***Note: Dates are tentative. Stay tuned to this page for any changes!***
Show up this Oct. & Nov. to support the Moore family as they finally have been granted their days in court, after over four years of seeking a fraction of accountability from the City of Berkeley and BPD.
Stay tuned for more details about each day of court.
~ www.facebook.com/Justice4KaylaMoore ~ justiceforkaylamoore.wordpress.com ~
WHEN:
Wednesday, October 18 – final pre-trial hearing
Tuesday, November 6 – FIRST DAY OF TRIAL
November 7,8,9,10 – Trials Dates
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About Kayla Moore
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Kayla Moore was a Black trans woman with a mental health disability – schizophrenia – who was born, raised and living in Berkeley. She was a poet and loved to cook, dance and help people – her neighbors, friends and even strangers on the bus.
On Feb. 12, 2013, Kayla was in her home when a friend of hers called 911 to request a mental health wellness check. When officers showed up at Kayla’s door, however, they didn’t offer assistance or support. Instead, they immediately tried to arrest her on a false and unconfirmed warrant, wrestling her onto the ground and restraining her violently until she passed away with six police officers on top of her. Since then, no one involved has seen any consequences.
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About the family’s court case
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In 2016, the Moore family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City and the BPD officers involved. After many delays and attempts by the City to have the suit dropped, the family finally has confirm trial dates: October 23-27, 2017. The lawsuit will center on holding the cops and the city accountable for violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to accommodate Kayla’s mental health disability, and, instead, treating her as a criminal because of it. We know that disability is NOT a crime and being a black trans woman is NOT a crime.
The Moore family’s court case could set a major precedent for other cities and police departments by re-affirming that cities and police must comply with the American’s with Disabilities Act when responding to mental health crises.
To the Justice 4 Kayla Moore Coalition, it’s common sense that crisis is not a crime and a militarized police response is not the way that cities should offer “support” to people experiencing mental health crises. The Moore family’s court case is a call to action for Berkeley and all cities: it’s time to build alternative, ADA-compliant crisis responses that truly support and honor Black people, people of color, trans people and queer people with disabilities.
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