Update: 10 Days to Deadline! Gascón: Charge the Killers of Luis Góngora Pat or Resign!
The family of Luis Góngora Pat (killed by SFPD over two years ago) continued their daily countdown outside the Hall of Justice calling for D.A Gascón to charge the killer cops who ended Luis’s life or resign, by his self-imposed deadline of April 25th!
Justice4Luis emphasized Gascón’s record of aiding and abetting police brutality by habitually pressing charges against victims of police abuse, while never charging killer cops.
WHEN: Monday April 16, 2018, MON 8:30am-9:30am
WHERE: 850 Bryant, San Francisco, CA Hall of (In)Justice
10 Days to Deadline: “Gascón, Charge or Resign!”
Today, Monday April 10 the family members of Luis Góngora Pat and their supporters (collectively known as Justice4Luis or Justice & Honor for Luis Góngora Pat) continued their demand for D.A. George Gascón to meet his self-imposed deadline for a charging decision over the killing of Luis Góngora Pat by San Francisco Police Department Sergeant Nate Steger and Ofc. Michael Mellone.
We are demanding that DA George Gascon charge the killers of Luis Góngora Pat or resign!
Gascón Aids and Abets Police Impunity and Brutality
George Gascón is aiding and abetting police brutality towards people of color. Since 2011, there have been 54 officer-involved shootings, 24 have been fatal. Of those killed, 68% were people of color, primarily Black and Latino. The District Attorney has not once attempted to charge killer cops in any of the 24 fatal officer-involved shootings since 2011.
In 2016, the SF Board of Supervisors approved a $1.5 million dollar budget for D.A. Gascón to investigate police criminal misconduct including homicides. So far, the bureau has only worked to dismiss the backlog of SFPD killing cases since 2011, without charges!
Of fatal OIS cases from 2011 to 2016 only the killings of Luis Góngora’s and Mario Wood’s are pending a charging decision from Gascón. However, there are new accumulating cases from 2017 and 2018, including Kaita O’Neil and Adolfo Delgado, that need to be resolved.
Gascón Presses Charges Against Victims of Police Abuse, But Won’t Charge Killer Cops!
What’s worse is that Gascón’s office, on the flimsiest of evidence, habitually presses charges against people abused by police!
Gascón pressed charges against victims of police abuse in the cases of Randal Dunklin a homeless man who was shot by police in his wheelchair in 2011; D’Paris “D.J.” Williams who was tackled unlawfully to the ground by officers in 2013; rappers Fly Benzo (in 2011) and Yung Lott (in 2015) who were just hanging out with friends when they were surrounded, harassed and beat by police officers; and Sean Moore, a mentally ill man who was shot by officers in 2017 after they illegally trespassed onto his property. “The list of people of color and extremely poor people who are abused by police and then charged by Gascón is long! He is perpetuating police brutality and impunity by covering up police abuse.”
Gascón has so far shown that he is the Prosecutor Who Protects the Police, Not the People! We will hold out hope for his charging decision in Luis’s case, but statistically speaking Gascón guarantees police impunity, 100%
Background on Luis Góngora Pat
Luis Góngora Pat was a Mayan Mexican migrant worker, living homeless at the time of his death. Based on a partial video, the official Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, and eight eyewitness testimonies to the media, it is known that on April 7th, 2016 at 10:00am approximately, the two officers exited their patrol car with weapons drawn and rushed Luis, who was sitting on the ground “cowering” away from them, according to witness Smith Patrick.
Officers yelled commands in English that Luis could not understand, escalated by shooting five bean bag rounds into his back, which brought him to his feet, and immediately gunned him down with seven bullets to end his life; all within 28 seconds!
Read more about Luis’s Life here.
Where is the basic human compassion? And more importantly, where is the accountability for cold blooded murder by police?
Background on the 15-Day Countdown that started April 11
On February 28, D.A. George Gascón met with the family of Luis Góngora Pat (killed by San Francisco Police Sgt. Nate Steger and Ofc. Michael Mellone on April 7, 2016) and told them he would make a charging decision in “six to eight weeks maximum,” that is, between April 11 and 25.
This past Wednesday April 11, the family of Luis Góngora Pat with supporters launched a two week countdown to hold D.A. Gascón to his commitment. Jose Góngora Pat, brother of the deceased, stated, “Gascón has 10 days to make a decision. We’re going to be out here every day to make sure Gascón keeps his word.” Adding, “Two years without any action from the D.A. for the brutal killing of my brother is unacceptable and cruel. My family is suffering!”
Last week, D.A. Gascón lied to the press, saying he had not committed to a time frame, but Justice4Luis has him on tape saying he would give the family a decision by April 25th! An audio recording of the February 28th meeting was made publicly available by Justice4Luis here https://justice4luis.org/2018/03/07/report-back-recording-meeting-da-02282018/ . In the recording, around minute 43:35 to 43:46, D.A. Gascón can be heard telling the family and their supporters that he would make a decision in “six to eight weeks, maximum.” He also told the family he would meet with them to inform them of his decision, prior to making his decision public. D.A. Gascón has not called them yet.
Please join our daily countdown!
Justice4Luis will hold a daily press conference and rally, through April 25th, outside the District Attorney’s office, to demand that George Gascón charge Luis’s killers or resign his post.
The countdown will continue every weekday morning April 11 to 25, 8:30-9:30am MONDAY thru THURSDAY, except Fridays at NOON to join with Mothers Against Police Murder!
We encourage and welcome your attendance!
Find us on Social Media!
Twitter: @j4lgp
Instagram: @justice4luis
Facebook: @mayanwarroom
Website: http://www.justice4luis.org
Articles
Related to 15-day countdown:
Timing Dispute: San Francisco Officer Involved Shooting Charges, KCBS, April 11, 2018 https://kcbs.radio.com/blogs/margie-shafer/timing-dispute-san-francisco-officer-involved-shooting-charges
Family Of Man Killed By Sfpd Demand Da Charge Involved Officers Within 2 Weeks, April 11, 2018, https://www.sfgate.com/news/bayarea/article/Family-Of-Man-Killed-By-Sfpd-Demand-Da-Charge-12827241.php
Family of man killed by SFPD demand DA charge involved officers within 2 weeks, April 11, 2018 http://www.ktvu.com/news/family-of-man-killed-by-sfpd-demand-da-charge-involved-officers-within-2-weeks
Prior articles:
Family of Slain Homeless Man Confronts Gascón in Quest For Justice, SFWeekly, Feb. 2018, http://www.sfweekly.com/news/family-of-slain-homeless-man-confronts-gascon-in-quest-for-justice/
Trial date for Luis Gongora case set for Fall 2018, 48 Hills, March 2017, https://48hills.org/2017/03/trial-date-set-gongora-case-fall-2018/
The life and death of Luis Góngora: the police killing nobody noticed, The Guardian UK, Aug. 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/aug/12/luis-gongora-san-francisco-police-shooting-homelessness
Family of slain homeless man files lawsuit against city, officers, El Tecolote, Oct. 21, 2016 http://eltecolote.org/content/en/features/family-of-slain-homeless-man-files-lawsuit-against-city-officers/
Luis Gongora autopsy confirms he was shot on the ground, 48 Hills, https://48hills.org/2016/10/luis-gongora-autopsy-confirms-he-was-shot-on-the-ground/
More back stories available at: https://justice4luis.org/in-the-news/
Justice for Luis Góngora Pat 