15 December 1997
Rally for Malik Jones takes aim against brutality
Reprinted by permission from the New Haven Register
[For Rabbi Tilsen's full statement see "Malik: Martyr or Menace?" BEKI Bulletin, December 1997]
By Cynthia Mac Aulay
NEW HAVEN - Eight months after Malik Jones' death, about 60 people attended a march and rally to kick off a "care campaign for solidarity, unity and support."
Guest speaker Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen from Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel said the issues of police brutality and racism need to be dealt with to prevent such shootings.
Jones was killed by East Haven Police Officer Robert Flodquist on April 14 in New Haven after he chased him from East Haven. Flodquist was responding to a complaint that Jones was driving erratically.
State's Attorney Michael Dearington found Flodquist was justified in shooting Jones because he feared Jones was going to run him over.
"Were it not for the record of police brutality, maybe Malik would not have run from the police," Tilsen said.
A passenger in Jones' car, Samuel Cruz, said they did not stop because Cruz was smoking 'Illy" and was on probation at the time. Illy is a street name for marijuana or tobacco which has been soaked in embalming fluid.
"Police brutality can be color blind, but too often it is not," Tilsen said.
Tilsen said the use of deadly force in the Jones case was uncalled for.
"Malik was gunned down for the crime of 'driving while black,' or at the most, for a minor traffic violation," Tilsen said. "The last time I looked, these crimes are not punishable by death."
Changes must be made in police policy to protect residents from incidents like this one, said the Rev. Eric Smith.
"The issue is justice for every potential Malik out there" Smith said. "As long as police police themselves, every white person, every black person, every adult, every child could be a potential Malik."
Emma Jones, mother of Malik, said that in the end, the community will get justice for what happened.
"Though the wheels of justice turn very slowly, I believe in the end we will win. Patience and perseverance must win because we stand on the right side."
The "care campaign" urges elected officials to take a stand by urging a statewide conference in February on police accountability and police brutality, as well as high-speed chases and the use of deadly force.
A committee of the state legislature is currently studying high-speed chases.
