ORLANDO, FL– The Free and Defend Ta’Von Grayson (FDTG) Committee held a demonstration, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014, in front of the Orlando police department (OPD) to demand freedom for 23 year old Ta’Von, who was ambushed and shot eight times by OPD cops, on July 19, 2014
. The police threatened demonstrators as well as the media, on multiple occasions, during the demonstration which took place before Ta'Von’s bond hearing, which occurred at the Orange County courthouse at 10am that same day.
The entire FDTG contingent that arrived at the courtroom for the bond hearing was met by a cop outside the doors of the courtroom, who told us that should we use a cell phone or talk at all while inside the courtroom we would be removed.
The bailiff tried to take the camera phone that a member of the press was using to take pictures, inside the courtroom, violating their own claim for the right to free speech and press, in their rabid attempts to hide the injustice they were trying to commit against African people.
This nervous stance on the part of the State is a result of the struggle being made by the people, not only those who have directly demanded Ta’Von’s freedom – but the masses of oppressed peoples around the world, from Palestine to Ferguson, who are standing up and challenging white power in a profound way.
The official reason that the October 21st hearing took place was to allow for judge Robert Evans to decide on whether or not there is sufficient legal basis to remove the hold that the State imposed on Ta’Von’s bond.
The Free Ta’von Committee presented evidence, at the October 21 press conference and demonstration, proving that the police violated their own protocol when they shot Ta’Von.
The court system has since been trying to hide the fact that the police attempted to murder him.
Meanwhile, Ta’Von has been suffering in the Orange County jail with little to no medical care for his gunshot injuries or post-surgery wounds.
The Battle was not Won, But We will Win the Struggle to Free Ta’Von!
Ta’Von is still in jail. The Committee to Free and Defend Ta’Von Grayson, therefore, has a responsibility to report to the people the dynamics of the situation and the general strategy everyone is expected to participate in.
Ta’Von has been locked up since July 19, 2014. That is about 3 months and a week. The police say Ta’Von violated his probation when he was charged with assault on the police.
The penalty for this violation of probation was no more than 100 days. Ta’Von has already served more than 100 days in jail.
Most Africans have learned, however, that what the laws say and what the courts and police do are two completely different things. So, we don’t expect for the courts to become honest in Ta’Von’s case.
We expect that Evans will use the legal basis for our argument to Free Ta’Von as a disguise for his concession of our POLITICAL demand for Ta’Von’s freedom.
Evans will decide on October 29 on Ta'von's release
The Committee to Free and Defend Ta’Von Grayson was formed when Ta’Von’s mother, Latanya Magwood, contacted the National Office of the African People’s Socialist Party.
Ta’Von’s case has recently been thrust into the public eye after Latanya led a group of family members and other supporters into a police town hall meeting in Jones high school in September to confront the chief of police about why the family could not have access to the police report on the case.
Organize and win!
Evans was not even showing up to Ta’Von’s hearings, before the demonstrations and the press conferences.
Now that he has been confronted with organizational capacity on the part of the victims of his ruthlessness, he is pushing for a resolution to this conflict that will result in Ta’Von’s release.
Under the leadership of the Uhuru Movement and campaigns that it leads, like the Campaign to Free and Defend Ta’Von Committee, the African population is once again emerging as a conscious, contending social force with imperialism.
Che Guevara once stated, “never trust imperialism.” We therefore, do not place our fate in how judge Evans felt on the day of Ta’Von’s last hearing.
We create our fate, by remaining an imminent threat to Evans’ political life and career.
So, keep calling judge Robert Evans, and simply say “Free Ta’Von!”
Robert Evans of the Orange County Courts can be reached at 407-836-2336
For more information and to contribute to the defense efforts contact the Free and Defend Ta’Von Committee at 727-821-6620.
