America’s best weekly REMEMBER THOSE LOST TO POLICE AND RACIAL VIOLENCE PittsburghNEW Courier www.newpittsburghcourier.com thenewpittsburghcourier Vol. 111 No. 28 Two Sections JULY 8-14, 2020 Published Weekly $1.00 SAY THEIR NAMES AND WAY TOO PittsburghNEW Courier To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 MANY MORE! ext. 136 A2 JULY 8-14, 2020 METRO NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER WILKINSBURG IN FOCUS AYDEN AND MADISON GIVNER, both 5 years old, at the Wilkinsburg Strong Peace March, held Satur- THE FAMILY OF ROMIR TALLEY—Romir Talley, a 24-year-old Black male, was shot and killed by day, June 20. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) Wilkinsburg police in December 2019, after police were called to a scene where a man was allegedly threatening another person with a gun. Wilkinsburg police say they shot Talley after he fi red a shot at them fi rst—the Talley family, however, wants more transparency into all the details that transpired. The Allegheny County DA’s offi ce said the case is under review. See more photos on Page A7. Peace March calls for end to recent violence, and transparency in police shooting of Romir Talley Mayor Marita Garrett: ‘I never waved or pointed a gun at anyone’ Mayor speaks out after protesters unexpectedly came to her home WILKINSBURG MAYOR MARITA GARRETT, at a press conference in front of the Wilkinsburg Borough Building, July 1. (Photo by Courier photographer J.L. Martello) on June 30 by Rob Taylor Jr. was shot seven times. Mayor Garrett contin- Mike Manko with the Courier Staff Writer ued: “I did not wave or Allegheny County Dis- point my gun at anyone.” Was it a bird? Was it a trict Attorney’s Office The mayor also told the plane? told the Courier on July Courier exclusively, July Whatever it looked like 2 the case is still under 2, that she was informed on Facebook, television or review. that the family of Romir other outlets, Wilkinsburg “As a Black woman pe- Talley met with the Al- Mayor Marita Garrett, riod, but especially as a legheny County police in an exclusive interview Black woman, being a department sometime in with the New Pittsburgh public figure, an elected late June. At this point, Courier, Thursday after- official, I’ve been disre- Mayor Garrett said, the noon, July 2, emphatically spected, I’ve felt unpro- family actually has more denied she ever waved or tected for so long....and information about the pointed a gun at anyone as especially just increased open investigation into protesters descended upon when getting into office, the shooting than she her home on June 30. how people approach me, does, contrary to reports THE “I was never waving how people will roll up from those who feel that NEW PITTSBURGH a gun,” Mayor Garrett on me, so yes, I do have Mayor Garrett is hiding said. “I never waved a a license to carry and I information. COURIER gun and I never pointed am ready to protect my “These calls for, ‘She’s PUBLISHING COMPANY a gun at anyone. What home, myself and my covering up, she’s hiding happened was, protest- family,” Garrett told the this’ and all of that stuff, ers were at my house, Courier. “So my mom had I have less information Publication No.: USPS 381940 I didn’t see any police, asked me, ‘Marita, do than the family at this 315 East Carson Street there were about, at you have your gun?’ And point,” Mayor Garrett Pittsburgh, PA 15219 that time, about 25-30 I showed her my gun, told the Courier. “I have people already assem- and then I put it back in done what I can do in my Phone: 412-481-8302 bled, already screaming, my pocket. So, again, it role as mayor...the infor- Fax: 412-481-1360 already yelling obscen- was never my intent for mation that they keep ities, vulgar remarks, anyone to think I was trying to seek from me, The and so my mom goes out- waving or pointing it at they (the family) have. New Pittsburgh Courier (side)...” them, because I wasn’t I can’t provide anything is published weekly Protesters apparently waving or pointing it at else. I’ve tried to lay had come to Mayor Gar- them. I showed my mom, it out many times that rett’s home in Wilkins- put it back in my pocket, when a murder happens Periodicals burg after a public meet- and that was it.” or a homicide happens in paid at Pittsburgh, Pa. ing had been canceled But what about the Wilkinsburg, it automat- PRICE $1.00 earlier in the evening. Facebook photos circu- ically goes to the county Some people are angry at lating that show Mayor police department. They (Payable in advance) Mayor Garrett because Garrett sitting in front are the ones who investi- they feel she is not being of her home, with some- gate our homicides.” as transparent as pos- thing in her hand, possi- Mayor Garrett told the 6 Months—$25 sible pertaining to the bly waving it? Courier she’s been want- 1 Year—$45 December 2019 shoot- “I’m on my phone. You ing to meet with the im- ing death of 24-year-old can’t text on a gun,” May- mediate family of Talley 2 Years—$85 Romir Talley, a Black or Garrett said. “I was since late December. She 9-Month School Rate $35 man who was shot and texting on my phone. So, told the Courier she had killed by an unnamed that’s where all of that met with community ac- AND WAY TOO POSTMASTER: Send Wilkinsburg police of- is. But again, I’m ready tivists who thought they ficer. The Wilkinsburg to protect and defend could get the mayor in address changes to: police department said myself, and as a Black touch with the Talley Talley fired a weapon at woman, especially in this family, but it hasn’t oc- New Pittsburgh Courier the officers first, and one region, we have reports curred yet. Mayor Gar- 315 East Carson Street of their officers returned that show, Black women rett told the Courier she MANY MORE! Pittsburgh, PA 15219 fire, striking and killing are not safe in the Pitts- Talley. Talley, in fact, burgh region.” SEE MAYOR A7 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER JULY 8-14, 2020 A3 A4 JULY 8-14, 2020 METRO NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER ‘I need to know what happened to my son’ Danielle Brown demands COURIER EXCLUSIVE UPDATE answers in 2018 death of On Tuesday afternoon, July 7, the Courier’s Ricco J.L. Martello report- ed that Duquesne University officials Duquesne University met with Danielle Brown. She returned to Freedom Corner around 7:30 p.m. student Marquis Brown that evening, and the Courier’s Ash- ley Woodson reported that Brown said overall, she was not satisfied with the by Ashley Woodson trict, demanding more in- formation, more answers answers she was given by university For New Pittsburgh Courier from authorities and uni- officials. Pittsburgh Police have versity officials. said that 21-year-old “I’ve been knocking Marquis Jaylen Brown and knocking, and I still jumped from a Duquesne don’t have any answers be open enough to share one is it?” University dorm room on two years later,” Dan- as opposed to be able to Danielle Brown added: the 16th floor to his death ielle Brown told the New share while they were “There were four people in October 2018. Pittsburgh Courier ex- still students.” in the room when my son But Danielle Brown, clusively, July 5. “I’ve Investigators said that supposedly jumped out of Marquis’ mother, isn’t been knocking through Marquis Brown, of Wash- the window and no one buying what the police my attorney and through ington, D.C., had mari- did anything to stop my and university are sell- Pittsburgh Police trying juana in his system when son. It just doesn’t make ing. to find out what hap- he jumped from the win- sense. And he had a gash So much so that she pened to my son, hoping dow—a window that was on his head because some- spent the past days on a that people will come to broken after he allegedly one hit him. Fifty percent hunger strike at Freedom me. Maybe they felt after broke it with a chair. Wit- of the window was still in- Corner in the Hill Dis- graduation they would DANIELLE BROWN, holding a photo of her son, Marquis Brown. nesses told police Marquis tact, so I think he was un- (Photos by Courier photographer Ashley Woodson) Brown was acting “errati- conscious and bent over cally” in his dorm room. when he went out of the But Danielle Brown window. This whole sce- wants to know how the up nario was suspicious from to four people who were the beginning. The only in the same dorm room way to solve this case is with him somehow didn’t to have an independent prevent Marquis from investigation to trace his jumping out the window. steps.” She told WPXI-TV (Chan- On June 21, the family nel 11) on Monday, July 6, and friends of Marquis “I need to know what happened to my son and I don’t need anyone else’s narrative. I only want the narrative that my indepen- dent investigator can deliver. They’re not attached to Duquesne University or the Pittsburgh Police department. It would be a person being able to have access to infor- mation and give me an informed explana- tion of what could have happened to my son and not leaving me scratching my head.” -DANIELLE BROWN that “either the four peo- Brown held a rally and ple in the room watched march in the Hill District him jump out that win- and Uptown, demand- dow, or they had their ing more answers into hands in participating in the Duquesne football him going out that win- player’s death.