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August 14th, 2009 Delores
Carr
Dear Ms. Carr. This
is a formal complaint against San Jose Police
officer: Theodore “Ted” Trujillo (Badge# 2725)
regarding an egregious incident that occurred at the San
Jose City Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 5th,
2009, which I believe to have been in violation
of the State of California’s Ralph M. Brown
act, as well as the Federal UNRU Civil
Rights act. On
this same date specified, a peaceful civil rights
demonstration was occurring outside San Jose City
Hall. The
main focus of this demonstration, in witch I was an active
participant was San Jose Police Misconduct and Racial
Profiling. We were also advocating for the
establishment and creation
of a Citizens Advisory Board or committee
to oversee and assist with these matters and concerns. There
were approximately 50 demonstrators present that included
members from the following organizations: La Raza
Round Table, Silicon Valley De-Bug, San Jose
Copwatch, San Jose Peace and Justice, and
others. At
a point during the city council meeting, the
majority of the demonstrators agreed upon a collective
decision to leave the demonstration site in order
to attend the city council meeting. However, upon
our arrival at the public entrance to the city council
chamber, the glass doors were locked, and San Jose
Police Officer: Ted Trujillo (Badge # 2725) was
standing on the opposite side of the door shaking his head
and motioning for us to leave. Officer
Trujillo, who
is assigned by SJPD to serve as the personal bodyguard
for San Jose Mayor: Chuck Reed eventually did allow
us admittance to the council meeting. (This was
after several minutes of having to knock loudly upon the
doors and attracting the attention of the City Council,
Staff and others who were present at the council
meeting. Nonetheless,
an obviously
deliberate effort was made by SJPD Officer
Trujillo to prevent and/or deter our attendance
and participation
at this council session in apparent violation
of California’s Brown Act.
Furthermore, because the group
of affected individuals were
the Civil Rights Demonstrators and no one else,
then Officer Trujillo’s effort also appears also
to be in violation the Federal UNRU Civil Rights
act because the basis for the attempt to deter our
attendance was obviously because of the position of our political
stance being represented by us and the nature of
the opinions that we were attempting to express.. Although
none of us know for certain who actually locked the door,
there is a degree of suspicion that officer Trujillo
may have been instructed or
influenced to do so by San Jose Police Chief: Robert
Davis who was also present at the council meeting
and was seen conversing with Trujillo throughout
much of the meeting, and would have possible motive
because Chief Davis’s role in managing the San
Jose Police Department, and the accompanying
resistance to department reform was a major focal
point for many of us who attended the demonstration. I
have not yet acquired the names and contact info of all
those affected, (Approximately 40 individuals) though I
will provide you with contact info for each of the civil
rights organizations mentioned in this report.
Silicon
Valley De-Bug: 408-971-4965 Thank
you kindly for your time and attention in this matter. Sincerely:
Rev. Cary-Andrew Crittenden. 408-
44 408-401-8940
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Email: brown.act@violation.San-Jose-California.us PS:
A Copy of this complaint will also be published online at
www.SanJoseCopwatch.org CC:
ACLU, California Attorney General, SJ City Manager, S.J.
Independent Police Auditor, SJPD: Internal Affairs Unit,
Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, Senator: Barbara
Boxer, Senator: Dianne Feinstein, Dr. Christopher
Ehrentraut, Rev. Larry Duncan, Silicon
Valley De-Bug, S.J. Peace & Justice, La Raza Round
Table, SJ. City Council Member: Madison Nguyen (District
7), United States Department of Justice. Att: Civil Rights
Division. |
Last updated 4.3.06
