Courageous Black Councilwoman (Houston) in Trouble for Informing Public to Never Talk to the Police
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From [HERE] The city's Office of Inspector General is looking into a card distributed at a recent forum on police brutality in which City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones advises people never to speak with police.
"I would absolutely be concerned about anyone who would do anything to discourage citizens from speaking to police officers," Mayor Annise Parker said after Wednesday's City Council meeting. "That would be certain members of council who have put out written statements saying that citizens should never talk to police officers under any circumstances." (This is the same Mayor who said she hid the video tape of the Houston Police beat down of Chad Holley to insure the officers would have a fair trial [HERE]
The card's advice for encounters with police at home includes the directive: "NEVER speak with the police. You have a 5th Amendment right to remain silent. Use it! Ask for & contact your lawyer." In another section, the card states: "If it is meant for you to speak with the police, do so ONLY after you speak with your lawyer and he/she gives you permission."
City Attorney David Feldman, who oversees the city's OIG office, did not return calls regarding the probe of Jones. It is not clear what possible ethical or legal violations the office is investigating. Nor was it known Wednesday whether the OIG probe was the result of a complaint, and if so, who made the complaint.
It is the second OIG investigation of Jones this year. Last month, Jones was cleared of accusations that she used profanity and disparaged firefighters during a visit to a downtown fire station, with Feldman concluding in a memo, "It appears that this incident was of no substance."
Cites 5th Amendment
The city's Office of Inspector General is looking into a card distributed at a recent forum on police brutality in which City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones advises people never to speak with police.
"I would absolutely be concerned about anyone who would do anything to discourage citizens from speaking to police officers," Mayor Annise Parker said after Wednesday's City Council meeting.
Jones, a criminal defense lawyer, said the card is a quick legal reference to remind people of their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, not a call to refuse to cooperate with police. She said she has passed out a version of the card for years, even before her election to the council in 2007.
"Are they saying that they're disappointed that I'm telling people their constitutional rights?" Jones asked. "It's a public service. Me being on the council does not trump the Constitution."
Jones distributed the card at a town hall meeting on police brutality earlier this month at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church. Community activist Quanell X said he organized the event and invited Jones, not as a council member, but to serve as an lawyer and panelist.
The postcard-sized "Know Your Rights With The Police" card has phone numbers for Jones at both her law office and her City Council office.
Jones was quick to point out that the card does not identify her as a council member. The card lists the law office number for people interested in hiring her as a lawyer. The number to her council office is not identified as such, but offered as a line to call to report police misconduct.
"I do not take police brutality cases," Jones said when asked if she was soliciting clients for a suit against the city. She said she does only criminal defense law and has not done a civil case of any kind for several years.
"City Council has hurt my law practice, not helped it," Jones said, adding that council duties prevent her from taking on as much business as she did before she was elected.
Mayor: Message 'wrong'
Jones said she listed her council office on the card instead of the Houston Police Department's Internal Affairs Division because she considers the latter a "black hole" where complaints rarely get a thorough vetting. She instead refers callers to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office.
Houston Police Officers Union Vice President Ray Hunt said he would welcome an OIG investigation concerning distribution of the card.
"It's going to foster an environment that puts officers on the street in danger," Hunt said. "When we have a sitting City Council member stir the pot with that kind of language, it does nothing to foster a better relationship between citizens and the police."
Parker said at her news conference, "Any message that says the Houston Police Department can't be trusted, police officers can't be trusted, is wrong, counterproductive and could be very unsafe for our citizens."
