WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderJesse Jackson calls Barmore ruling "miscarriage of justice"
Jesse Jackson condemns the grand jury ruling as he speaks to crowd at the shooting site.
Jackson comforts Anthony Stevens, the father of Mark Barmore.
A framed photo of Mark Barmore now hangs in the church basement where he died.
Community members held up signs as they listened to Jackson speak.By Marissa Alter
ROCKFORD (WREX) - The Reverend Jesse Jackson denounces a Winnebago County grand jury ruling that cleared two Rockford officers for the deadly shooting of Mark Barmore in a church-run day care.
On Saturday, Jackson returned to the site of the shooting and encouraged a crowd to fight for a federal investigation and a different outcome in the case.
Mark Barmore's biological parents call Wednesday's grand jury decision devastating.
"It's the worst Christmas I ever had. Unbearable," says Barmore's father Anthony Stevens.
Barmore's biological mother Kelli Harrington adds, "This whole ordeal has been a mockery of justice, and I feel like if I don't stand up and fight for this, then my son died in vain."
This afternoon she got support for her push from civil rights leader Jesse Jackson.
"Don't get bitter, get better," Jackson advises. "Remain focused. Use our collective strength, our marching feet to fight until something happens that's just and fair."
Jackson spoke out in the basement of Kingdom Authority Church--the same room where Officers Oda Poole and Stan North killed Mark Barmore on August 24.
Police say they shot the 24-year-old suspect after a struggle. But witnesses Sheila and Marissa Brown claim Barmore surrendered. An investigation by Illinois State Police supported the officers' stories. Wednesday a grand jury agreed.
"The grand jury has told a grand lie," states Brown Family Spokesman Steven Muhummad.
Jackson says the grand jury couldn't get it right because it didn't hear from the Browns. They were subpoenaed to testify, but holiday travel plans had them in Mississippi on that day. They wanted the grand jury pushed back two weeks, but their request was denied.
"They were willing to cooperate with the grand jury because they have nothing to hide," says Jackson. "They have the most profound testimony. And so to make it December 23, the day before Christmas Eve, a sacred day, is more like manipulation than truth."
Jackson reiterated the need for the Department of Justice to get involved. He also wants the Senate and House Judicial Committees to hold hearings in Rockford.
"This is symbolic of something deeper than this shooting. The makeup of the police department--vertical and horizontal. The fire department makeup and the judges makeup. Who's in jail who's in school. It's now time to investigate--the whole judicial process should be under investigation."
Jackson came to Rockford several times right after the Barmore shooting, taking part in community rallies calling for justice. He says today's visit won't be his last.
