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Family of dead teen calls for investigation
Carroll County, Md. -
The NAACP and the family of a teen who died at a Carroll County group home after staffers restrained him have requested an investigation into the county state’s attorney, claiming he did not press manslaughter charges because the victim was black. “This was a complete travesty of justice,” said Danielle Carter, a sister of Isaiah Simmons III, 17, of Baltimore, who died Jan. 23 at Bowling Brook Preparatory School after staff held him down for three hours. “It’s difficult enough to live without him on a day-to-day basis, but it’s heartbreaking to know justice is being denied.” In April, a grand jury indicted six counselors on reckless endangerment charges, and they are expected to go on trial in October. The family and leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People plan to rally today near the family’s Baltimore home to show their disgust with what Baltimore NAACP President Marvin “Doc” Cheatham Sr. called a “slap on the wrist” punishment. “We feel it’s questionable whether [State’s Attorney] Jerry Barnes really valued this African American’s life,” Cheatham said. Although unusual, Barnes could bring more severe charges than the grand jury did, said Michael Morrissette, the state’s deputy public defender. Barnes said doing so would nullify the grand jury’s decision. “Race has never played a part in any grand jury or criminal proceeding that has taken place in this county,” he said. Simmons’ mother, Felicia Wilson, wrote a letter this month asking Carl Snowden, civil rights director with the attorney general’s office, to launch a probe into Barnes. “The citizens of Carroll County are predominantly white,” she wrote. “The state’s attorney is white. The grand jury was all white. The defendants are white. In my opinion, the fact that Mr. Barnes will not pursue manslaughter charges on behalf of an inner-city African American youth offender in his county is racially motivated.” kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com What: Justice for Isaiah Rally |