Message to the Grass Roots: Police Abuse: Myth or Reality, part 3

An episode of Message to the Grass Roots, a cable access talk show produced & hosted by Michael Zinzun from 1988-1998 at Pasadena Community Access Corporation, which is now Pasadena Media.

00:01Copy video clip URL Color bars. Tape information.

1:30Copy video clip URL “Message to the Grass Roots with Michael Zinzun: “Police Abuse: Myth or Reality Part 3” Guests: David Lynn, John Burton, Don Jackson, Mafundi Jitahadi, and  He introduces his guests and gives an outline of the show.

4:30Copy video clip URL Jitahadi speaks about his experience fighting against police with the Civilian Police Review Board. He describes how the board works and problems they fight against. 

9:00Copy video clip URL Lynn speaks about his experience with police violence and becoming involved as a private investigator. He speaks about his experience of the Marine Corps and his evolving interest in social issues. 

13:30Copy video clip URL Jackson speaks about how he works to expose racism in police departments. He talks about his own experience as a police officer and police violence against his own family. Zinzun briefly describes his own encounter with police violence. 

20:20Copy video clip URL Burton speaks about working against police violence as an attorney. He speaks about cases he has been involved in. Zinzun asks for audience involvement.

25:45Copy video clip URL Jackson speaks about the change in location of the trial for Rodney King and the make-up of the jury. He discusses the way that King was talked about by the media. Burton talks about the claim that King was a threat to the police. Zinzun takes a phone call. The caller asks about racial profiling. 

31:25Copy video clip URL Commercial break. 

34:55Copy video clip URL Show returns. Zinzun takes a caller who asks about the constant acquittal of police officers in cases of violence. Jackson talks about the violence inflicted on King and the reports issued by the LAPD. They take another caller who asks Jackson about the training process for police officers. Jackson speaks about how police officers are selected.

42:45Copy video clip URL Burton analyzes a tape of the beating of Rodney King, analyzing the violence at different speeds and identifying officers. He describes the injuries sustained. Zinzun reiterates that some of these things were never used in court. 

1:00:50Copy video clip URL Commercial break. 

1:01:35Copy video clip URL Return to the show. Zinzun takes a caller who talks about his own experience with police violence and the charge of assaulting a police officer for many who are victims of violence. Jackson speaks about this practice. Another caller asks why these parts of the tape have not been seen before. Burton responds about the commonality of this kind of police violence. 

1:07:55Copy video clip URL They speak about a new tape that was taken after the beating. Zinzun takes another phone call. The caller asks about complicated racist practices. 

1:13:29Copy video clip URL They play the second tape and Burton describes the tape. He speaks about the officer’s behavior after the beating, and King being loaded into an ambulance. They speak about class differences. Zinzun takes a caller who again asks why this footage had never been shown before. Jackson talks about racial slurs. Zinzun takes a caller who talks about bringing new history to the forefront. They take another caller who speaks about tax payers paying for settlements after brutality cases. They take another caller who makes a statement about group accountability. Another caller asks about community policing. Jitahadi expresses skepticism at the policy and Lynn agrees. Burton and Jackson also express their dislike of the practice. Another caller asks about prosecuting police. They take another caller who brings up that many people do not know their rights. Burton responds. 

1:34:10Copy video clip URL Tape of Jackson being pulled over by police. Jackson narrates the encounter. He speaks about the police union. Zinzun takes a call from a woman who speaks about fear for her children. Another caller talks about his experience with police violence. Another caller talks about violence against women. Another caller gives his experience with police department. Burton gives the number for Police Watch for police accountability. Another caller points out flaws in the justice system. They take a final call. The caller talks about the targeting of minorities. Jitahadi makes a closing statement. 

1:51:57Copy video clip URL Show ends. Credits. 

1:53:19Copy video clip URL Tape ends.