One shooting of an unarmed black man that went virtually unnoticed, was the killing of Jay Anderson in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Jay was shot and killed by police officer Joseph Mensah four months ago. The shooting sparked outrage in the local community, yet received very little attention. This week, after viewing 20 seconds of body cam footage, the family has filed a wrongful death suit against the department
Jay was pulled over on the night of June 23 because he “looked suspicious.” The police have yet to justify the stop. Within moments, Jay would be shot 13 times, four bullets striking him in the head. Mysteriously, according to the family, when backup officers arrived, all squad car dash cams ended abruptly. According to attorney Jonathan Safran, “It was not conclusive of anything,” referring to the 20 second video clip. “but it does allow for a better understanding of some of the movements inside the vehicle. I believe it helps us know that Jay Anderson never appeared to touch, raise or point the handgun that was allegedly on the front passenger seat of the vehicle.”
According to Officer Joseph Mensah, Jay pointed a firearm at him, prompting the 13 shots that killed him. The video evidence disputes this.
According to the family and Safran, Jay makes no lunges or sudden movements, rather, he actually appears to be holding his hands in the air moments before he was shot. It should be noted that Officer Mensah was involved in a previous officer-involved-shooting less than a year earlier. In that instance, he apparently shot a man wielding a sword. According to reports, he was never mandated any psychological counseling after the shooting and went back to work almost right away. The fact that he failed to undergo a psychological exam before returning to work comes secondary to the fact that he has now demonstrated a distinct pattern of aggressive behavior under questionable circumstance.
The Wauwatosa Police Department have refused to comment, and have also denied Freedom of Information Act requests, on the matter. The new information released by the family directly contradicts Officer Mensah’s account of the incident. The video, if accurately described by the family attorney, shows a compliant Jay Anderson shot dead by a cold-blooded killer.
This very same story plays out on the streets of America on a daily basis. Another issue that hurts Officer Mensah, is the fact that the alleged gun located on Jay’s passenger seat was removed from the vehicle prior to the scene being photographed. This is a massive violation of rules concerning the evidence and chain of command, as they relate to the collection and preservation of evidence. As the gun had been removed, we are dependent on the words of a murderer to knows where it really was.
If you follow police shootings, you can see the patterns forming. When a department is truly seeking justice, you see a level of transparency that goes unmatched. Unfortunately, with Jay Anderson, this isn’t the case. The Wauwatosa Police Department and the District Attorney have shut down any attempts made by the public – and the press – to access information. The thin blue line is closing ranks, yet again. Despite the history of violence by Officer Mensah and the video contradicting his statements, it is unlikely any charges or discipline will occur. With the department hiding behind state law, the video will never be released, hence we will never know the truth. As usual, the only place the family will receive justice is in a civil court.
Sources: Cop Block, Archive – Jsonline.com.
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