Last month, Black, unarmed Jajuan Henderson, was shot and paralyzed while sitting in a parked car after retrieving an iced tea, by Trenton police officers and the body camera footage still hasn’t been released. Salvation and Social Justice calls for the release the body camera footage.
The Attorney General’s directive from 2021 is that body camera footage should be released–upon request–within 20 days of the encounter. Critically, no body camera footage has been released to date and Henderson’s family has filed a lawsuit seeking accountability and justice for their son and brother.
Salvation and Social Justice says the City of Trenton should immediately develop a Civilian Complaint Review Board vested with subpoena power and the New Jersey Legislature must develop a decertification and licensing process; codify the Attorney General’s Use of Force Directive and fund community led alternatives to police for non violent behavioral health and quality of life issues.
“Mr. Henderson’s terrible encounter with the Trenton Police Department shines a spotlight on the predatory nature of policing throughout the state. He wasn’t committing a crime. Yet he was attacked and shot by a group of police officers in unmarked cars, dressed in all black with ski masks. This situation is yet another prime example of why we need meaningful police accountability measures,” said the Rev. Dr. Charles F. Boyer of Salvation and Social Justice and pastor of Greater Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Trenton.
“The church can no longer sit idly and just pray for better days. We must advocate together, forsaking denomination, and demand police accountability and transparency. Mr. Henderson, his family, and the citizens of Trenton deserve justice and it is the job of the City of Trenton to deliver it,” from Pastor John Taylor of Friendship Baptist Church in Trenton, NJ. “Now is the time for accountability!”
“Being a black man in a car at night does not warrant lethal use of force, and being a police officer shouldn’t mean that you are immune from accountability,” said Trenton NAACP Vice President Kadja Manuel “Mr. Henderson’s encounter with the Trenton Police Department shines a spotlight on the nature of policing throughout the state. He wasn’t committing a crime, yet he was attacked by a group of unidentified police officers in unmarked cars, dressed in all black with ski masks.
Trenton officials have not commented on the situation and have reportedly say the investigation is ongoing.