Ferguson comes to Charlotte

The Story

Charlotteans participate in nationwide protests over the police-involved deaths of black men as the Queen City prepares for its own trial against a police officer who gunned down an unarmed black man.

The Facts

– The Jonathan Ferrell case could become Charlotte’s own Ferguson. In 2013, CMPD officer Randall Kerrick shot 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell 10 times.

– Ferrell was unarmed and had just been in a car accident. It was the middle of the night.

– Unlike the explosive cases in Ferguson and NYC, the officer in Charlotte was criminally charged, with involuntary manslaughter. His case is slated to start this summer.

– While protests have been slow to grow over the Ferrell shooting, about 60 Charlotteans this weekend did participate in the national Day of Resistance.

– The Hornets joined other NBA teams in the “I Can’t Breathe” movement by wearing t-shirts during warmups Saturday. “I can’t breathe” was uttered by a Staten Island man as he was choked to death by police.

Quotes

– “As a black man with a 3-year-old son, I want him to know he matters.” – Darace Barnes, 26, at Charlotte’s Day of Resistance protest.

– “I told him he was a f—— murderer.” – Brandy Hamilton to Kerrick as he left a court hearing last week.

C5’s Take

It was inevitable that the rage spreading through much of the US would make it to Charlotte, especially with the Ferrell case pending. As Jon Stewart said in his immensely inspiring rant on race: You’re tired of hearing about it? Imagine how *&^% exhausting it is living it.

Photos: Ferrell: AP via Florida A&M University. Day of Resistance: Todd Sumlin/Charlotte Observer. Hornets: Bob Leverone/AP

This story was originally published December 15, 2014 at 12:40 AM.