creation & distribution of this list on Ward 6 Bloomington Alderperson Jen Carrillo. However, this is
FAKE NEWS!
Carrillo has stated multiple times she had nothing to do with the list. When asked whether she had any proof, Beard said, “I’m not saying she’s lying about creating the list. I’m saying, elected officials should not encourage or promote such damaging action to businesses in our community.”
Typical triggered conservatives. They don’t care about facts, only feelings.
But, that’s not how America works. Even politicians have free speech rights. Boycotting is a proud American tradition. Colonists routinely boycotted British goods & taxes in colonial America. It led to American Independence. American’s also have a strong tradition of boycotting racism. What does Beard think civil rights leaders were doing during the fifties? Has she never heard of the Montgomery Bus Boycott?
(I’d also like to point out most of these people couldn’t be bothered to wear masks, even though COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing. This is the exact same group of covidiots demanding we open up the economy early and saying Americans are responsible enough; yet, they can’t even be responsible enough to wear masks at a press conference.)3
Covidiots
Beard also decried efforts to defund the police. Typical big government conservatives. Just like they want government to control your reproduction, they want to support overbloated police budgets, increased militarization of the police, & our byzantine criminal justice system that disproportionately oppresses people of color. So much for fiscal conservatism, I guess.
Perhaps the most hypocritical facet of this Coronavirus spreading spectacle is these are the same people who fetishize the freedom of the market above all else. Yet, when consumers choose how to spend their dollars in anti-racist ways, these right-wing types start begging for entitlements from society: freedom from criticism. Sorry snowflakes: freedom means the right to free speech & opinion, but not the right to be free of responsibilities. Maybe ya’ll should get some personal responsibility & reflect on why people think you might have racist opinions.
History was made on Saturday, June 6th, 2020 when the first ever Black Lives Matter protest occurred in Pekin, IL at the Tazewell County Courthouse.
Pekin is probably the most well-known of the former sundown towns in Central Illinois. Sundown towns were municipalities which by law or by practice banned African-Americans from being within the city past dark, effectively preventing them from living within city limits. Going back to my great-grandparents, who were born in the early 20th century, the one thing people associate with Pekin is racism.
But, a group of Pekinites want this to change. In the wake of the death of George Floyd, we’re seeing a seismic shift in the American consciousness surrounding the struggle for Black Liberation. Around 150 people gathered outside the Tazewell County Courthouse, to protest for Black Liberation. Brittany Wagner, a Pekin woman of colonial complexion, and Ezra Collum, a black man, organized the event. They read off the stories of Black men & women who have been killed by the police. George Floyd, Sandra Bland, Breonna Taylor, and so many more.
Brittany Wagner
Wagner led the crowd in a boisterous display of solidarity. Protesters marched around the Courthouse on blocked off streets, and laid on the ground for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time Derek Chauven kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck. Wagner, a deaf woman native to Tazewell County, spoke with such fire & fury because despite not being able to hear, the one thing she could hear was the injustice against black lives & the injustice perpetrated by the police. As so many other people of no color dug there heads in the sands of All Lives Matter, Wagner heard loud and clear the clamoring of systemic inequalities; it was a sound that clearly shook her to the core. At certain points in her speech, she paused to wipe away tears.
“Where were the All Lives Matter crowd when a Chinese-American got stabbed because of COVID?” Wagner asked the crowd. “That wasn’t All Lives Matter. All lives don’t matter when it’s inconvenient to them. These are not an inconvenience. These are people. Everyone deserves a chance!”
Ezra Collum
Ezra Collum, spent his portion speaking about Black Trans Lives, both those people murdered by police & transphobic bigots. “People don’t know their names; they don’t see them on Facebook. I just want to make it known about Black Trans Lives: we matter too.” Ezra said the names of several black trans people murdered in the past two years. Tony McDade, Celine Walker, Anatash’a English, Cathalina James, Nina Bop, Dana Martin, Chynal Lindsey, Bee Love Slater, Bailey Reeves. “The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reports a multi-year trend showing that Trans Women of Color have greater risk of death by hate crime than any other group in 2019. There was at least 22 trans- or nonconforming people murdered and it is the 5th consecutive year in a row where at least 20 trans people were murdered.” he said.
Whether it would even be possible to hold a Black Liberation rally in Pekin was always an open question. I talked to many Pekinites present about the kind of backlash they would receive from friends & family in Pekin if they were actively anti-racist. “ YES THEY ARE AFRAID!” said Wagner. “Yes, there are some die hard racist people who are attacking me in my inbox, and posting about who I am, but people in Pekin can be afraid of the backlash and that shouldn’t even exists. The consequences are racists continually harassing those who are trying to do right.”
One Pekinite, Heather York, said she absolutely believes Pekinites are afraid to speak out against racism when they see it. “Just the personal consequences they see from people they know. People they know will put out a witch hunt on them, just for saying Black Lives Matter. Racists will encourage people to ostracize them.”
Wagner was threatened by multiple people online for organizing the protest, and discovered her window had been tampered with, though they cannot say for sure whether the two are related.
“There is an unbelievable amount of racism I’ve experienced in Pekin, unfortunately,” said Wagner, “causal talking casual racism. At a very young age I was exposed, I remember thinking why isn’t this fair but ya know as a kid in a predominantly white neighborhood, I didn’t understand that it was racism against POC until I was older.”
Before the event even occurred there were fears of violence against protesters. One Pekinite, a so-called “concerned citizen”, Matt Armentrout, posted on Facebook, and essentially made a call to arms from the community to be prepared for what he assumed would inevitably turn to looting.
Matt Armentrout
Wagner reached out to Armentrout because she knew many people were concerned with going to a protest surrounded by people with weapons. Wagner told me, “So, the story behind that was he posted a status mentioning guns and protecting his town. It put a lot of fear into people obviously. I got to talk to him and tell him everything I stand for and against in a message, I talked to his childhood friends and they talked to him and he understood where I was coming from. If everyone really is aware of what’s happening in this fight for injustice, they’ll realize exactly what were about and then like Matt, be standing on the frontlines instead of against and protecting us.”
And to Armentrout’s credit, he and his “concerned citizens” did show up unarmed, largely watched from afar, and they spent most of their time discouraging any racist counter-protesters from instigating the BLM protest. However, it was certainly a bizarre experience seeing “concerned citizens” (some with Nazi tattoos) recording every moment and capturing every face.
Already, this group of anti-racist Pekinites is starting to gain traction. Their first action was in many ways just to create a space where anti-racist Pekinites could see each other and form bonds of solidarity. So, that they know they aren’t the only ones disgusted when people drop the N-word or fly a Confederate flag or make a racist joke about people.
There were even actual fascists who attempted to incite event. A truck repeatedly drove by the intersection of the protest with a Trump flag, flipping of protesters. At one point, the vehicle was even stopped by police and told they should leave the protesters alone. However, the vehicle obstinately refused, returning evermore, this time with the traitorous flag of the Confederacy adorned across from the Trump 2020 flag. One brave American patriot protesting for Black Liberation, was so incensed by the foul stench emanating from the Confederate trash, that he took the flag from the truck and properly disposed of it. At this point, the fascists were outraged, with one trying to run BLM protesters over with his mo-ped. “No Lives Matter! No Lives Matter!” He screamed at the peaceful protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter”. The individuals in the traitorous Confederate vehicle were again stopped by police and each one was cited for disorderly conduct. They could face a maximum fine of $750 each.
Confederate traitors lose their participation flag.
Heather York, who is organizing another BLM protest in Pekin Saturday, June 13th, at the Tazewell County Courthouse, says their group has a list of demands they plan on presenting to the Pekin Police Department.
Demands:
1. Defund the Police, a reallocation of funds towards other services. Reduction of militarized police. More specific training on deescalation and subduing someone without lethal force, sensitivity training on basically everyone, training on active anti-racism.
2. Accountability for officers that abuse their power. Let us sue individuals officers for misbehavior.
3. Disband the Police Union entirely. It is superfluous. They are already heavily protected. If they’re brutalizing people, they don’t deserve protection; and if the police aren’t brutalizing people, then they don’t need union protection.
4. Alternative emergency uses – Instead of calling 911 for the police, you’d call for a social worker, therapist, etc.
This group of young Pekinites will continue to organize around anti-racist issues as long as it takes, and encourage more anti-racist Tazewell County residents to take a more active role in addressing systemic racial issues.
When asked if she worries about racist attacks from the community, Wagley said, “If we show people, We are about peace. We are about change. We are about love. People will understand.”
The murder of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers has ignited a fresh, new wave of protests in support of Black Liberation across the country. In Central Illinois, like elsewhere, those organizing the events are not from older generations like Boomers and Xers, not even from Millenials, but from the Zoomer generation just now coming of age. The combination of no school during the last quarter of the school year, nearly 2 ½ months under quarantine restrictions, the economic depression during COVID-19, and the fact the police can’t stop messing with Black Lives EVEN during a global pandemic has caused an eruption of support for the liberation of Black Lives beyond what many of us expected to see.
Even before May 30th, 2020 Zoomers were already standing on the sidewalk along Veterans Parkway with signs supporting Black Lives. But, Saturday May 30th was a catalyst here in Bloomington-Normal. 24-year old Micah Denniston, posted on Facebook she was organizing a protest at the McLean County Jail in downtown Bloomington. Denniston, a woman of the Caucasian persuasion, was affected by Floyd’s death because “I am the mother of three mixed children. They are mixed with black,” she said. “I shouldn’t have to fear for my son’s life when he grows up. God forbid, he gets pulled over and the next thing you know he’s dead on the ground by a cop because they fear him for the color of his skin or they fear my boyfriend for the color of his skin or my brother next to me for the color of his skin. It’s not right.”
Micah Denniston, 24
She only thought about 15 people would show up. Instead, over a 150 people gathered near the jail next to the US Cellular Coliseum. Micah and her friends wanted to March around the jail. More experienced activists helped facilitate the goals of these Zoomers: blocking off traffic, documenting the scene, and negotiating with law enforcement.
Because the McLean County Jail is in the heart of downtown Bloomington, inmates can be seen from the streets. For many protesters there, it was their first time experiencing their voice reaching out in protest and making a connection of solidarity with another, especially individuals being isolated from society by the state. Even from across the street on a busy day, one can clearly hear inmates banging on their windows. The effect is poignant. Realizing that you can see from the street what the state hides behind architecture and that you can transgress the state’s forced isolation of inmates is a powerful feeling. At the same time, inmates who have been kept on 23-hour a day lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic, received some much needed social interaction. These bridges being built through the walls of state authority are an important link activists for Black Liberation must continue to cultivate.
Another novelty found was Bloomington Police Officers, unprompted, offering to block of traffic so that protesters could take over the streets safely. For nearly thirty minutes, Black Liberation activists occupied East Street just outside the McLean County Law & Justice Center. Afterwards, the march of nearly 150 people took over the streets of downtown Bloomington in a spontaneous manner, picking and choosing its direction almost at random for nearly 3 miles as if hunting out the vestiges of white supremacy in the city. Even without a clear direction, police continued to block off traffic for the protesters. There is a clear distinction in the way police in BloNo have been reacting to BLM protests after the death of Floyd. Unlike many cities where the police are actively attacking peaceful protesters, police in McLean county are getting on one knee, saying “Black Lives Matter”, and hugging protesters in an alleged solidarity.
At the jail were many tense moments between protesters and sheriff’s deputies. There is a primal rage in the early protests after George Floyd. An absolute disgust at the injustice inherent in our policing and carceral institutions. There were about 3-4 sheriff’s deputies being confronted by protesters. The anger in the people wouldn’t allow for a satisfactory answer to congeal from the deputies, aside from ripping off their badge and joining the revolution. But, this anger is nevertheless righteous. So many people are sick of the abuse of state power by the police, the sense of helplessness when under the gaze of an officer. The three officers were between Scylla & Charybdis in front of the massive group. No answer was sufficient to calm them down, and any escalation would have put everyone in danger. Yet, those officers needed to feel that powerlessness for the protest to be effective. The entire confrontation only lasted about ten minutes and was finally diffused by a Sargent yelling “Black Lives Matter” with open arms & a smile. It was enough to distract the powder keg and relieve the mounting pressure.
[FULL DISCLOSURE: The author participated in this protest.]
On May Day, May 1st, Black Lives Matter Bloomington-Normal organized a car caravan action around the McLean County Jail calling for decarceration and to waive the costs of video visits/phone calls during COVID19 for inmates. BLM BloNo also released a contract between McLean County and the telecommunications system, IC Solutions, that shows they are profiting off of these video visits/phone calls, which of course happen more often now that in-person visits are shut down due to COVID19.
ACTION ITEM: Join BLM BloNo and Tell McLean Co: Stop Profiting From Jail Visits During Covid-19!
Check out: Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/BLMBlono/ E-mail — blacklivesmatterblono@gmail.com Contact your County Board representative and tell them they shouldn’t be making money just so people can stay in touch with their loved ones during the Coronavirus.
I got to talk with private attorney Chris McCall, who is currently running in next years election for States Attorney. On the Democratic side, Chris McCall will take on recently appointed Peoria States Attorney Judi Hoos. This will actually be the second time the two have faced off against each other. McCall also applied for the States Attorney position left vacant by the demise of Jerry Brady in June 2019.
Shortly after her appointment, Hoos commented she had no plans to change any of the prosecution teams she will overseas, continuing a long pattern of mass incarceration & racial inequity at the Peoria States attorney that goes back before Kevin Lyons tenure as Peoria’s top prosecutor. Hoos worked for many years as a prosecutor in Peoria County.
He says he has big plans on correcting many of the errors in the criminal justice system.
“At current levels, it costs $180,000 in our county to incarcerate a child for a year,” McCall said. “The programs I am proposing to redirect would-be criminals, to offer parenting classes prior to foster care and to protect victims from further victimization would cost a faction of that cost, while making our communities safer places for all of us to live.” He says his policies will help sever the bonds of generational poverty.
“McCall said he would hire a bilingual social worker focused on redirecting juvenile and non-violent, first-time offenders. He also plans to start a once-a-month evening court for petty offenses, so people don’t have to take time off from work to attend court during the day.
Another top priority: creating an Advisory Committee on Police Shootings to make recommendations about the legal response to such events.”
I spoke with Chris McCall over the phone about his project for criminal justice in Peoria.
Zach Gittrich: You’ve heard about the decision to try 14-year old Zaveon Marks as an adult for the murder of 16-year old Zarious Fair. What are the circumstances where you would be willing to try juveniles as adults?
Chris McCall: As a candidate for States Attorney, I shouldn’t comment on specific cases. When it comes to trying juveniles as adults, there’s a couple of things that have to be kept in mind. For 16 & 17-year olds, certain extremely serious crimes are statutorily required to be tried in adult courts. However, juveniles from 13 to 15-year olds are left up to the prosecutor’s discretion. I think it is very important to take into consideration the crime itself and the circumstances surrounding it (was it a random or pre-planned offense). I would also examine the minor’s history of delinquency and consult the teachers and educators. Finally, I would make sure I consult the victim’s family.
ZG: What are some of the things you’d like to do as State’s Attorney to address racial inequities in Peoria County?
CM: First, I would hire more minorities to the SA office. There are currently very few people of color working there; and, many people of color have left the office because they have not received the same opportunities as white attorneys.
Second, I would assemble a taskforce to review all incidents of police involved shootings. Currently, when deciding to charge officers the SA office only has senior staff review these cases, and I think the current process lacks confidence among the people. Some people see this process and think it’s blue supporting blue.
ZG: Who would you appoint to this task force?
CM: I would include retired judges, senior staff, and retired, diverse police officers to advise on whether to prosecute or not. I believe this would give the community more confidence in the system.
ZG: What about appointing members from various civil rights groups?
CM: I’m open to that; however, I don’t want to be in the process of teaching the law to laypeople. So, whoever is appointed to the task force needs to have a familiarity with the law so as to get to the task at hand.
ZG: What is your position on the use of money bail for those arrested? Are you willing to ban money bail for all nonviolent offenders who are arrested?
CM: I want to work towards banning that. I am supportive of legislative efforts to ban money bond for nonviolent offenses (with the exception of stalking, harassment, and trespassing). Myself, I would likely begin by looking at nonviolent traffic offenses and misdemeanors.
ZG: What are some of the problems you’ve seen from PPD in the way they enforce the law?
CM: It seems that some officers–younger officers–are sent to some areas where they don’t have relationship. There needs to be a more diverse police force. The PPD needs to focus more on relationship building and communication with neighborhoods that may distrust them. Furthermore, anyone who is stopped in a high-crime area, I won’t prosecute just because they look “nervous”.
At the same time, police officers need to understand that as long as they do the right things, McCall will support them. The job can certainly be difficult and involves lots of split-second judgment decisions, but at the end of the day, it’s still a job they chose. I also think most officers are doing good and want to do good.
ZG: What are your thoughts on Peoria’s use of nuisance abatements as a way to remove “problem” tenants from their homes?
CM: That’s more of a city issue than a SA issue. I would have to defer to the city attorney.
ZG: Even though it is not the job of the SA would you be willing to work with school Districts to teach students about the law and the penalties that go with committing a crime? I ask because while most kids know that certain actions are crimes, they often don’t understand the full consequences and penalties that go with committing certain crimes.
CM: Yes, I would, and it’s something I already do as a private attorney. Its something I’ve been doing since 2005. I go to local schools, from grade schools to college. I talk about what happens in court, basic things that can get them in trouble, I talk about trauma, how to interact with police that is respectful but within their rights. I want to continue to do that at a greater scale. I would also send traffic prosecutors into drivers ed to discuss the penalties of driving without a license or insurance.
ZG: Back in April, a black woman was almost murdered by a racist white man who threatened to kill her. He was not charged with a Federal hate crime and was eventually put into veterans court where he received 15 months court supervision and 200 hours of community service. The victim feels she was railroaded. How would you have handled this case differently?
CM: I cant speak about this specific case. But, in general, we must support victims. Talk to victims every point of case, that is what is needed.
ZG: Do you think more should be done to hold the police accountable to the general public? What things would you support to make this happen?
CM: That’s more of a city issue. But, if an officer has a reputation of bias or unfair treatment or has a habit of turning their body camera off, the best way to punish those officers is to make it clear we wont prosecute cases involving those officers.
ZG: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
CM: The primary election is March 17th, and I would love peoples’ support. I want to focus on more intervention programs, help victims of crimes, and do more to treat victims of recent trauma. I believe all defendants should be treated the same under the law.
