On November 15th, 2015, Richard Perkins became the final victim of an Officer Involved Shooting in Oakland last year. While watching a side show, Mr. Perkins attempted to show OPD officers that he had a replica toy pellet gun. He was shot to death in response. Four months later, the family of Richard Perkins had not received the coroners report – a critical piece of evidence that can either support, or dispute the claims of OPD. After threatening community action, the report was released to APTP and the Perkins family on March 8th.
On Tuesday, March 15th, at 9:00 am on the corner of 90th and Bancroft (Where Richard was murdered), APTP will host a press conference in partnership with families that have lost loved ones to police terror and celebrate this recent victory while also raising critical questions about collusion between the sheriff’s office and Alameda County police departments to hide evidence from families who have lost loved ones to state sponsored violence.
“We don’t understand why it takes community pressure to force the coroner’s office to release the reports,” said Cat Brooks of APTP. “These families are already suffering a great loss and grieving their loved one. They rightfully want to know what happened and that report is critical in putting the pieces together.”
Yet time and time again, the coroner’s office – which is essentially the sheriff’s office – delays getting this report to the families. Yuvette Henderson was murdered by the Emeryville Police Department in February of 2015. Eight months later, it took APTP in partnership with Henderson’s family, to force them to release the report. Similarly in the case of Alan Blueford who was murdered by OPD on May 6, 2012, the community had to demonstrate at the Sheriff’s office to get the report released to family.
“They know that these reports are critical pieces of evidence,” said Dan Siegel, head legal counsel for APTP. “The longer they delay giving it to the family, the longer it takes to assess the wrongdoing on the part of OPD.”
Friday’s press conference is also the launch of APTP’s campaign for more accountability and transparency with the Sheriff’s office in relation to reports following Officer Involved Shootings. APTP will make the following demands:
- Provide families that are victims of police violence the coroner’s report within 30 days
- Investigate collusion between the Sheriff’s department and the Oakland Police Department
- Recall Sheriff Greg Ahern who has a long list of egregious behaviors
- Release the ENTIRE video series to the Perkins family and their legal counsel
- Bring in an outside investigator to investigate the murder of Richard Perkins.
Ada Henderson, Richards mother and Jamison Henderson, Yuvette’s brother will speak at the press conference.