Community Cries Foul As Former DA Named To Review Bias Incident

BOULDER, CO -- Community members gathered in the Boulder city council chambers Monday night for a conversation about the March 1 incident in which a black man was confronted by police for picking up trash outside of his own house, and the larger, systemic racial issues faced by the city. The crowd packed the chambers and overflowed into a second downstairs room, where people could be heard cheering throughout the public comment period.

City Manager Jane Brautigam announced that former Boulder district attorney, Stan Garnett, had agreed to head an independent investigation of the incident, a decision heavily criticized by many of the speakers.

"My door and heart is open to you," Brautigam told Zayd Atkinson, the man involved in the incident. "I’m committed to learning about the reflections you might have."

For his part, Atkinson said in his comments that he believed a district attorney who had served the city for nine years is not the sort of independent party he had called for in the investigation.

"Boulder has not taken this request seriously," said Atkinson. "I have been ignored and my power has been taken away again."

Other speakers included poet Norma Johnson, who read one of her works entitled, “A Poem for My White Friends: I Didn’t Tell You.”

"I wrote that poem in 2008, and it's now being used nationally by educators to inspire discussions about race," Johnson said. "I hope you've been able to hear, because that was my prayer when I wrote this, that it could be heard and felt."

Although mayor Suzanne Jones asked that participants refrain from cheering or clapping while in the council chambers, one of the loudest outbursts of appreciation from the crowd gathered in the overflow room came for Ja'Mal Gilmore.

"This is my fault, because I sat here for 19 years and watched you and profited off it," said Gilmore. "I teach my son how to live in this world. I teach him to be perfect. Better than perfect. Your white kids can come up here be crazy, do whatever the hell they want to do. But you profile me."

After 57 speakers, Mayor Jones wrapped up the meeting with tears in her eyes. Thank you all for coming here. We've heard some horrifying stuff," she said. "You'll be hearing more from us in the days and weeks and months. Hold us accountable; hold our community accountable."

The full meeting can be viewed below.

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