THROUGH MY EYES By Ron Edwards—Lt. Lee Edwards files against MPD

“Lt. Lee Edwards files 2nd suit in police corruption probe” was the Star Tribune headline September 3. It is his second discrimination claim lawsuit against the City; the first came when he was part of the Mill City 5 lawsuit against the City.

This second suit charges the City with “retaliation for uncovering racial discrimination within Minneapolis police” in the first suit.

The first suit ended in May 2009, with a settlement of the case the Star Tribune reported was about “a 20-year pattern of discrimination against Black police officers.” The Mill City 5 Black officers were Lt. Edwards, Lt. Charles Adams, Lt. Medaria Arradondo, Lt. Don Harris, and Sgt. Dennis Hamilton.

Those close to the pattern of discrimination in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) based on race are not surprised. This was also one of the common themes to come before the federally established PCRC (Police Community Relations Council) of 2004-2008, on which I served.

I applaud Lt. Edwards (who is not related to this columnist) for being an African American police officer willing to fight those trying to trample on his constitutional rights.

Recall the February 1, 2008 Star Tribune headline “Judge rejects city’s motions as officers’ bias case opens.” The judge was Federal District Court of Minnesota Chief Judge Michael Davis (see my February 6, 2008 column).

Layer by layer, the process began for peeling back the layers of corruption and racial bias, discrimination and animus within the MPD directed against officers of color, as well as White officers fighting MPD corruption (as Sgt. Michael Keith: see my column of August 29, 2007), in the battle to drive out corruption in law enforcement in the political home of the legendary Hubert Humphrey.

Under no circumstances could the current administrations of the mayor and the MPD chief be confused with the Humphrey legacy, an example of how far this city has fallen.

I commend officers like Lt. Edwards and Sgt. Keith for the court actions they are taking to seek justice, not only for themselves but also for their fellow officers. This is different from the lawsuit two White officers filed in order to cover up the earlier corrupt investigation of MPD Black police officers.

It is clear that in an email dated Monday, October 6, 2008, 9:17 am, to Capt. Amelia Huffman, head of the Criminal Investigation Division of the MPD, Lt. Andy Smith’s complaints reveal the panic within the MPD about the illegal wiretaps being conducted against Black officers who were involved with litigation against the MPD and the City of Minneapolis.

In another example of MPD corruption, documents have “disappeared” that reviewed the requests for wiretaps made during the February 2007 to December 2008 period.

It is quite clear that Lt. Edwards and his attorneys have discovered that privileged communication and conversation, specifically between the Mill City 5 and their attorneys, were being intercepted illegally and in violation of the rules of discovery of the federal court. Some suspect that the Mill City 5 attorneys did not want to believe that a government entity, such as the City of Minneapolis, would be involved in such egregious acts and violations of the constitutional rights of their Mill City 5 clients.

They didn’t seem to want to believe the City could be so defiant of the federal court authority and the trust the federal court placed in the City to protect of the rights of all the citizens of Minneapolis. And yet it happened.

These lawsuits need to go to trial, as even the Star Tribune has stated, as settlements deprive the public of the opportunity to hear the revelations and testimony that must be put forth, under oath, under the protection of the color of law.

The pioneers of civil rights and human rights, and those who have stood against discrimination and animus from law enforcement, deserve nothing less than a full review and exposure that can lead to a cleansing of one of the most corrupt departments and cities in the United States of America.

For more background, see “On the RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION in the Minneapolis Police Department,” July 10, 2008, updated through September 14, 2011 (lists 60 columns, 31 blog entries, and 12 “solution” papers at:

www.theminneapolisstory.com/solutionpapers/31minncops.htm). The subhead, “Speaking over the silence of the major Twin Cities Dailies,” speaks to the scooping by this newspaper of the major dailies that often refuse to thoroughly report on this topic.
Stay tuned.

Ron Edwards hosts “Black Focus” on Channel 17, MTN-TV, Sundays, 5-6 pm; hosts “Black Focus” on Blog Talk radio Sundays at 3 pm; and co-hosts Blog Talk Radio’s “ON POINT!” Saturdays at 4 pm, providing coverage about Black Minnesota. Order his books at www.BeaconOnTheHill.com. Hear his readings and read his solution papers for community planning and development and “web log” at www.TheMinneapolisStory.com.