And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1999 12:11:51 -0600 (CST) >From: "Progressive Resource/Action Coop." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Indian Man Killed in MS >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >From: Anjali Adukia <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >**** ACTION ALERT **** ACTION ALERT **** ACTION ALERT **** ACTION ALERT > >This message is regarding the shooting death of an Indian American man by >police officers in Jackson, Mississippi. There are some questions >regarding the circumstances leading to his death. The community in >Mississippi would like a full investigation into the shooting. Please help >bring closure for the widow and her children by writing to the district >attorney and urging him to investigate the matter fully. Thank you. > >Debasish Mishra, Executive Director >India Abroad Center for Political Awareness > >TABLE OF CONTENTS >I. Summary of Facts >II. Issues Related to the Shooting >III. Current Situation >IV. What YOU can do >V. Sample Letter >VI. For further information >VII. IACPA Press Release > >---------------------------------------------------------- >I. SUMMARY OF THE FACTS > >On December 4, 1998 the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, conducting an >undercover operation, made a controlled buy of alcohol from Charanjit S. >Aujla at a convenience store in Jackson, Mississippi where Aujla was >working as a clerk, using a minor. > >Four to six sheriff's deputies later entered the convenience store to >issue Aujla a warrant for selling alcohol to a minor. Gunfire was >exchanged and Singh was shot in the head twice by the deputies and died >later in a local hospital. > >There were no eyewitnesses to the shooting beyond the deputies serving the >warrant. > >The Sheriff's Department conducted an investigation into the shooting and >reported at a press conference on December 8 that the deputies were >uniformed, entered the store and identified themselves. Aujla, according >to the Sheriff, pulled a gun and pointed it at one of the deputies, >prompting an exchange of gunfire. Four shots were fired from Aujla's gun. >Seven shots were fired altogether from two of the deputies' weapons. > >Aujla had been inside a bulletproof plexiglass enclosure when the deputies >entered the store. > >Aujla is survived by his wife and two children. > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >II. ISSUES RELATED TO THE SHOOTING > >The local community has raised several serious questions about the >shooting: > >(a) There is a question of whether the deputies were, in fact, dressed in >uniform. A number of people have asserted that the deputies were dressed >in plainclothes, which the Sheriff's department disputes. > >(b) Members of the community have asked why it was necessary for six >deputies to serve a warrant for a crime that would have resulted in >nothing more than a fine. The Sheriff's department claims that there were >only four deputies involved and that there is no usual number for this >type of operation. They prefer to have as many deputies involved to ensure >the safety of their men. > >(c) There is a discrepency between the ambulance and emergency room >reports and the autopsy results released at the Sheriff's press >conference. The emergency room and ambulance reports indicate that the >victim had been shot in the back whereas the results released at the press >conference claim that Aujla had been facing officers during the shooting. > >(d) Members of the Jackson community have questioned whether it was >necessary for trained sheriff's deputies to have shot Aujla in the head. >Aujla was in a bulletproof enclosure with the deputies blocking his only >means of escape. It was not possible for him to flee. > >(e) Assuming that the description of events is accurate, there remains the >question of why Aujla would have pulled a gun on uniformed police >officers. He had no prior criminal record, was a husband and father, and >held a master's degree in education. According to friends, Aujla was >described as intensely rational whereas pointing a gun at a police officer >is a highly irrational act. > >One hypothesis that has been floating is that Aujla was unaware that the >deputies were police officers and pulled the gun in fear that the store >was about to be robbed. > >This is a possibility if the police officers had not been in uniform or >conducted the operation as a raid. > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >III. CURRENT SITUATION > >Members of the Jackson community have formed the Indian Association for >Crime Victims of Mississippi in response to the killing and to the number >of crime-related deaths of Indian Americans in Mississippi that remain >unresolved. They have sent letters to a number of law enforcement >agencies, politicians, and the media asking for support in discovering the >truth of what happened. They have requested a forensic analysis of the >shooting by a ballistics expert. > >The family of the victim has hired an attorney to represent their >interests. > >The case will be sent to the Hinds County District Attorney's office. As >of this writing, the DA's office still had not received the case from the >Sheriff's office. Given the limited time frame, the DA did not believe >that there was enough time to present the case to the grand jury when it >meets in February which means the case will likely be brought before a >grand jury in April. > >The U.S. Attorney's office and the FBI have sent letters to IACVM >indicating that they will be opening an inquiry into the shooting. > >IACPA has consulted with a number of national civil rights organizations >about the shooting, including the National Asian Pacific American Legal >Consortium, American Civil Liberties Union, American Jewish Committee, and >the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. > >The IACVM has asked IACPA to help generate support for an investigation by >the Hinds County District Attorney's office. > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >IV. WHAT YOU CAN DO > >Since there are no eyewitnesses to the shooting beyond the deputies >themselves, the Hinds County District Attorney is in the best position to >conduct an investigation since they have strong ties to both the local >community and to law enforcement. > >If the DA were to discover that there was indeed a lapse in police >procedure, it may be possible to correct the problem and avoid future >tragedies. > >A letter to the DA, urging them to conduct a full investigation to resolve >the issues raised would be very helpful. A letter will only take a few >minutes of your time, yet will go a long way towards bringing closure for >all parties involved. > >Please include a copy of your letter to IACPA so that we may maintain a >record of the community's response. Thank you for your time and attention. > >Mr. Edward J. Peters Debasish Mishra >District Attorney for Hinds County IACPA >10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW 1275 K Street, NW / Ste 810 >Jackson, MS 20530 Washington, DC 20005 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > (202) 347-7750 fax > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >V. SAMPLE LETTER > >January 15, 1998 > >Mr. Edward J. Peters >District Attorney for Hinds County >10th Street & Constitution Avenue NW >Jackson, MS 20530 > >Mr. Peters: > >I would like to urge you to conduct a full investigation of the shooting >death of Mr. Charanjit S. Aujla by Hinds County Sheriff's deputies on >December 4, 1998 as they attempted to serve him a warrant. > >The Sheriff's report to the press on December 8, 1998 claimed that Mr. >Aujla drew a weapon and pointed it at one of the deputies, leading to the >exchange of gunfire, resulting in his death. > >Although the Sheriff's office conducted a full investigation, there remain >a number of unresolved issues and inconsistencies that warrant further >investigation. Among these: > > * Why it was necessary for six police officers to serve a warrant for >an offense that would have resulted in a fine > * An inconsistency between the autopsy results and the emergency room >reports which indicate that Mr. Aujla was shot from behind > * Why an educated husband and father would pull a gun on uniformed >sheriff deputies > >We are positive that your office, which maintains close relationships with >the community as well as with law enforcement, is in the best position to >find answers to these difficult questions and uncover the truth of what >occurred that day. > >Mr. Aujla's death need not be in vain. If this incident was indeed the >result of a lapse in police procedure, it may be possible to prevent >future senseless tragedies such as this one from happening again. >Furthermore, resolving these issues will help bring closure to the wife >and children that Mr. Aujla leaves behind. > >Sincerely, > > >[Insert Name] > > >CC: IACPA > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >VI. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION > >IACPA will continue to monitor this case. You will find information posted >on our website at: http://www.iacfpa.org/hot.htm > >You can receive updates on this incident by signing up for the "IACPA Main >Listserv" on our website at: http://www.iacfpa.org/involve.htm > >You can contact the Center directly with any specific inquiries: >IACPA >1275 K Street, NW / Suite 810 >Washington, DC 20005 >(202) 289-3654 >(202) 347-7750 fax >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >---------------------------------------------------------- >VII. IACPA PRESS RELEASE > >For Immediate Release Contact: >January 13, 1999 Debasish Mishra > (202) 289-3654 > >INDIAN AMERICAN GROUPS CALL FOR NEW INVESTIGATION IN >POLICE SLAYING OF JACKSON MAN > >Washington, DC - The India Abroad Center for Political Awareness (IACPA) >joined local Indian groups in Mississippi in calling for an independent >investigation of the shooting death of an Indian American man by police >officers on December 4, 1998. > >Charanjit S. Aujla was shot and killed as deputies from the Hinds Country >Sheriff's Department attempted to serve him a warrant for selling alcohol >to minors at a convenience store in Jackson, MS, where Aujla had been >working. > >According to a press statement from the Sheriff's Department, Aujla pulled >a gun on one of the officers, prompting an exchange of gunfire. Aujla was >shot twice in the head and later died at a local hospital. None of the >deputies were injured. > >The Indian community in Mississippi is dissatisfied with an investigation >of the shooting conducted by the Sheriff's Department with the assistance >of several local law enforcement agencies. Among the concerns are >inconsistencies between emergency room reports and autopsy reports and the >necessity of six deputies to serve a warrant for a minor civil crime. > >Most troubling, however, is the unresolved issue of why Aujla, a husband >and father of two, would draw a weapon on uniformed police officers. A >statement by the Indian Association for Crime Victims of Mississippi >(IACVM) argued that "based on his educational and family background, it >seems to be completely senseless and illogical that Mr. Aujla would have >pulled a gun on several armed deputy sheriffs. It was not within his >personal makeup nor would it have been a rational act, and Mr. Aujla was a >rational man." > >The IACPA has consulted with civil rights organizations such as the >National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the >American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the American Jewish Committee, and >the National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium (NAPALC) to find an >effective strategy for community response. > >The Center has called on the Indian Americans nationwide to help the >community in Jackson by writing letters to the Hinds County District >Attorney, Edward J. Peters, urging him to conduct a full investigation. * > * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * > > I N D I A A B R O A D > C E N T E R F O R P O L I T I C A L A W A R E N E S S > > www.iacfpa.org * [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 1275 K Street, NW / Suite 810 Washington, DC 20005 > 202.289.3654 tel 202.347.7750 fax > &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
