Internal Email Reveals Racism in Madison County Sheriff’s Department BY JOSHUA TOM, LEGAL DIRECTOR “Arrested. Black. Male.” The problem, however, runs deeper that he has used racial slurs in the These are the words that have been — much deeper — than racist sheriff course of his duties and had not been pre-filled on a cover sheet to the emails. disciplined. Far from being punished for racism, the department appears to Madison County Sheriff’s Department The Madison County Sheriff’s have institutionalized it. Narcotics Unit’s case files. All other Department’s policy of racialized fields have been left blank. These policing stretches back at least as far words tell the story of racially biased as the prior sheriff’s administration. policing in the county that begins In 2006, Black residents of Canton, before officers even go into the Mississippi — a predominantly community. Black town in Madison County The internal racism of the department and the county seat — presented a represented in this form is just one petition bearing 664 signatures to the Madison County Board of Supervisors piece of a larger body of compelling demanding an end to “frequent evidence that the sheriff’s department roadblocks in the predominantly black has a culture of racism that threatens neighborhoods” and “racial profiling.” Madison County’s Black community. The response? Former Sheriff Toby In June of 2009, current Sheriff Trowbridge refused to even meet with Randall Tucker, while a deputy under Other evidence and data collected the protestors. former Sheriff Toby Trowbridge, during the discovery phase received and forwarded a racist email Trowbridge denied using racial support the fact that MCSD has titled, “White Pride.” It contained the profiling and vowed to continue a longstanding policy of stopping statements, “when I call you Nigger, using roadblocks as a policing tactic, and searching Black drivers and Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel despite the evidence that they were pedestrians who travel in Madison Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink... disproportionately affecting Black County on the basis of their race. You call me a racist.” The email people. His casual brushing aside For example, over 30 people, concludes by encouraging the reader of community outrage dovetails including the named plaintiffs, to express support for its sentiments with the casual racism exhibited by submitted declarations explaining by forwarding it along, which Sheriff the sheriff’s department. Tellingly, their experiences with MCSD that Tucker did. current Sheriff Tucker later pledged reflect this racism — testimony that to “maintain the quality of law corroborates the existence of a racially The ACLU of Mississippi, along with enforcement that we have under biased policing program and the its co-counsel at Simpson Thacher Sheriff Trowbridge,” and upon taking department’s abuse of authority. & Bartlett LLP and the ACLU’s office in 2012, officially adopted all of Lawrence Blackmon, one of our national office, uncovered these and Trowbridge’s policies. other documents during six months named plaintiffs, was tackled, made of legal discovery before proceeding to The roadblocks and racial profiling to lay face down, and then handcuffed file a motion for class certification on continue to this day. at gunpoint after he asked to see a warrant before allowing deputies March 14, 2018, in Brown v. Madison During his deposition in this case, to enter his home. He asked them County. In the case, we sued Madison former Sheriff Trowbridge testified to show the warrant. They did not. County and its sheriff’s department about the use of racial slurs at the Instead, they searched his home, for operating a policing program that sheriff’s department by MCSD looking in drawers and cabinets for a targets Black people on the basis of personnel, including by him, and a full-grown man they claimed to have a race. MCSD patrol supervisor testified warrant for. CONTINUE READING ON PG. 2 BECAUSE FREEDOM CAN’T PROTECT ITSELF THE TORCH | ACLU OF MISSISSIPPI | SPRING 2018 1 The evidence of our plaintiff’s The eight named plaintiffs in our "And then there are just personal stories are supported by case against the county are Black Americans. You pass hard numbers. men and women ages 28 to 63 who were unconstitutionally searched, me on the street and Black individuals make up only detained, or arrested by the MCSD, 38 percent of Madison County’s sneer in my direction. sometimes violently. These incidents population, but they accounted for happened while our clients were going You call me 'White boy,' 77 percent of all arrests made by about their daily lives — walking to the MCSD between 2012 and 2017. 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' work, driving in their neighborhood, In addition, the per capita rate of celebrating with family, or just 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... roadblocks in substantially Black spending time in their own homes. and that's OK. census tracts is nearly double that of predominantly white census tracts. The ACLU and Simpson Thatcher But when i call you, are asking the court to certify the Sadly, our claim of racially biased lawsuit as a class action and put an Nigger, Kike, Towel policing in the county is not new. end to MCSD’s policy and culture of head, Sand-nigger, MCSD’s racist and discriminatory racial discrimination. All residents of Camel Jockey, Beaner, culture has been felt in communities Madison County deserve to be treated Gook, or Chink.. You call of color for years. The stories of our equally regardless of their race. They plaintiffs and the data analysis deserve justice, and we intend to me a racist." support this history of injustice. ensure they get it. LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The beginning filed bills to codify discrimination, surveillance. We stand with of a new year to criminalize association, and citizens with Mississippians typically to label free speech as terrorism who want to balance protection brings with - we fought back. When women’s and privacy by requiring police it a renewed pay equality and personal accountability and governmental hope for better healthcare decisions became transparency. outcomes. fodder for the “old boys” club, we We remain encouraged, however, The ACLU of stood in solidarity with partner because of you! You responded Mississippi organizations. to our call for Liberty Lobbyists began 2018 The ACLU of MS knows that by participating in webinars, with the same hope, anticipation change does not come easily and attending trainings and showing and expectation for a better must be defended. Even when up at the Capitol to advocate Mississippi. We entered the change does come, there are often alongside us. We cannot stand year with progressively minded deliberate efforts to undermine with our partners or legislators legislation in hand that would advances that would secure who take the right policy positions have standardized policing policy “justice for all.” It is this reality without you. We cannot stand when body cameras are deployed, that keeps us on the frontline of against and oppose tyranny made equitable opportunities for the fight to protect freedom. without you. As an organization career educators, and increased we cannot stand for rights, access for voter participation in We continue to litigate against unequal treatment in the court fairness and justice without our electoral process. We called on you. You have shown us that we the state to commemorate its 200- systems. When students show solidarity and desire to protest, don’t have to stand alone. You year history by unfurling freedom stood with us. Together, we stand for all. we prepare them with tools and knowledge to protect their right determined to make Mississippi It did not take the Legislature and to peaceful protests. We stood a just and equitable state. Thank state leadership long to remind with legislators who understand you for your continued support. us that this is still Mississippi. that innovation and technology Sincerely, We were ready! When legislators can be used as tools of improper Jennifer Riley Collins BECAUSE FREEDOM CAN’T PROTECT ITSELF THE TORCH | ACLU OF MISSISSIPPI | SPRING 2018 2 ACLU-MS STAFF 2018 Legislative Session Jennifer Riley-Collins EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Review: All Hands on Deck BY AISHA CARSON, ADVOCACY COORDINATOR Rakeshia Gray The ACLU of Mississippi remains the progress of 2014’s HB 585 that DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & your Capitol’s watchdog and this year has resulted in our prison population ADMINISTRATION we knew we would need all hands on decrease. We effectively killed the deck. Our legislative strategy sent all bill in the Youth and Family Affairs Tabuthia Bell of the advocacy staff to the Capitol to committee. FINANCE OFFICER lobby legislators using their specific An amendment to SB 2197 would have expertise. With a robust legislative Zakiya Summers-Harlee also authorized the establishment of agenda, this year’s session was yet DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & mental health courts throughout the another challenge to the rights of state but it did not pass. These courts ADVOCACY individuals in Mississippi. Having the would reduce counterproductive over- support of the full team made a huge Katherine Klein reliance on incarceration to handle difference. EQUALITY ADVOCACY COORDINATOR mental health patients. We supported Our team of advocates took to the the amendment. However, the final Aisha Carson State Capitol, promoting nine bills bill approved by the governor was EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES that endorsed freedom, transparency, simplified to only provide that a person ADVOCACY COORDINATOR and equal opportunity and access, and will not be taken into custody when fought back against bills that threaten medical assistance has been requested Malaysia Walker the rights of people across the state. due to consuming alcohol if that person TEAP-MS ADVOCACY COORDINATOR meets certain protocols. Improved Policing and Criminal Joshua Tom Justice Reform Equal Opportunities for Educators LEGAL DIRECTOR Leading our legislative package was and Students the Body Cams Bill, SB 2283.
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