NAACP “disappointed” panel investigating Trice shooting won’t include observer
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By Thomas Geyer | Tuesday, May 06, 2008 | 71 comment(s)
The Rock Island NAACP said Tuesday that it is disappointed the board overseeing the investigation of the shooting of Kelton Trice by an East Moline police sergeant is not allowing a citizen observer to join the effort.
The local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had requested that a citizen from the East Moline neighborhood of Watertown where the shooting occurred be an observer on the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force.
The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force Governing Board denied the request.
Lauren Loftin, president of the Rock Island, NAACP, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Trice, 21, exchanged gunfire with East Moline Police Sgt. Tom Peterson in the 1000 block of 17th Street on April 16. Trice died from his injuries, and Peterson, who was wearing a bulletproof vest, spent the night in an area hospital.
Trice was wanted on an armed robbery warrant at the time and had run from other police officers before Peterson confronted him in an alley, police have said.
In their news release issued Tuesday, members of the NAACP said, “In all candor, we are unhappy with the board’s response and believe that an opportunity to support and even, enhance the integrity of your investigatory process has been lost.
“It is clear from the board’s rationale, the decision was based upon a misunderstanding of the proposed function of the ‘citizen observer.’ There never was an expectation that this person would actively participate in the investigation.”
It was hoped, the news release said, that the citizen observer could “provide added credibility to the investigation conducted by the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force” and that joining the task force “would have been an important message to send to the community where there are suspicions (warranted or unwarranted) surrounding the Trice shooting.”
Rock Island County Sheriff Mike Huff, the president of the task force governing board, said he received the NAACP’s response when it was faxed to him at 3:24 p.m. Tuesday.
Huff said he forwarded the document to all of the other board members. He said the board will respond after reviewing the document.
Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com.
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