E.R.A. Demands

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THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES

To be sure a lot of ground’s been covered since launching the Enough Racism in Arlington (ERA) Movement several months ago. The movement began after Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn met with Friendship West Baptist Church Senior Pastor Frederick D. Haynes, III. Pastor Haynes agreed to support the couple in pulling together community support to make their lives whole again.

Brother Broderick and Sister Silk along with their family continue to show strength in their stance to challenge racist elements in their hometown of Arlington Texas. However, it hasn’t been all work as the couple took time out to take a four day trip to historic Selma Alabama where they participated in the “ Selma to Montgomery” reenactment story. The trip was sponsored by the National Voting Rights Museum & Institute (NVRM) in Selma.

Legal Cases

The Criminal Case: Grace Head the white woman who blatantly walked into the yard and attacked Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn have been indicted by a Tarrant County Grand Jury of Aggravated Assault with a deadly weapon and Criminal Mischief. She has not been charged with a hate crime at this time. In August, Grace Head plead not guilty by reason of insanity. The trial will begin August 4 th at the Tarrant County Justice Center in Fort Worth Texas.

The Civil Case: Pending. However, Grace Head has been found, notified and served. Court date is set for August 17, 2009.

The Case against City of Arlington: Pending.

Arlington Police Dept. Internal affair investigation: Sgt. B. Bates the Jail Supervisor who stated a 2 x 4 was not considered a deadly weapon and reduced Grace Head’s charges from aggravated assault with a deadly weapon to simple assault. Investigation has been completed. The Arlington city official Lt. Scott Brown # 1351 said the investigation determined there was insufficient evidence to show serious misconduct on the part of Sgt. B. Bates.

Investigation of Grace Head’s Doberman Pincher being placed on dangerous dog list:Broderick and Silk gave sworn written statement regarding the dog attack. However, later on March 22, 2008 city officials stated written statements was not satisfactory without a verbal statement. Couple gave verbal statement so that the investigation could begin. On June 26, 2008 Court ruled Grace Head’s Doberman to be dangerous and ordered to be placed on the City of Arlington’s dangerous dog list.

Assault charges against Broderick: Broderick enter a not guilty plea on a $500.00 ticket he received regarding the allegations that he assaulted a white female city officer in front of 6 other officers on March 19,2008 the day the city partially removed the graffiti from the garage doors. The court date is scheduled for, 2008 9:30 a.m. @ Arlington municipal court, court room #4. The Judge would not allow a continuance in the case; therefore Broderick had to represent his self and was found guilty. Later Broderick’ Attorney appealed the verdict but was denied a retrial. Broderick is still trying to appeal this decision to prove his innocence.

COMMUNITY DEMANDS TO THE CITY OF ARLINGTON

1. We demand that the city of Arlington meet all demands of Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn as indicated on The Family Demand List. 

2. We demand that the city of Arlington issue a full page apology in a daily newspaper denouncing the brutal andracist attack on Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn. 

3. We demand that the City of Arlington establish aMinority/Women-owned Business Enterprise Program(MWBE). The City of Arlington has a responsibility to createformal opportunities for minority and women owned businessesto compete for bids, engage in doing business with the City ofArlington and maintain records of awarded and denied contractsto MWBE members.

 5. We demand that the City of Arlington create andimplement a cultural/diversity sensitivity training model.The City of Arlington has an obligation to ensure all its citizenshave freedom to pursue life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.We believe institutionalized racism creates a hostile climatetowards minorities in the Arlington Independent School Districtand the city government structure. 

6. We demand that the City of Arlington move from At – large elections to single member districts. Single member districts empower citizens to vote for elected officials who share their common interest and vision for the communities in which they live. 

7. We demand that the neighbors of Broderick & Silk are charged with accessory to commit a crime. The neighbors stood by and allowed Grace Snowden Head to perpetrate a hatecrime against Silk Littlejohn without offering any assistance of aid. 

8. We demand that the City of Arlington establish a Community Relations Department. The city must, within tentionality, create a link among the diverse community and city government. 

9. We demand that charges are brought against GraceSnowden Head for commanding her dog to attack in theincident. Grace Snowden Head had intent on doing bodily harmto Silk Littlejohn when she removed the leash from her dog.

10. We demand that Grace Snowden Head’s dog is added toArlington’s dangerous dog list. The City of Arlington mustplace Grace Snowden Head’s dog on Arlington’s DangerousDog list as defined by Arlington Animal Chapter of the Code ofthe City of Arlington, Section 1.01. 


THE FAMILY’S DEMAND LIST

1. The City of Arlington must repair the storm drain, manhole and yard of the family’s residence.

2. The City of Arlington must compensate Silk Littlejohn for all medical and legal expenses.

3. The police officer responsible for the reduction of Grace Head’s initial charges must be terminated.

4. Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn must secure a renewed permit free of city bureaucracy.

5. The District Attorney’s office must bring Grace Head before the grand jury expeditiously and aggressively pursue full maximum penalties against her for the vicious attack.


Arlington Response to List of Demands
Family Demands

1. The city must repair the storm drain, manhole and yard of the family’s residence.

The storm-water improvement the couple wants would be made on private property, and the city has no easement or rights to make repairs. The city has offered to remove the manhole and restore their driveway, City Attorney Jay Doegey said.

2. The city must compensate Littlejohn for all medical and legal expenses.

The city is not responsible for injuries or legal expenses that it does not cause, Doegey said. Grace Head was the perpetrator of Littlejohn’s injuries, police have said. Councilman Mel LeBlanc, who represents the district that includes the home, said this week that the couple could have obtained cash for medical bills and other expenses related to the assault through the victims assistance program. LeBlanc said the couple has refused help from the city.

3. The police officer responsible for the reduction of Head’s initial charges must be terminated.

Littlejohn filed an internal affairs complaint alleging that charges have been reduced; the complaint is being investigated, police said. Head faces criminal charges including felony criminal mischief, failure to identify herself to a police officer and aggravated assault in connection with the Dec. 19 attack involving Littlejohn. Head has been arrested twice and faces additional charges beyond what initial jail records show, police have said.

4. Gamble and Littlejohn must secure a renewed permit free of city bureaucracy.

Under local ordinances, construction permits must be processed by the city and require compliance with local building standards and the payment of regular permit fees. The city can waive fees.

5. The district attorney’s office must bring Head before the grand jury expeditiously and aggressively pursue full maximum penalties against her for the vicious attack.

Head is scheduled to appear before the grand jury next week, said a police spokesman, Lt. Blake Miller.

Demands on the City of Arlington

1. The city must meet all demands of Broderick Gamble and Silk Littlejohn as indicated on the Family Demand list.

2. The city must issue a full-page apology in a daily newspaper.

Mayor Robert Cluck has apologized to Littlejohn on behalf of the community and issued another statement Friday.

3. The city must establish a Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprise Program for city projects.

The city has an M/WBE agreement in place for construction at the Dallas Cowboys stadium and is discussing such an agreement for the Glorypark project.

4. The city must create and implement a cultural diversity, sensitivity training model.

The city has diversity, sensitivity and cultural training for employees, Miller said.

5. The city must adopt a single-member district City Council format.

The council has discussed moving from a system of four at-large seats and five single-member district seats to a system of eight single-member seats with an at-large mayor, but any change would have to be approved by voters in a charter election.

6. The couple’s neighbors must face accessory charges for not trying to stop Head when she attacked Littlejohn.

Several neighbors called 911 when the attack occurred. State law does not require people to take action if they notice criminal activity; it’s also unclear how neighbors could have prevented the attack.

7. The city must create a community relations department to link the diverse community with city government.

The city has a public relations department, but not a specific outreach person assigned to work with ethnic minorities.

8. Charges must be brought against Head for commanding her dog to attack Littlejohn.

There is not a separate charge regarding the dog attacks, though the district attorney could add charges if evidence warrants.

9. Head’s dog must be placed on the city’s dangerous dog list.

To begin proceedings to place a dog on the city’s dangerous dog list, Littlejohn would need to file an affidavit with Animal Services. No affidavit has been filed, officials said.

This report includes material from Star-Telegram archives.