Cole Family Lawyer Lists Demands For Wauwatosa Mayor

WAUWATOSA, WI— An attorney for families of men who were killed by a suspended Wauwatosa police officer released a set of requests for the mayor, according to a Friday news conference.

A private meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Wauwatosa City Hall with Alvin Cole family attorney Kimberley Motley, Alvin Cole's family, Wauwatosa Mayor Dennis McBride and his lawyers. Motley tweeted Rev. Jesse Jackson through his representative Bishop Tavis Grant of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition "has been trying to mediate the discussion and possible solutions."

Motley tweeted Rev. Jesse Jackson through his representative Bishop Tavis Grant of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition "has been trying to mediate the discussion and possible solutions."

In response to the meeting, Motley is asking for the mayor's commitment and response to the below objectives:

• Direct the Police and Fire Commission to Demote Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber immediately "for his failed leadership particularly in supervising Officer Joseph Mensah, enabling a culture of police violence against peaceful protestors. and increasing potential legal liabilities against Wauwatosa taxpayers."
• Date certain for body cameras for all Wauwatosa Police Officers.
• Dismiss any and all tickets as it relates to any nonviolent peaceful protests starting with Taleavia Cole.
• Return any and all property such as phones. cameras. etc... to any and all citizens "starting with the return of Taleavia Coles phone which has been illegally searched and seized by the Wauwatosa Police Department."
• Direct Weber to Fire Officer Mensah — "which LEGALLY CAN happen today - for his repeated violations of the Wauwatosa Police rules since he has been on suspended leave from July 15 onwards."
• Develop strategies within the Wauwatosa Police Department to deal with nonviolent mental health calls to the police to be handled by mental health professionals.
• A public apology from the Wauwatosa Police Department "for targeting, attacking. and arresting Tracy Cole and her three daughters."
• Renaming of Madison Park to Jay Anderson, Jr. Park.

A petition, which was shared by Jay-Z's Team ROC, an entertainment agency founded by rapper Jay-Z, with similar demands except one.

"We call for the city to divest $6million from the $17million police budget in Wauwatosa. Reallocate those funds into education, mental health services, housing, youth employment, violence intervention and other community services," the petition said.

Several protesters, who said they were impacted during protests in Wauwatosa, spoke at the news conference on Friday. Motley said she believes several people were attacked, ticketed and targeted by the Wauwatosa Police during the curfew. She also questioned why McBride find it necessary to have it in place.

Among the speakers were John Larry, the Wauwatosa police and inequities committee chair and Alvin Cole's mother, Tracy Cole who was arrested on Oct. 8 along with her daughters Taleavia and Tristiana Cole. Jill Ferguson, who was arrested Oct. 12 while live-streaming, also spoke.

In early October, suspended Wauwatosa Police Joseph Mensah learned he will not face charges in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Cole at the Mayfair Mall in February. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm released the following statement:

"There is sufficient evidence that Officer Mensah had an actual subjective belief that deadly force was necessary and that belief was objectively reasonable," Chisholm said in a 14-page document addressed to Wauwatosa Police Chief Barry Weber. "I do not believe that the State could disprove self-defense or defense of others in this case and therefore could not meet the burden required to charge Officer Mensah."

A state of emergency and a curfew was imposed in the city of Wauwatosa. Protests and unrest followed for over five days. On Oct. 8, the mother and other siblings of a 17-year-old shot to death by a police officer were arrested by Wauwatosa police. The arrests came after police enforced people who violated the 7 p.m. curfew. Tracy, Taleavia and Tristiana Cole were arrested after 9 p.m. near Wauwatosa and Milwaukee avenues.

Protests continued after the curfew was lifted on Oct. 12. A clash between Wauwatosa Police and protesters was caught on camera Oct. 13 near North 65 Street and West Meinecke Avenue. A 28-year-old West Allis was arrested and two officers suffered minor injuries. The video which has been shared on social media shows an apparent arrest of a bicyclist and a struggle. In the video, some type of smoke agent was thrown at the group of protesters.

Team ROC organized a rally on Oct. 15 at Hart Park,7300 Chestnut Street, to demand justice for Alvin Cole. Masks must be worn, according to a news release. The release said former Milwaukee Bucks standout and Wisconsin native Caron Butler has offered to cover funds that will pay for Alvin's headstone and will be working with Team ROC on the donation. The organization offered to pay bail and citation fees for all of the protesters arrested in Wauwatosa on Oct. 8, according to a news release.