Justice for Mario Romero! (Vallejo)

Justice campaigns against Police Murder and Systematic Cover-Up [link]

[facebook.com/JusticeForMarioRomero]


Cyndi Mitchell The Vallejo Police Department promoted Sean Kenney to detective for taking the wrap in the cover-up of the murder of Mario Romero. They knew that officer Dustin Joseph had a long wrap for misconduct ,they knew that they had thoughtlessly allowed a monster to terrorize the community of Vallejo and decided that Sean Kenney who also has a wrap for misconduct that was a bit less extensive, in return they promoted him to detective. Kenney admits that he never saw a gun but has volunteered to switch up the events that occurred on the morning of September 2, 2012 in order to make Dustin Josephs actions appear to be justified. Sean Kenney's fingerprint was on the gun that he helped plant inside of Mario's car because he was in shock after witnessing his partners actions. SEAN KENNEY SOLD HIS SOUL FOR A DETECTIVE POSITION BUT JUSTICE IS COMING FOR ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MURDER AND COVERUP OF MARIO ROMERO
 


Cyndi Mitchell
on September 2,2012 rogue Vallejo cop Dustin Brent Joseph murdered unarmed Mario Romero in front of his home,shooting into his car 30+ times , without identifying who he was and before his partner finished the sentence "put your hands up" he was not suspected of doing anything but was shot in his face, in his mouth , in his chest,in his hands,, in his wrists and under his arms as well as mutilated by the knife that was used to cut him from his seatbelt and his body was stolen and hidden for 30+ plus days...Attorney George Holland who is also the president of the Oakland NAACP, sent correspondence to Solano County District Attorney Don Du Bain Promising to make THE PROBLEM ...THE PROTESTING OF THE MURDER OF MARIO ROMERO AND EXPOSURE OF CORRUPTION INCLLUDING THE PLANTING OF A FAKE GUN INTO MARIO ROMERO'S CAR AS WELL AS THE STEALING OF THE SEATBELT THAT MARIO WAS CUT FROM BY VALLEJO CORPORAL STANLY ENG ...GO AWAY! yes you read it correctly... Attorney George Holland of Oakland CA promised the Solano County DA to make the problem go away! Please share this pic & story as much as you possibly can...this monster deserves no peace nor privacy and everyone who has participated in the attempted coverup of the murder of Mario Romero by Vallejo Police will be exposed!


FIRST ANNUAL COMMUNITY APPRECIATION BBQ IN REMEMBRANCE OF MARIO ROMERO  
Monday, September 2, 2013
3:00pm
On September 2, 2012, the family of Mario Romero suffered a tremendous loss, at the hands of Corrupt officers of the Vallejo Police Department. During their time of grief the importance of fighting for justice in the wake of this murder by cop became urgent. No one ever plans to lose a loved one at the young age of 23 nor do they plan to lose their loved one at the hands of corrupt officers as they sit in front of their own home. The family of Mario Romero is forever grateful for the outpouring of support from members of the community of Vallejo as well as members of surrounding cities who helped us during our time of grief whether it was with donations for funeral costs , moral support , protesting against police brutality or the exchanging of kind words to keep us going. Without you our continued strength would not be possible Please join us as we mark the 1st anniversary of the murder of Mario Romero with a community Barbeque to show our appreciation for your continued support. Thank you! we will also have a candle light vigil following


An important development in the current campaign for justice against Human Rights abuses in Vallejo has been the announcement for a Community-Labor Alliance, organized with coordination by the "Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity organization and "ILWU Local 10" with rank-and-file members of other unions [bayareasolidarity.blogspot.com/2012/10/labor-black-and-brown-solidarity.html].

Call for the Defense for family of Mario Romero, and others, against Vallejo PD & Vigilante terrorism
May 12th, 2013
Vallejo Police killed Mario Romero!
Vallejo Police now terrorizing his family!
On Sept 2, 2012, the Vallejo Police murdered Mario Romero.
This heinous act was witnessed by Mario’s family. He was blasted away by 31 bullets through the windshield.
Recently, the police and other anonymous and shadowy individuals have increased their harassment around the family homes.
May 8, 2013, two men caught red-handed on their property at 3am, with burglary equipment, vacuum cleaner and a change of clothes.
Days later, the Vallejo police connived to illegally tow away two cars belonging to the family that were parked outside their home. Police patrol cars. Tow trucks. And a “Police Assistant”.
This has to stop. Obviously, the police cannot be asked for help.
We can put them on blast, which is what we are doing: Vallejo Police – STOP TERRORIZING THE FAMILY OF MARIO ROMERO!
To be sure, protective measures are being taken, but we need more forces to defend this family properly. More forces for a safe and more permanent solution.
Labor Black & Brown is continuing our strategy and efforts for the working class and the unions to actively take up this challenge of posing to the labor movement the need to defend this family and others.
Can we not see that workers defense guards, labor, Brown and Black defense guards need to become a feature and a permanent institution in our communities?
The Vallejo Police with their racist and deadly terrorism will be checked! We speak in these terms because the stakes are survival and family safety, or continued police terrorism
BUILD UNION AND COMMUNITY BASED DEFENSE GUARDS TO ENSURE OUR SAFETY! ORGANIZE POLITICAL STRIKES! WHEN THEY SHOOT US DOWN, WE SHUT THEM DOWN!
Contact Labor Black & Brown [510-830-9494] [laborblackbrown@yahoo.com]
Labor donated 5/12/13


Justice for Mario Romero It's a proven fact that when Officers of The Vallejo Police Department Murder you or your loved one they will label you as a Gangbanger..A drug dealer... and whatever horrible story that they can think of regardless if it makes no sense at all....there motto is to make you look horrible to the community before the community knows that they have murdered you...Just like they did to Mario Romero..you can help end this madness and hold these murderer's accountable..Speak Up Dont Be Silent About Murder....Justice for Mario Romero!



Cyndi Mitchell on September 2, 2012 Mario Romero was murdered by officers of the Vallejo Police Department, as he sat in front of his Vallejo home. Police admit they did not identify themselves while hopping out of their car and firing up Mario Romero and Joseph Johnson before continuing the sentence of “Put your hands up”. Vallejo Police fired upon Mario’s car 30+ times, at one point jumping onto the hood of his car and continuing to fire as family members and neighbors who knew Mario begged officers to stop shooting. Mario was shot in his face, his mouth, his chest, his hands, his wrists and under his arms. Mario was then cut from his car seatbelt, his body drug onto the ground and his hands zip-tied like a garbage bag. Vallejo Police then conspired to change the crime scene by stealing Mario’s body from the scene of the crime, Planting a fake gun inside of Mario’s car accidently leaving a fingerprint in the process, stealing Mario’s cut seatbelt, Holding Mario’s family Hostage inside of their home, then fabricating a story which painted Mario’s as a suicidal person. Vallejo Police created lies to make Mario’s life appear to be unimportant. They called him a parolee who was afraid of going back to prison even though they knew it was a lie. Mario Romero was murdered because of the color of his skin. His body was stolen to cover-up a murder. His family has been harassed to keep this murder a secret. Traven Martin was murdered because the color of his skin and while we protest the death of a child hunted down and murdered because of his skin color, community leaders have failed to address murders of our loved ones by police in the city of Vallejo because the color of their skin. Preachers are holding secret meetings with the mayor while condoning such behavior and participating in bribery in order to silence those who are willing to stand up in the name of justice. These same people want us to vote for them to be on our city council and trust their judgment. Martin Luther King Jr. Once said “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” “WE ARE ALL TRAYVON” WE ARE ALL MARIO ROMERO”

My name is Namaria Romero, I am 4years old, I've seen my dad everyday of my life since I was born, he tucked me in every night...he read to me , he taught me right from wrong, he was my hero but I will never be able to see him again, all because he was murdered by Vallejo Police Officer Dustin Joseph on September 2, 2012. My daddy's name is Mario Romero, he was unarmed and murdered in front of our home. He was shot with his hands up as he pleaded for his life. he was shot in his face, mouth , hands , wrists, underarms and chest, he was also mutilated as he was cut from his seat belt. we are fighting for justice for my dad, I will never be able to hug my daddy or sit on his lap again. The Vallejo police have ripped my family apart
 Their will never be anymore birthdays , Christmas mornings, specials days, my dad will never get to see me go to prom, graduate from high school and college, I will never get to bring my father to my schools father daughter dance..All because he was murdered after his civil rights were violated, I could have been in the back seat of my dads car when the police decided to shoot...... All I want is justice for my daddy Mario Romero



and now... a message from Vallejo Mayor Osby "Satan" Davis to all those defending Human Rights against Police and State violence in Vallejo:



2013-02-26 "Protesters briefly take over Vallejo City Council chambers; No one arrested after anti-police brutality demonstration resumes outside" 
by Irma Widjojo & Jessica A. York from "Vallejo Times-Herald" [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/news/ci_22675814/protesters-briefly-take-over-vallejo-city-council-chambers]:
Dozens of anti-police protesters who had gathered at City Hall briefly took over Vallejo City Council Chambers on Tuesday night during a special council meeting, police said.
About 50 people moved inside the chambers about half an hour after the meeting's 6 p.m. start, at which time council members retreated to a back room, City Manager Dan Keen said. The demonstrators — who were protesting police brutality stemming from a fatal officer-involved shooting of Mario Romero in September — then took over the council dais and used the chambers' sound system, authorities said.
Romero's family has been regularly protesting the Sept. 2 Vallejo police actions, in which the 23-year-old Vallejo man was shot multiple times while in a car parked outside his North Vallejo home.
Police said Romero was killed after two officers saw him with a handgun that later turned out to be a replica. Romero's family members and friends have been refuting the police department version of events ever since. 
The fatal shooting was one of 10 officer-involved shootings in 2012. Six people and two dogs were killed.
Called to respond to the protest, officers entered the chambers and asked everyone to move their protest back outside to the City Hall steps, police said. Four officers, including one cadet, were already on hand for the special meeting, which involved interviews of the public for vacancies on city committees, commissions and boards.
About 15 officers from both the Vallejo police department and Solano County Sheriff's office lined up at the entrance to keep protesters from reentering City Hall. American Canyon police also provided backup.
The protesters began dispersing at about 7 p.m. with no arrests, although police said one demonstrator was seen with a baton.
“We are not going to tolerate that moving forward,” Vallejo police Lt. Sid DeJesus said of weapon carrying.
The start of the council's regular meeting was pushed back at least 20 minutes. As of press time, the council had begun hearing a mid-year city budget update, and had approved purchase of a use-of-force and firearms simulator for the police department — a direct response to community outcry over last year's officer-involved shootings.

A group protesting police-involved shootings faces off with a line of Vallejo police officers outside Vallejo City Hall Tuesday night. Solano County Sheriff's deputies joined the line later. The protest ended with no arrests. (Mike Jory/Times-Herald)


Another view of the Vallejo Police cordon, from a citizen journalist:


Video-still showing the moment the BRLP liberated the Vallejo City Council Chamber!


2013-02-27 message from "Justice for Mario Romero!":
The Justice for Mario Romero Foundation would like to thank everyone who came out in solidarity today. We understand that the fight for justice is not easy but we pay a greater cost if we sit and do nothing, we are fighting like our lives depend on it because our lives are at a continued risk if we accept police brutality, murder, profiling and harassment. "Unity is the key"
 Police expect us not to get along, this is how they prosper, they count on creating racial tension to blur the lines of community and the reality of the police killing the human race without imposed accountability and oversight.
They have had the opportunity to kill us, then manufacture lies to assassinate our character, Intentionally spreading lies attempting to make the lives of the people they have violated and taken appear as insignificant....
We are not accepting these lies, we have demanded the truth be told and have been ignored by people who lack integrity but demand our trust...
We say No Thank you, It's time for you to go!
 No Justice ....No Peace!


2013-02-27 "Protesters Take over Vallejo City Hall; Longshoremen pledge support of Mario Romero Foundation"
from "Vallejo Independent Bulletin" [http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1631&Itemid=1]:
Last night's protest against Vallejo's police and in support of Mario Romero, Guy Jarreau and others who have been shot by police was ultimately peaceful even if very heated at times.
The protest started at around 5 PM on the steps of City Hall and after around an hour a suggestion was made to move the protest inside and shut down the meeting in progress. Interestingly, the suggestion to shut down the meeting in City Council chambers came from Frank Gaskin, identified as the "Business Agent for ILWU Local 10". The ILWU local 10 represent longshoremen in San Francisco and Oakland.  Gaskin read a short letter declaring support, stating, "We stand in solidarity of the Mario Romero Family and all the rest of the families that their loved ones have been fatally killed."
Once inside, after protesters shouted staff and council members off the dais. Men identifying themselves as members of the "Black Riders" and wearing black berets and jackets emblazoned with black panther logos took over the microphone at the City Clerk's position, using it to address the group of approximately 70 protesters.
When the protest did finally move back outside, Vallejo PD, American Canyon PD and officers from the Solano County Sheriff were present. A line was formed by police barring the protesters from re-entering council chambers. Fortunately, there were enough cool heads on both sides of the line to prevent the protest from devolving into violence, although it looked close a few times.


2013-02-25 message from "ILWU - Local 10" President Michael Villeggiante [local10president (@bayarea.net]:
To the Romero family -
At our February 21 union meeting my members voted to support the justice for Mario Romero foundation and we stand in solidarity with the Romero family and all the rest of the families that their loved ones have been fatally killed. The international Longshore warehouse union local 10 demand a full and transparent investigation of Mario's Romero killing, and that the Vallejo police and Solano County Dist. Atty. open up a full investigation on these killings.
Sincerely Michael Villeggiante, president ILWU local 10
---
Message from "Labor, Black and Brown" solidarity organizer Topaz DuBois to "ILWU - Local 10":
Thank you ILWU Local 10 for your impressive shining presence at yesterday's "Union" Press Conference, outside Vallejo City Hall.
We salute all of the ILWU Local 10 for standing in solidarity alongside the Families and supporters of Mario Romero, Jared Huey, Jeremiah Moore, Anton Barrett, Ernesto Duenas, Guy Jarreau, and Alan Blueford.
We were also joined by Indigenous People, Labor Black and Brown, Black Riders, Poor Magazine, Omega Boys and Girls Club members, OZCAT Radio, and rank and file (members of the following unions) SEIU Local 1021 Unionists, Drywall/lathers Local 68L, Transport Workers Union Local 250A, and AFSCME Local 444.
 Your solidarity was felt by the children of these families and four year old Dasani, Mario's nephew (the one who spoke after Mario was murdered and witnessed his Uncle's murder: "What do I tell my niece [Mario's daughter] when she cries for her Daddy at night?") got to meet Frank Gaskin (ILWU Local 10, B.A.) and give him a big handshake.
Jared Huey's five year old brother Johnny felt safe with ILWU as he stood with his Dad holding a sign.
I share this-- because it was the first time that Johnny talked to adults in public since his brother was murdered by the Vallejo police June 30.
And Mario's daughter got to be there with her mother.
These families got to meet the ILWU. We saw that you were there to actively participate in the protection and defense of us, especially our children.
It was a historic day. The seed for uniting the community with the power and muscle of labor has sprouted here in Vallejo. We are not alone. We are One. It was a good day.
 Thank you for staying through the end after the Vallejo Police, County Sheriff's, American Canyon police were called by Mayor Davis' Vallejo City Government in an attempt to intimidate,harass,instigate an incident with batons drawn.
The same Mayor Davis who had me seized by Vallejo Police, and pulled off the podium midway into my democratic right to speak on November 13, where a young African American was arrested for defending my Constitutional right to speak, as I had followed all protocol: (See Youtube Link: laborblackbrown).
The valiant crew of ILWU Local 10 men and women were disciplined, organized and effective.
We look forward to returning to ILWU Local 10 as the families were impressed by the courage, strength and organization shown. Plus it was a breath of fresh air for all.
 The media will probably disappear the truth, but our legacy was honored to have ILWU Local 10 present. (See Link to today's Vallejo Times-Herald: [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_22675814/protesters-briefly-take-over-vallejo-city-council-chambers])
United We Stand-- Divided We Fall-- An Injury to One is An Injury to All!
We shall see you soon ILWU Local 10!
[signed] Topaz Du Bois, SEIU Local 1021 Former Contract Action Team Co-Chair County of Solano
 2012 Union Arbitration Winner Against the County of Solano
---
2013-02 photograph showing LB&B outreaching, talking and chopping it up towards building a community-labor alliance with ILWU Local 10 members at their hiring hall, with family members of victims of police terror and violence, including the "Justice for Mario Romero" and "Justice for Jared" campaigns of Vallejo:



PRESS CONFERENCE FOR JUSTICE FOR MARIO ROMERO AND ALL VICTIMS OF POLICE KILLING AND BRUTALITY
 Tuesday, February 26, 2013
4:00pm
    The Justice for Mario Romero Foundation along with Labor Black and Brown will be Holding a press conference with the participation of some Bay Area Unions
 Familes of Victems of Police Violence are outraged by the behavior of the Vallejo Police and the lack of accountability that has been considered as the "norm" and acceptable policy by city officials
 With 7 killings under their belt just in 2012 alone and a number that is expected to climb this yer if accountability is not imposed a community is crying out for help , calling for the arrest of Vallejo Police officer Dustin Brent Joseph for the murder of Mario Romero, The arrest of Vallejo Police Corporal Stanly Eng for Conspiracy, Corruption, Evidence Tampering
 We calling for "Accountability" Vllejo Police officers are NOT drug or alcohol tested after being hired, They are also not Psychologically tested leaving the community of Vallejo exposed to Psychologically unstable officers with badges as well as drug and alcohol addictions.


Labor Press Conference, Demanding "Justice for Mario Romero and All Victims of Police Killing and Violence" - Convened by: The Justice for Mario Romero Foundation and Labor Black & Brown, Supported by ILWU Local 10 and other Bay Area Unionists
 When: Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Where: Vallejo City Hall, 555 Santa Clara St., Vallejo, CA
Time: 5:00 PM
 The Family of Mario Romero and Labor, Black & Brown is organizing a press conference with the participation of some Bay Area unions.
 After the press conference, we are going to attend the City Council meeting and voice support for the Romeros' and Vallejo's working class community, which in the year of 2012 has endured 7 kiliings at the hands of the Vallejo P.D. We have presented this idea to the Executive Board of ILWU Local 10, and this item is scheduled to be discussed at the upcoming ILWU Membership meeting, this Thursday, Feb 21.
 We hope to engage this and other unions with this united front activity.
 Would your union like to send some rank and file representatives and spokesperson? We look forward to an "affirmative", for LB&B believes
 the union movement's revitalization and future relevancy will be discovered through exercising militant unity and action with the beleagered Black and Brown communities.
 Today, this means jointly exploring self-defense tactics with other unions, unionists, and elements from the community. The application of Political Strikes against police killings and violence, we feel also needs brainstorming and strategizing.
 In Solidarity and Fraternally, Charles DuBois, Labor, Black & Brown
 To Contact: laborblackbrown@yahoo.com
---
Background: On September 2nd, 2012, Mario Romero was murdered in front of his home, in front of his family members and neighbors as he sat in his car. Officers of the Vallejo Police Department unloaded a barrage of bullets into Mario’s car, at one point hopping onto the hood of Mario’s car to unload at a much closer range. Immediately following this massacre, Mario Romero was cut out from his seat belt, dragged onto the ground, denied medical assistance until family members called out while Mario, whom had received fatal injuries, took his last breath. Mario’s body was illegally moved from the crime scene and his family was held hostage in their home while the Vallejo Police changed the crime scene and a replica gun, used for police training, was planted inside of Mario’s car by a Vallejo Police Corporal, before investigators arrived on the scene. Mario Romero’s family was denied access to his body by the Solano County Coroner, delaying the burial for 7 weeks.
 Mario Romero’s family have suffered harassment and intimidation tactics following the exposure of the criminal behavior and cover-up exhibited by the Vallejo Police Department. The Vallejo Police and the Solano County District Attorney’s office have refused to accept evidence of corruption as well as not interviewing all of the witnesses to this horrendous crime. Please be advised that this is not a case of excessive force, because no force was needed. It is not a crime to sit in your car, in front of your home.
---
2013-02-22 update: We respect and acknowledge the ILWU’s long and distinguished legacy on human rights and its proud history of defending workers’ rights. Labor Black & Brown, along with the Justice for Mario Romero Foundation reached out to the ILWU Executive Board with a call for assistance in our fight for justice for Mario Romero and all others who have been victims of police brutality and murder in Vallejo, and elsewhere. The ILWU membership was appalled to hear about the ordeal this system is putting the Romero family through. On February 21, 2013, ILWU Local 10 voted to add their voice and unite with the Vallejo community for justice.
 This is an important development, as it was the ILWU Local 10 that shut down the Bay Area ports demanding “Justice for Oscar Grant” on October 23, 2010. Labor Black & Brown (LB&B) believes that other unions and workers nation-wide need to adopt a strategy of united struggle -- the Unions, united with the working class communities to organize in order to challenge and stop police brutality and violence. LB&B, advocates of multi-colored working class struggle advise, that all working class meetings convened to oppose police brutality and murder must explore, discuss and focus on organizing workers defense guards, political strikes and other tactics to defend our rights, our jobs, our communities and our lives.


2013-02-12 "Setting the Record Straight"
by Cyndi Mitchell on behalf of the Justice for Mario Romero Foundation" [http://ibvallejo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1626&Itemid=1]
 Note: All opinions expressed in the "Primal Scream" column are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Vallejo Independent Bulletin
---
 A lot of people have a misconception about what the Justice for Mario Romero Foundation is. Those who are interested in having our message lost in a pile of hatred and false accusations fueled by hate-filled cops disguised as regular hate-filled individuals who reside in the city of Vallejo.
 The Justice for Mario Romero Foundation does not practice hate against the Vallejo Police in fact its officers of the Vallejo Police department who have practiced hate against the justice for Mario Romero foundation, for standing up against a murder that they are responsible for.
 Officers of the Vallejo Police Department have deliberately attempted to sabotage events held by the Justice Mario Romero foundation by manufacturing lies calling the foundation cop haters when that is far from the truth.
 We are demanding accountability and professionalism. We work and our taxes pay their salaries, we should not have to be afraid to walk out of our homes and be targeted by rogue cops.
 The Vallejo Police know that they murdered Mario Romero. They know that they planted a fake gun and stole a seatbelt. They know that Mario was removed from the crime scene after he was murdered. The Vallejo police like to play with words and slander a person after they have murdered them. The Vallejo Police Murdered Mario Romero with his hands up after he was racially profiled.
 They claimed that he got out of the car but that was a lie.
 When a man is shot and killed with fatal wounds in his mouth face hands wrist arms ,chest and underarms then his body is mutilated by a panicking cop who cuts a seatbelt off as well as all of his clothes and steals them there is a lot to question.
 When a corporal assists in the stealing of a seatbelt and planting of gun integrity is questioned.
 When a police force blatantly refuses to acknowledge evidence of misconduct, corruption and the tampering of evidence, integrity is questioned.
 When the people that we employ to keep our city safe turn on us and betray us in the manner in which the Vallejo Police betrayed the community On September 2, 2012 by violating the rights of a man and murdering him in such horrendous way accountability must be demanded.
 We are not against honest cops. We do publicly oppose the supporting of corrupt cops who are the driving force of the hopeless mentality in our city.
 I know that this article will be met with hatred and criticism and I welcome all opinions, I just hope that those who are commenting negatively have done their research, taken time to learn the facts and understand what proper protocol is.
 Don’t just assume that the police are always right because a fried says so. Do your own research and come to your own conclusion.
 *Ask yourself why would police tell people that it was a drive-by shooting when it wasn’t?
 * Why would a police officer who was afraid of someone who he had just unloaded his clip on and reloaded his gun jump on top of a car and continue to shoot when no return fire had been received?
 Why would a trained police officer engage in a conversation with someone while shooting at someone else, not paying attention to the person that they are shooting?
 Why would the police hold witness/ family members of the victim hostage?
 Why would the Vallejo police need 8+ officers armed with assault rifles to block off the crime scene when the only shots fired were from the guns of the first officers on the scene?
 Why was Mario Romero cut out of his seatbelt drug onto the ground and his hands zip tied after he had been shot at 30+times and was not conscious?
 Why didn’t the officer who murdered Mario call for an ambulance until after others had called for assistance?
 When is it okay to pump on the chest of a man who has been shot at 30+ times?
 Has bullet holes in his head, face, mouth, chest, hands, and wrists and has been stabbed with a knife?
 When is it okay to move a person who has been shot?
 Is it common for an officer to be allowed to remain on the scene, clean blood off of his person and flash lights into the windows of the family of the man that he has just killed?
 Is it standard protocol for corporals to plant guns into cars of people have been killed as well as remove evidence that has not been properly recorded and tagged before internal affairs arrive?
 If the reporting story is true then why would it have to change three times before they finally stick to one?
 Why would Vallejo Police lie about Mario Romero being a parolee who was afraid of going back to prison when they knew very well that he had never been to prison and had never been on parole?
 Why were Mario’s Facebook friends arrested, interrogated and threatened with charges for not having anything bad to say about Mario immediately following his death?
 I’m not asking you to automatically agree with what I am saying; I am asking you to take a moment to research the facts.
 As citizens we are supposed to hold the people who we employ to protect our city to a higher standard, if we are unable to do that then we must change the people that we employ so that we may have people of a higher caliber who are interested in protecting the people of the community and not just those who fit their description of deserving justice in their eyes. We must change the mentality in which a lot of us think as well.
 We must not assume that everyone who is not Caucasian is on welfare since America employs all races, we must also understand that just because someone one is on welfare it does not mean that they are not human or have signed away their civil rights.
 We are all human and deserve respect; the people that we employ are supposed to be trained to uphold a higher standard of conduct, if dealing with various types of people, attitudes is part of a daily routine, constant training to better handle situations should be in place if the safety of the people is the number one priority.
 The Justice For Mario Romero Foundation would also like to take the time to thank the courageous person within the Vallejo Police Department who has decided to stand up against the out of control behaviors that have been exhibited by some of the cops that we employ. We understand the difficulties of standing up when in a sea of corruption and we appreciate your efforts to expose such misbehaviors. The Justice For Mario Romero Foundation has always said that we do not believe that all cops are bad; we thank you for reassuring us of this as well as welcome further exposure of such misbehaviors.


2013-01-17 "Why did Vallejo Police steal evidence , plant gun , held family hostage , lie etc" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieWF_23vyak]: Why did Vallejo police.... steal evidence from the crime scene? plant a fake gun on Mario? hold Mario's family hostage in their home? lie to press about Mario being a parolee? -and- Why did it take so long for witnesses statements to be taken?


2013-01-22 "The People Stand up to the Murder by Vallejo Po'Lice of Mario Romero on MLK Jr. Day" from "PNN-TV" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWdMxzF8_IY]:


2013-01-22 "Speaking for Mario Romero- Murdered by Vallejo Po'Lice Dept on MLK Jr, Day" from "PNN-TV" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2O5vzRx7KQ]:


2013-02-11 "United Front for Mario Romero and JUSTICE FOR ALL" from "Labor, Black, & Brown" solidarity organization [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78gxVez6Z-8]:
On the early morning of September 2nd 2012, while sitting in front of his sister's home in a non-violent street in north Vallejo, California, Mario Romero and his brother in law Joe were targeted by 2 Vallejo Police officers. The standard procedures did not occur from the officers, they pulled in front of Mr Romero's vehicle with their spotlight shining on the front of Mr. Romero's car, shouting "put your hands where i can see them". Both Mario and Joe put their hands up in fear of losing their lives to these officers of the law. Shortly after, Officer Dustin B. Joseph pulled out his hand gun and unloaded mulitple clips, rushing toward Mr. Romero's vehicle shooting trigger happy. Marios sister as well as other neighbors came outside and his sister screamed "what are you doing thats my brother", Officer Joseph responded "shut up or I will shoot you too". Then jumping on the hood continuing to fire over 30 rounds through Mario's windshield.
This video contains footage recorded after young Mario Romero's assassination on September 2nd 2012 by Dustin B. Joseph. 
* 1st video: after Josephs partner carrying a ziplock evidence bag containing Mario's seatbelt minutes after his death. 
* 2nd video: Mr. Romero's family on September 8th approaching the city of Vallejo coroner to release his body to his family.
* 3rd video: On Mario's would-be 24th birthday September 18th, a police officer parked in the same place he was parked on September 2nd when he was assassinated. 
* 4th video: You will see Topaz Dubois, a SEIU local 1021 rank and filer as well local Vallejo business owner who teaches self defense. As she spoke before the city council of Vallejo, she was shut down by mayor Osby Davis. He turned off the microphone, cut the video on the city public television camera, and ordered 2 police officers to remove her physically from the city hall. A friend of Mario Romero steps to her defense of the police assaulting Topaz, 4 officers immediately respond by grabbing his arms and taking him outside to be arrested and later assaulted. 
* 5th video: Cindy Mitchell, Mario Romero's sister, video taped her brothers killer. On February 8th, she seen Dustin B. Joseph and video taped him publicly. Initially Joseph had no clue who she was. When she asked him how does it feel to still have the job after murdering her brother, he had no response and left in a provocative way.
Please share this information and join the family as this struggle will continue and a family has lost their young loved one, as many more share the same pain. 
We need to Unite the people who are the life blood to the bosses of Police.
The Working Class, this is a call to all UNIONS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE FED UP WITH THE CORRUPTION, INTERNAL TERROR, POLICE AND STATE REPRESSION, BINDING CONTRACTS REFLECTING AN BRUTAL PAST OF SLAVERY/GENOCIDE that has reoccurred for centuries.
We need to shut down the ruling class! When they shoot us down, we smash, unite, and strike for everyone's human rights! We need a united front to build the future's path. More innocent children will be taken from their bodies if there is no united front, there has been no probable cause and no meaning for this oppression. Our way of life does not work, therefore... Capitalism... Does... NOT WORK!
WE NEED A WORKING CLASS UNITED FRONT TO OVERCOME, OVERTHROW AND OVERTURN THE WHIPLASH THAT IS OUR GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTION OF ESTABLISHMENT THAT RULES OVER US ON THE DAILY. 
When they shoot us down, WE SHUT THEM DOWN


2013-01-21 "BAY AREA FAMILIES MARCH AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY" called for by "Justice for Mario Romero!"
Monday, 10:00am
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT, 111 AMADOR ST, VALLEJO, CA
THE NAACP VALLEJO BRANCH HAS CANCELED OUR ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE IN VALLEJO AT A TIME AT A TIME WHEN VALLEJO FAMILIES ARE CRYING OUT FOR HELP AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY CITING A QUIRK IN THEIR SCHEDULE, WE WILL NOT LET OUR HISTORY BE CANCELED OR DISREGARDED BECAUSE WE ARE PEOPLE TOO, OUR STRUGGLES ARE NOT FOR NOTHING.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR A MARCH AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY, MURDER, RACIAL PROFILING AND INTIMIDATION TACTICS USED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS


Following photographs and photo-essay by "Dr.G." from "Northbay Uprising" media collective: Most of the "protesters" are family and friends of the victim, and they are asking for actual justice for Mario Romero, Jared Huey, Guy Jarreau... all of them victims of the murder and systematic cover-up by Vallejo PD... The Northbay Uprising has interviewed many people with stories like this, all told by people of the so-called "lower" class.
During 2012 there has been 11+ systematic cover-ups, let alone the recent years of brutal beat-downs against all nations, of the brutal actions against senior citizens and the permanent destruction of the social standings of the teenagers through overblown incidents which did not deserve this treatment, along with incidents of actions which are illegal, including destroyed video evidence and torn-up voter registration cards found on the premises of the "Better Health Collective", the terrorization of the folks without homes befitting the Latin American tyrannies in Colombia and Honduras... all this and they work alongside the local INFRAGARD and FBI Fusion centers, and over-look the use of private agents for harassment of people who buck the trend of Mayor Osby Davis' "dominionist" ideology, which practices the acquisition of wealth as a measure for their version of a religion which otherwise preaches the anti-plutocratic gospel of the Rabbi Jesus. This classist ideology has an unfortunate disdain for freedom for the lower-classes and the non-Christian!
The Vallejo government under Mayor Osby Davis has shown to be out of control and makes no provisions for the protection of the people under attack (as Solano Sergent DeJesus makes clear as recorded in the videos of the old "Civilian" Police Review Board), and they just keep up with the constant harassment against the people of Vallejo who speak out loud about what they experience, because, against all odds, the People of Vallejo keep making their voices heard.
The family members are joined by a few organizers (many from Vallejo) whose ideas for seeking justice have brought the "impossible". Through their own efforts, these organizers bring to light investigations where otherwise there would be none, and produce programs to help the people, all without the tainted dogma of the "dominionist" upper-class.
A loose-knit solidarity network has begun operating to protect the people in Vallejo, and separately yet together through solidarity, members of the "National Network in Action" in Fresno, "Vallejo CopWatch", the "Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity organization, and more, have worked with many families across the USA to engage our tyranny with a movement for justice... since the mid-2000s, this herculean effort has produced culture and concerts, while creating the foundation for the "Occupy" movement, and has shut down the ports of the West Coast. And WE haven begun to move the mountain.
Unfortunately, the Northbay Uprising has seen alot of death and lynchings against all our folks here in the San Pablo bay area. We stand united with All Victims. Many communities are protected by self-organized guard units who provide free food and CopWatch programs, which call themselves names like the Black Berets (San Jose), Brown Berets (Sacramento), those in Oakland who are inspired by the "Black Panther" legacy and anarchist ideas... among the most reputable and most legendary among these community organizations are the "Black Rider Liberation Party (BRLP)", whose works of guarded non-violence (even when attacked by the various police agencies across California) receives much respect, and they are supported by the People wherever they operate.
Having heard of the harassment and death-threats against the People of Vallejo, as an act of solidarity, the BRLP arrived from Oakland to act as eyes for the witnesses of Police violence and murder, in case the police or a hired agent might seek to disrupt the gathering with arrests.
BRLP stood at attention on both sides of the gathering in front of the Vallejo Police HQ building, watchful for threats to the children, elders and mothers. During the gathering, a stray pit-bull dog entered the area. Immediately the BRLP members attended to the dog despite the danger, as the dog had come within striking distance of a young girl.
A member of the "Inherited Right Distro." collective was handing out the "Turning the Tide" newspaper, which features articles written by the BRLP explaining their organizing against racism and oppression and expanding their "Inter-Communal Solidarity Network", which organizes among all nations and oppressed neighborhoods across California.









Photographs from Al Osorio:



Photograph from "Black Rider Liberation Party": BRLP members block Vallejo PD from harassing the family members of the victims of murder by Vallejo PD:



2013-01-22 "Mare Island Museum cleaned, repaired during King holiday project" by Sarah Rohrs from "Vallejo Times-Herald" [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_22424420/mare-island-museum-cleaned-repaired-during-king-holiday]:
[ ... ]
Elsewhere in Vallejo and also timed to the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, about three dozen protesters gathered on the Vallejo Police Department steps.
The event generally consisted of speaker-amplified anti-police brutality chanting like "no justice, no peace," led by the family of Mario Romero, who was shot and killed by Vallejo police in September. Underlying the protest were accusations that Vallejo police actions are race-based.
[ ... ]


"Protest at VPD - 1/21/13" photos by Robert Schussel for "Vallejo Independent Bulletin" [http://www.flickr.com/photos/ibvallejo/sets/72157632584141474/]:
1/21/13 Shortly after 10 AM today approximately 40 protesters gathered on the steps of the Vallejo Police Department on Tuolumne St. for a planned protest against the killing of Mario Romero, Guy Jarreau and others by Vallejo Police. There were protesters from a wide range of organizations including The Black Panthers, Build United Labor Black and Brown Self Defense Guards, people identifying themselves with the SEIU Union, socialist groups and others.
VPD Lieutenant Ken Park spoke with the protesters twice over their use of a public address system without a permit. Park even produced the documents containing the statute on his second visit, asking that the amplification be shut off; a request that was promptly ignored. One member of the public chastised the group stating, “This is not about Martin Luther King.”
The event was peaceful and wound down around noon.

2013-05-17 message from Cyndi Mitchell:

Connecting the dots...The Sutter Solano & Vallejo Police Department Connection and conspiracy.
As the threats on our family continues, let it be known for the record that on August 31, 2012 Kris Kelley, Sister of Mario Romero Submitted a complaint to Attorney General Kamala Harris asking that a criminal investigation be opened against Sutter Solano Medical Center for the repeated falsification and alteration of medical records resulting in * coma* and great bodily harm and disability due to fraudulent concealment if medical malpractice. This atrocity committed against Kris Kelley and her 9year old daughter has resulted in many years of pain, suffering and lies and a long drawn out near death sentence at the negligence of Sutter Solano hospital and the deception that was used to convince our family that our perfectly healthy family member was already sick, therefore blaming the victim, genetics, etc. to avoid criminal and civil liability. Two days later, hours after Kris Kelley has a conversation with her brother about the crimes that Sutter Solano has committed against her , Two rogue officers of the Vallejo Police Department prey upon two young men sitting in a car in front of their home . One officer murders Mario Romero and critically injures Joseph Johnson. We know the monster officer as Dustin Joseph. We know that Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis sat on the board of Sutter Solano medical center
But what about Officer Sean Kenney and the Vallejo Police Department….Co Defendant with Sutter Solano Medical Center for civil rights violations, WoW! Have you ever heard of a prisoner asking for a protective order??? DENIED!!! March 14, 2013 …Marc Cooley and Eric Jensen 2:12 CV00591
 How many other people in Vallejo are victims of Sutter Solano Medical Center? How many people have walked into that hospital and left out in a body bag? How many of your loved ones went to have a procedure performed but ended up with a life threatening illness? It’s no coincidence that our community is sick and our loved ones are dying while Sutter Solano hospital and The Vallejo Police Department are murdering and lying
#The City of Vallejo Has a lot of skeletons# and the numbers keep climbing.... the officials share beds . Ethics? what are those?

2013-05-05 message from Cyndi Mitchell:
Let it be known for the record that suspicious activity continues to affect my family following the murder of my brother.Mario Romero by Vallejo Police Department as well as their attempted cover-up of their crime ....Early Wednesday. Morning intruders more than likely contracted by the scum we pay to protect and serve attempted to break into our house but were startled leaving behind a large Duffel bag full of items including two saws a staple gun, putty a vacuum to clear away any evidence of a crime as well as various other items including a black change of clothes on one side of the house on the other side of the house another work bag was left in a hurry as if was tangled onto a bush causing the other intruder to leave it behind , this bag contained wire cutters, utility cordas well as additional items need to tap our phone line and reroute it to an alternate location which has been done before allowing fake calls to the police to come through late. Wednesday night cameras detected a suspicious vehicle approaching our property, a man attempted to enter onto our property, when greeted. With a simple "can I help you?" He turned around and ran to the vehicle. As someone opened the sliding door of the van the driver adjusted his seat attempting to hide his face and drove backwards down the road .the slippery slimy tactics they use in order to have an excuse to come onto your property is disgusting and a takeover of the corrupt Vallejo Police Department is necessary



2013-05-12 "Vallejo Police killed Mario Romero! Vallejo Police now terrorizing his family!"
message from "Labor Black & Brown":
On Sept 2, 2012 The Vallejo Police murdered Mario Romero. This heinous act was witnessed by Mario’s family. He was blasted away by 31 bullets through the windshield. While the killer cop, Dustin Joseph, literally gets away with murder, the Vallejo Police have been stalking and harassing the Romero family. Recently, the police and other anonymous and shadowy individuals have increased their harassment around the family homes.
This May 8, 2013, two men caught red-handed on their property at 3:00am, with burglary equipment, vacuum cleaner and a change of clothes. Days later the Vallejo police connived to illegally tow away two cars belonging to the family that were parked outside their home. Police patrol cars. Tow trucks. And a “Police Assistant” This has to stop.
Obviously, the police cannot be asked for help. We can put them on blast, which is what we are doing: Vallejo Police Stop Terrorizing the Family of Mario Romero! To be sure, protective measures are being taken, but we need more forces to defend this family properly. More forces for a safe and more permanent solution. Labor Black & Brown is continuing our strategy and efforts to actively the working class and the unions to actively take up this challenge of posing to the labor movement the need to defend this family and others. Can we not see that workers defense guards, labor, Brown and Black defense guards need to become a feature and a permanent institution in our communities?
The Vallejo Police with their racist and deadly terrorism will be checked! We speak in these terms because the stakes are survival and family safety, or continued police terrorism. Build Union and Community based Defense Guards to ensure our safety! Organize Political Strikes!
When They Shoot Us Down, We Shut Them Down!
Contact Labor Black & Brown [510-830-9494] [laborblackbrown@yahoo.com]
[bayareasolidarity.blogspot.com/2012/10/labor-black-and-brown-solidarity.html]


2012-09-06 “Letter concerning Celicia Mitchell, sister of Mario Romero (murdered by Vallejo police)”
To the members of the Oscar Grant Committee, This afternoon I had a discussion with Celicia Mitchell. She told me the following:
1. Celicia and another family member saw the police murder her brother.
2. The family has held rallies in front of Vallejo City Hall.
3. The family has been denied the basic right to see their brother's body, so that they can take care of funeral arraignments.
4. The family believes that their phones and internet service have been tampered with.
5. Celicia reported to me that the Vallejo police harass them every night. When I asked exactly how the police were harassing them Celicia responded: The cops follow her family members when they are driving. The cops drive by their home on a daily basis and at night flash their high beams (head lights) into their family's windows.
The police are terrorizing the family. Her little brother, Malik, 17 years old, has received threats from the police. The police directly threatened to kill this minor. Mind you, this family has demanded to see their loved one's body and they have demonstrated for justice. For this they have received harassment and threats from the very department responsible for Mario Romero's death. The last thing Celicia said to me was, “We need help” This family deserves our assistance.
Help Wanted! Step up. We need you now.
We need a volunteer to visit the family ASAP.
We should try to get these folk a video camera so that they can film this harassment. Who got the camera?


BOYCOTT CROSSFIT SOLANO!....CROSSFIT SOLANO BREEDS MURDERERS.
Vallejo KILLER COP DUSTIN BRENT JOSEPH MURDERER OF MARIO ROMERO IS PART OWNER OF CROSSFIT SOLANO.
THESE TORTURE TACTICS ARE BEING USED TO TERRORIZE OUR COMMUNITIES...
WE MUST NOT ACCEPT THIS OFFICERS WHOSE USE THESE TACTICS TO KILL OUR PEOPLE...
DUSTIN JOSEPH DID A BOX JUMP WHEN HE HOPPED ON TO THE HOOD OF UNARMED MARIO ROMERO'S CAR AND CONTINUED TO FIRE HIS GUN, ULTIMATELY MURDERING HIM AFTER VIOLATING HIS CIVIL RIGHTS-
BOYCOTT CROSSFIT SOLANO NOW!


2012-09-06 "R.I.P.Mario Romero" video [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EC5sQujisU]:
Even tho your not here beside me your still with me.
and even tho i can't hear or see your face
God lets me know your in a better place. Lil Roney Boi

Mario Romero Johnson (Victim), a man who has all the reason to live a clean life, for the sake of his family and friends.
* Has a 3-year-old daughter.
* Had just received a good-paying job after having a clean drug test from the employers he had applied to.
* According to Solano County Court Records available to the public online, during May 18th 2012, Mario had a 1203.9 hearing with the Court to have his felony of possession of a firearm reduced to a misdemeanor, which ended with a decision on August 17th 2012 to have his probation terminated, opening his life to new opportunities for himself and his family...


Family - Cynthia Mitchell, and Cynquita Martin:

On Monday, Sept. 2nd, Vallejo Police detain Mario and his brother-in-law, who are in their car parked out front of their Family's house, and without provocation fire 30 rounds (two magazines, possibly alongside another clip of 15 bullets) into the faces of the detained men. There is no evidence that a crime had been taking place, no reason for why they were detained. Mario does not have gang-related tattoos. Police send a car impound order notification and bill to Mario after his murder, which provides the legal reasoning for the police to tow it away and secure evidence which could be used against themselves…

Mario's sister Cyndi Mitchell writes: Mario Romero was murdered by Vallejo Police Officer Dustin Joseph as he sat in front of his home, he was shot in his face , mouth, hands, wrists, chest and underarms as he pleaded for his life. He was unarmed a minding his own business when he was preyed upon by blood thirsty vallejo police officers who didn't even ask him his name before they murdered him, cut him from his seatbelt drug his lifeless body onto the ground, ordered an ambulance to steal and hide his body, fabricate a false story, have Vallejo Corporal Sanley Eng plant a fake gun and steal his bullet riddled seattbelt followed by the assasination of his character with lies by Vallejo Police Joseph Kriens!

Photograph by Chris Riley form "Vallejo Times-Herald" [http://www.timesheraldonline.com/portlet/article/html/imageDisplay.jsp?contentItemRelationshipId=4660665]: "A tow truck lifts a vehicle riddled with bullet holes at the scene of an officer-involved shooting on Pepper Drive in Vallejo early Sept. 2."

Video-stills from CBS news showing the Crime scene:


Manuel Nanahuatl, member of the "Black Berets of San Jose", writes: On the NBC news at 6 they said he had a gun and was threatening the police, at 8 they said he had a gun in his hand and finally at 11 they said he had the pellet gun ticked into his pants, good job! Regardless of what he had on him, where is the proof that he gave the police any reason to do what they did?
message from C.M.:
Theres a whole lotta covering up going on in Solano County...
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENTS CODE BLUE PLEDGE " protect and hide any evidence from the scene of the crime... murder em... kill em and bag them up... then proceed with the cover up.
Protect the badge holder at all times.
Always bring guns and drugs to plant at the crime... this is the pledge that The Vallejo Police Department officers took on September 2, 2012 the night that they murdered Mario Romero.
Squad car 136 is the cleanup man... telling evidence from the scene of the murder.
how do you sleep at night mister clean up man? do you sleep?
GOD said whats done in the dark will come to the light... these skeletons just keep falling out of the closet...
hmm I wonder whats next?

"VALLEJO POLICE OFFICER HELPS HIS BUDDY, STEALS EVIDENCE FROM MARIO ROMERO" video upload 2012-09-22 to "youtube.com" by "lexthin56"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZapQYCHeBg]:
Vallejo Police Murder Mario Romero MURDERED IN HIS CAR THEN CUT OUT OF THE CAR IN A PANIC AND PLACED ON THE GROUND BEFORE BACKUP OR AMBULANCE CALLED. WHAT?
THE EVIDENCE TAGS HAVE NOT BEEN PLACED, NO PICTURES TAKEN, AT THE TIME OF THE OFFICER INVOLVED THEFT

"MURDER OF MARIO ROMERO SOLANO COUNTY CORONER COVER UP. AGAIN!!!!" video upload 2012-09-19 to "youtube.com" by "lexthin56"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnpPUtIL57U]

In this Valley of Bones, no-one dares to help the People, except for the few brave souls who fear almost nothing and commit to raising the Community to Stand Tall for justice! "He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." - Dr. Martin Luther King
The "Justice for Mario Romero and Joseph Johnson" campaign has been joined by:
* Rev Floyd D. Harris Jr, "National Network in Action" National President & Fresno Representative, recipient of "Southwest Fresno Community Leader Award" at the 4th Annual “Risk Takers, Dream Makers” Awards Luncheon [www.nationalnetworkinaction.org] [P.O. Box 16127, Fresno, CA 93755-6127] [559-803 -0286] [revharris@nationalnetworkinaction.org] [http://www.youtube.com/user/xyfloyd]

* "NAACP - Vallejo"
* "God First!" (Justice for Guy Jarreau, jr.)
* "Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity group
* "Kenneth Harding Foundation"
* "Stop Mass Incarceration Network"
* "Northbay MDS/SDS" (which has a Community FM radio show in it's network)






Vallejo City Hall taken over by the People who demand Justice for Mario Romero and ALL other victims of Vallejo Police terrorism! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px_niMRb-6I]:

Cyndi Mitchell asks: "Why did Vallejo police.... steal evidence from the crime scene? plant a fake gun on Mario? hold Mario's family hostage in their home? lie to press about Mario being a parolee? -and- Why did it take so long for witnesses statements to be taken?"

Posted on Facebook, 2012-10-19:
Wake / Viewing Services Will be held today at Wiggins-Knipp For Mario Romero From 3pm-8pm This Notice was somehow not Printed in the Vallejo Times Herald and this is not acceptable , we apologize for the short notice , it was the Obligation of Wiggins - Knipp and we are very Disturbed with this priceless ERROR /DISREGARD of Respect for Our Loved MARIO ROMERO Its a Continued Effort to Hide This Murder , Tragedy killed for having a cellphone


2012-09-20 "Stand for Justice at the Solano District Attorney's Office: Justice for Mario Romero and Joseph Johnson!"

Location: Solano County District Attorney’s Office, 355 Tuolumne Street, Vallejo, CA

Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr., founder of the National President of The National Network in Action [www.nationalnetworkinaciton.org], a civil and human rights organization, has called for a demonstration in front of the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.

The community is demanding Justice for Mr. Mario Romero & Mr. Joseph Johnson, who were both gunned down by two Vallejo Police Officers while sitting in their parked car in front of their home on September 2, 2012.
We can not and we will not let the fire simmer beneath the Vallejo Police Department's feet. As a community we must all continuously remind them that we are going to keep our feet to the pavement in making sure that we get JUSTICE and that we are not tolerating these types of malicious attacks. We seek justice, not only for the brutal murder of Mr. Mario Romero and attempted murder of Mr. Joseph Johnson but for all individuals and families that have endured unjust attacks from any Vallejo Police Officers (i.e. Police brutality, Harassment , Racial Profiling, Excessive Force or Deadly force ) in our city. These suspicious officer-involved shootings and murders are becoming quite alarming with a total of 7 so far this year. None of us should be a victim of these types of gruesome circumstances. We encourage you all to come out and support our demands for JUSTICE & EQUALITY.
These officers should not only be charged, but should stand trial and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The Vallejo Police Department does not have the right to be the JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTIONER!


2012-09-20 "Vallejo family wants probe into killing" by Justin Berton from "San Francisco Chronicle"[http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Vallejo-family-wants-probe-into-killing-3882009.php]:
The family of a man killed by Vallejo police officers while outside his home called on the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the shooting, one day after the city's mayor said he wants the state attorney general to open an inquiry.
Pressure has been mounting on Vallejo authorities over five officer-involved shootings since May. It intensified after the Sept. 2 killing of Mario Romero, 23, who police said reached for a weapon in his waistband as he got out of a car parked in front of his home.
Two officers fired 31 bullets at Romero and his passenger, who was wounded and later insisted Romero never stepped out of the car. Romero's weapon turned out to be a pellet gun, police said.
The incident sparked several public protests, including a Tuesday night ruckus that forced the Vallejo City Council to adjourn its meeting early.
"We have a department that is out of control," said George Holland, president of the NAACP's Oakland branch, who joined 30 protesters on the steps of a Solano County government building for Thursday's announcement. "If you can't be in a car in front of your home in this city without getting shot, what does that say about Vallejo?"
On Wednesday, Mayor Osby Davis took the unusual step of asking state Attorney General Kamala Harris to open an investigation. He cautioned that he had faith in investigations being conducted by police and the county district attorney, but said the public outcry suggested residents do not trust the system.
"Independent eyes will allow for complete transparency in order to rebuild the confidence of some citizens in the people who are sworn to protect and serve them," Davis said.
Despite the mayor's request, it could be months before state investigators scrutinize the shooting - if they do so at all. Officials said all local investigations need to be completed, followed by an official request from the Solano County district attorney's office for help.
Lynda Gledhill, a spokeswoman for the attorney general, said the office normally gets involved in cases only when there is a clear conflict of interest. "We have not been formally asked to do anything," she said.
Still, Davis' actions brought some relief to Romero's relatives, who said they still have not received his body from the coroner to conduct a funeral.
"We're glad the mayor stepped up," said Cynquita Martin, Romero's sister.
The family's attorney, John Burris, said he was delivering a letter to the U.S. Justice Department asking for a federal investigation of all of the recent officer-involved shootings in Vallejo to determine whether there was a "systemic pattern of use of deadly force" by police.
Burris, who represents the families of two of the five people killed by Vallejo officers this year, said Romero was hit by 13 bullets and disputed the officer's explanation of what led to the shooting.
"No African American in this country who is being pursued by police officers would reach into his waistband," Burris said. "When I heard that, I know it's a lie."
---
Family and friends of Mario Romero joined attorney John Burris, center, at a press conference where they called for an outside investigation into the fatal shooting of Romero in Vallejo, Calif., on Thursday, September 20, 2012. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez - San Fran, The Chronicle / SF



Sept. 18th is Mario Romero's birthday.
Today September 18,2012 at 2:00pm
The justice for Mario Romero Foundation will be holding a march in front of the Vallejo Police Department in remembrance of Mario Romero who was brutally murdered by the Vallejo Police Department as well as Others who have been murdered, harassed and beaten by the Vallejo Police Department or any other government agency that has abused their power.
We encourage everyone that can to bring out their picket signs with whatever message that they want to get out about Police murder brutality and discrimination.
 We will also have a balloon release at 6:00 pm releasing messages to our loved ones
 Please join us today as we take a stand in the name of justice and equality for all.

2012-09-18 "Shut Down Vallejo City Hall!"
Comments and videos by " Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity organization:
On Tuesday, 2012-09-18, a study session to review the city's new economic development strategic plan was cut short Tuesday night when people from the communities in Vallejo filled the City Council Chambers, Politically shut down the meeting in the name of justice for Mario Romero, who would have been 24 Tuesday.
The Original agenda was suppose to have a public forum to address the issue of police brutality and the investigation on officers involved in the malicious execution of the young man, Mr. Romero. This item was removed from the agenda earlier that day, the City Council stated their business is more important.
NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE.
NO JUSTICE, NO BUSINESS!
The safety committee didn't want to talk about Mario Romero last time and now, 9/18, the city council does not seem to want to talk about it either.... always some excuse. When a citizen gets shot down for no good reason, they need to stop and listen and put a stop to the murders by the police.
Political SHUT DOWN at Vallejo City Hall for Mario Romero, pt.1 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ41PFXE9L4]
Political SHUT DOWN at Vallejo City Hall for Mario Romero, pt.2 [www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt4y8vswHuM]

"Mario Romero R.I.P VALLEJO 9/10/2012" video upload by Ron Priv [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvtYRWkCOQQ]: This is a clip from the Vallejo city hall community safety meeting that the family of Mario Romero's family attended to confront the Vallejo chief of police. Mario was killed by an Vallejo officer in the front of his house. The officer repeatedly fired his weapon more then 30 shots following the reload of his gun while jumping on the hood of the car to continue firing. At this time, the mother of Mario has not been able to view her son's body. During the meeting, the chief stated that the police department has no jurisdiction over the coroner's office. Tension arose durring the meeting......

2012-09-15 Fundraiser to raise funds for funeral costs for Mario "Papaya" Romero
Please Come Out To Show Support!
Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Walgreens Parking Lot on Redwood St., Vallejo
CAR WASH - $10 donation
Hotlinks - $3 donation
Hot Dogs - $2 donation
Cupcakes - $1 donation


2012-09-13 "Vallejo Cop Watch" formed to protect community members
[http://vallejocopwatch.blogspot.com/2012/09/vallejo-copwatch-is-established.html]:
[the following was adapted from press releases issued by Vallejo Cop Watch]
Vallejo residents form "Vallejo Cop Watch" to document actions of violent Vallejo Police Officers and other security agents, with solidarity from the Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr., National President of "The National Network in Action" civil and human rights organization [www.nationalnetworkinaction.org], who is instrumental in bringing "Cop Watch" to the City of Vallejo.
Vallejo CopWatch hosted the "BLOW THE WHISTLE! On Police Brutality and Murder, Racial Profiling, and the Pipeline Leading To Mass Incarceration" public gathering at the steps of Vallejo City Hall on High-Noon, Sept. 13th, in conjunction with a National campaign against anti-Constitutional "Stop & Frisk" practices being used by Police agencies across the USA.
Vallejo Cop Watch used the event to teach Vallejo residents how to Video, Document and take pictures of ROUGE COPS, and a training titled “Know Your Rights When Confronted by Police Officer(s)”.
The African American community and the community at large are under attack by the Vallejo Police Department and its local government. Since May of 2012 there has been 7 police officers involved shooting and 5 have been fatal.
The Vallejo Police Department history and standard method of operations is "Shoot first, ask questions later", as seen by the recent brutal murder of Mr. Mario Romero by the Vallejo Police Department early Sunday morning, whom witnesses reported that Mr. Romero never got out of his car or made threatening gestures when officers open fire shooting 30 times into the car. There were no reports of Mr. Romero having a gun or shooting at the Vallejo Police.
Vallejo Citizens has said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. The minority community and the community at large are taking a stand for JUSTICE against the ROUGE COPS of the Vallejo Police Department. Vallejo Police Department DON’T have the right to be the JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTOR!!
Brutality and harassment are a fact of life for millions of people all across the U.S. and in Vallejo, especially poor people and Black and Latino people. It is a precious thing when people refuse to accept this, and rise up in protest and defiance against these injustices, like the people in NYC ‒ thousands strong, challenging the racial profiling of “Stop and Frisk”, the people in Vallejo, Fresno, Oakland, San Francisco and Anaheim, CA are all challenging the murders by Police of thousands of our people every year... Like the 12,000 CA prisoners who went on a hunger strike to stop torture... Like the thousands who protested the unjust execution of Troy Davis and have demanded justice in the modern-day lynching of Trayvon Martin...
... To youth and students tired of knowing every time you leave your house you might be harassed by cops…
... to parents who fear that no matter what you tell your kids about surviving an encounter with the cops it won’t be enough to keep them safe…
… to Black and Latino people or immigrants, youngsters or a little older, racially targeted for mass incarceration in the era of the “New Jim Crow”… to all the former prisoners discriminated against even after they’ve served their sentences and to all the families and loved ones of people ensnared in the criminal “injustice” system…



2012-09-11 call to gather at "Vallejo City Council" for "Justice for Mario Romero":
SUPPORT THE FAMILIES, VICTIMS TO POLICE BRUTALITY IN VALLEJO
September 11, 2012 City Council of Vallejo are having a public forum concerning the "SAFETY" of Vallejo residents. Mario Romero body is being held at the Vallejo Coroner and Marios family have not even been given the respect and humanity to see their brother, son, uncle, FATHER yet. There have been 5 people who have been murdered by Vallejo Police, just this year. WE WHO ARE STANDING IN RESISTANCE TO STATE POWER NEED TO SUPPORT THE FAMILIES WHO ARE VICTIM TO POLICE BRUTALITY
 See you there.
===
2012-09-12 "Vallejo police, city leaders lambasted over Romero shooting" by Jessica A. York from "Vallejo Times-Herald"
[http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_21523226/vallejo-police-city-leaders-lambasted-over-romero-shooting]:
An overflow Vallejo City Hall crowd was united Tuesday night in delivering a scathing attack against city leaders and police over the recent officer-involved shooting death of Mario Romero.
A common theme of the night was that some police officers had targeted certain people, and that the Vallejo Police Department could not objectively investigate its own officers. Several speakers called for an outside investigation of the officer-involved shootings.
In marked contrast to a Monday meeting of a citizens public safety panel abruptly adjourned due to crowd behavior, Tuesday night's audience remained civil as dozens of residents raised pointed questions to the Vallejo City Council about Romero's death.
There were several plain clothes and uniformed officers at the meeting. Interim police chief Joseph Kreins also attended, but did not address either the council or the audience questions. Last week Kreins held a brief news conference about the case, saying it was under investigation.
Romero, 23, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Sept. 2 by Vallejo police officers, who reportedly stopped to investigate Romero and his passenger, 21-year-old Joe Johnson, while they were parked in front of their north Vallejo home.
Officers said that before they had a chance to address the two men, Romero exited his car and allegedly reached for what turned out to be a replica handgun in his pants' waistband. Family members firmly contend Romero neither got out of the car nor had a replica gun on him. They also deny police allegations that 50 ecstasy pills were discovered in the car after the shooting.
The Romero death was the fifth fatal officer-involved shooting since May 25, and seventh this year. It has attracted the most attention from residents after it was reported that police had fired more than 30 rounds during the shooting.
Tuesday's meeting was packed with sign-toting protesters as well as large photos of Romero and his 3-year-old daughter.
Mayor Osby Davis assured the crowd that the 45 or so speakers would all be heard, and offered condolences Romero's survivors.
"First and foremost, this council would like to express its sympathies to the family of Mario," Mayor Osby Davis told the audience, commenting that he has lost two of his own children.
Despite Davis' statement, several speakers called the mayor to task for telling TV news crews that he was satisfied with the police explanation of the Romero shooting. Davis said it was not his intention to take sides in the case, after initially denying he had made any public comment to anyone on the issue.
Vallejo NAACP President Jimmie Jackson, meanwhile, told the council that he has met with Romero's family members and that the NAACP expects them to be kept apprised of all investigations into the case.
In addition to those expressing anger over Romero's death, family members of others killed in earlier officer-involved shootings told the council they have been waiting years in vain for answers about those fatalities.
Several speakers demanded that outside investigators, either the FBI, the Justice Department or another police agency, take a closer look at not only the Romero case, but the Vallejo Police Department in general.
Cynquita Martin, Romero's oldest sister, accompanied by her young children, said she witnessed a portion of the shooting because her brother's bullet-riddled car was parked outside their home. Noting that the shooting had occurred nine days earlier, she asked when she would be interviewed by police, and also when family members would be given a chance to speak with Davis. No one responded. Davis had said earlier in the evening that questions posed to the council likely would not be answered due either to pending investigations or possible litigation.
Looking directly at Davis, another sister asked, "Will we have justice for Mario Romero?"
"Of course you're going to have justice," Davis responded after several seconds.
Various speakers urged calls to action from the audience. One man spoke of organizing a "general strike" against police violence in Vallejo; One of Romero's sisters said she has launched an online Change.org petition to bring criminal charges against the Vallejo officers involved in the shootings.
View the recording of the entire council meeting online  here . You can participate in a Facebook discussion about the case  here .
2012-09-11 photograph by Mike Jory from "Vallejo Times-Herald": Cindy Mitchell, like her mother before her, expressed her family's displeasure with Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis and his actions during Tuesday night's City Council meeting, following the recent officer-involved fatal shooting of her brother, Mario Romero.



2012-09-10 call to gather at "Vallejo Ad-Hoc Citizens Public Safety Advisory Committee" for "Justice for Mario Romero":
"LET HIS DEATH NO BE IN-VAIN"
 SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AT THE VALLEJO CA CITY HALL SEPT.10.2012 AT 6PM TO LISTEN AND BE HEARD NOT ONLY FOR THE JUSTICE OF MARIO ROMERO BUT EVERY ONE BECAUSE IT COULD BE YOU NEXT..
SO WE ENCOURAGE ALL RESIDENTS BUSINESS OWNERS FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO MEET US ON THE STEPS OF CITY HALL MONDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2012 @6:00PM SO THAT WE CAN EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE EXACTLY WHY WE NEED FOR AN OUTSIDE WATCH DOG GROUP TO COME IN TO INVESTIGATE AND OVERSEE THE HANDLING OF CITIZENS COMPLAINTS AND VALLEJO POLICE OFFICERS ACTS OF EXCESSIVE AND DEADLY FORCE AS WELL AS MURDERING INDIVIDUALS. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED
===
2012-09-10 video-still showing Vallejo Interim Police Chief Joseph Kreins explaining his delusion that the Civilian Review Board process works, even though has no powers of enforcement, cannot receive reports, nor investigate (which is why he believes it works):

===
2012-09-10 photograph from "Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity group showing righteous people arriving under heavy guard:
===
2012-09-10 Report from "Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity group:
September 10, 2012 at 6:00 -
Mothers of victims to police brutality, rallied with Labor Black Brown as well as people from the communities in Vallejo, Pastors, and in real solidarity members from ISO and RCP. At Vallejo City Hall for the Ad-Hoc Citizens Public Safety Advisory Committee Meeting, where the Vallejo Commission as well as Vallejo Police Review Board were suppose to address the extreme amount of police murdering youth of Color and poor White youngsters to. The whole council room was packed with people mainly Black and Brown while no-one on the Police Review Board or Commission has anybody of Color as pointed out by a Pastor.
When the mothers spoke out such as Mario Romero mother, she asked "Where is my son's body?" The Police replied that Mario is at the coroner office where they will hold it until they are done with their investigation. She replied powerfully asking "Why, when their was hundreds of people out in front of Vallejo Police Department on September 3rd, did nobody come out to address the concern of being able to see her baby?"
They went into political suicide by stating that this meeting was not to address those issues. This particular meeting is labeled AD-HOC CITIZENS PUBLIC SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING. SAFETY meaning they are suppose to work with the residents of Vallejo under the issue of SAFETY.
 They ended up shutting down the meeting and turned their backs to the people, everyone then went outside with all the energy to actually see something great and revolutionary. September 11, 2012 Vallejo City Council will be meeting to address this issue at 7:00PM. We encourage anybody and everybody who is not Capitalist to come and support these families who have lost their loved ones to State Power POLICE. All the issues in Vallejo are a development of failed capitalism and in the near future their might be something the hard-working class has been looking for, a general strike.
---
2012-09-10 photo by Chris P.: "Last night after we left city hall with no answers. Smh!!"

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Message from Sharon P.: I attended last night's meeting and I'm still wondering why the ad hoc public safety committee encourage people to come before that body. Committee members spent several minutes reading parts of the Brown Act and telling those assembled what they could and couldn't discuss. Audience members were justifiably angry and frustrated. Up until last night not ONE of our city leaders has come forward and talked about this tragedy. The adjournment of last night’s meeting - especially in the abrupt manner that it was done - just added insult to injury. Our city leaders need to get a clue and stop pretending we don't have problems. For the sake of our city, I hope the City Council will actually listen tonight.


2012-09-08 "#TeamMario: R.I.P. MARIO RAMERO CAR WASH & DINNER SALE"
SAT., 12:00am until 8:00pm
Location: 372 Lofas Place, Vallejo Ca
We will be coming together this weekend to raise money for the family and funeral of Mario Ramero. A young man victimized by police brutality. We have lost a Son, Father, Brother, Friend this past week and now we need the community to come together to help are fellow kin.
Donation: $10 per car
DINNER PLATES ON SALE:
 $10 for 2 pc Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Bread
 $12 for 2PC Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Bread, Drink
 All Donations Welcome & Greatly Appreciated
 FOR PREORDERS or DELIVERIES (3 OR MORE), Contact: Erin (707) 373-9967, or Shawana (510) 283-1826
 All Proceeds Will Be Donated To The Family
 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AND WELCOME FAMILY, FRIENDS, COMMUNITY!
 If you cannot donate volunteer, If you cannot volunteer PRAY for Mario Ramero Family, Friends, & Love Ones!
 ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS MESSAGE DAVID BE BY EMAIL OR FACE BOOK.
 Email: DavidBeXP@gmail.com
 FB: [www.facebook.com/THEBETEAM]
 Sponsored and organized by the BE TEAM - Dont Do Something Be Something!
 Lets come together and support the Ramero Family. This is not a rally, riot, or protest. Are goal is to stop "TALKING" and start "ACTING". To come together as a community and help are fellow fallen brothers love ones and family members. This is a positive event and will not condone ignorance or violence of any kind or I ask you not attend. Come out and support!
===
"Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity group writes:
We were out at Lofas place in Vallejo assisting in car washing raising funds for Mario Romero funeral.
How disgusting the Vallejo City Government and VPD are for not giving the respect to Mario's family by giving his body back.
There was about 50 people washing cars and about 300-400 people out on the block.
We gotta commit with solidarity for all families of victims to police brutality and work together to not let this happen again.
JUSTICE FOR MARIO ROMERO. Rest In Peace brother.


2012-09-04 Press Conference and a People's March in front of the Vallejo Police Department!!
Date: 9-4-12
Time: 12 noon
Location: Vallejo 111 Amador St. Vallejo, CA 94590
Contact: Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr. [559-803-0286]
Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr National President of The National Network In Action a civil and human rights organization will be holding a Press Conference and a March in front of the Vallejo Police Department. In the recent brutal murder of Mr. Mario Romero by the Vallejo Police Department early Sunday morning. There were two young men whom police confronted. Witness reported that Mr. Romero never got out of his car when officers open fire shooting 30 times into the car reported by witness.  There were no reports of Mr. Romero shooting at the Vallejo Police. The minority community is taking a stand for justice against the ROUGE COPS of the Vallejo Police. There has been 7 officers involved shooting and 5 of the shooting has been fatal. The Vallejo Police Department don’t have the right to be the JUDGE, JURY AND EXECUTOR.
---
Letter Given To Mayor from National Network In Action 9-4-12
To: Honorable Mayor Osby Davis
My name is Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr. I'm the President of the National Network In Action we are civil and human rights organization. As you may know there has been a young man by the name of Mr. Mario Romero who was killed early Sunday morning by your Vallejo Police Department.
I have talked with the family and I'm very saddened to listen too how they have been disrespected by your police department.
Your police department has shown no respect to this family on any level.
I have read your Vallejo Police Department mission statement it reads: To provide professional law enforcement services that enhance, protect, and promote the quality of life for persons residing, visiting or doing business in the City of Vallejo.
As a pastor I went to candle light vigil Sunday night to give my support to the community and the family. I was approach with dozens of story of residents in your city who have been harass and profiled.
As a Pastor and civil right leader I respect your position and must believe that you wouldn't support this type of behavior inside your police department.
I'm requesting a meeting with you and the chief of police with the family.
[signed] Rev. Floyd Harris Jr President National Network in Action
---
Note from Dr.G.: Around 200 community members showed up for the Press Conference & People's March in front of the Vallejo Police Department, majority of whom are local, and some coming in from out of town being contacted via the "National Network in Action". Family members described the real series of incidents which lead to the murder of Mario Romero. For instance, Mario's seatbelt was broken, and would have to be untied to be removed. HE DID NOT EXIT HIS CAR, nor did he have a gun (fake or not). He and his brother-in-law (who was shot) did have their hands raised, and they did not make threatening gestures. His body had to be removed from the vehicle using cutters on both the door and seatbelt, meaning he DID NOT EXIT HIS CAR, unlike the false police statement released to the monopolized media. 
While there were no speakers scheduled beyond the family members, the mega-phone was allowed to be used by folks from the community, and representatives of solidarity organizations, including the "Kenneth Harding Foundation", "God First! (Justice for Guy Jarreau, jr.)", "Stop Mass Incarceration Network", and the"Labor, Black & Brown" solidarity organization. 
Folks were heard yelling "Justice for Mario!", "Justice for Guy Jarreau, jr!", "Community Control of the Police!", and congregated on both sides of the streets.
Later, the family of Mario brought with them the attention of the community to the Vallejo City Council meeting.


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2012-09-04 photograph by Jessica York from "Vallejo Times-Herald": Slain Vallejoan Mario Romero's mother, Cynthia Mitchell, holds a sign quoting herself about the shooting of her son. She and about 150 other people stood in front of the Vallejo Police Department this morning during a protest rally

---
"Rev. Harris Leads 300 People to The Vallejo Police To Protest EXECUTION Of Mr. Mario Romero"
posted by Rev. Floyd Harris [http://www.youtube.com/user/xyfloyd]:
Video, part 1 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Q7JLCSGPw]

Video, part 2 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLvHFl72Akc]

Video, part 3 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb8Ayro-h2E]



2012-09-04 "Mario Romero - Joseph Johnson Shooting Protest at the steps of City Hall" from "Vallejo Independent Bulletin"
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0rT78dGHT4]:



2012-09-05 Vallejo Police Department press conference
Comment from C.M.: This is the press conference on Sept 5 concerning the shooting. At this point protesters had been outside of the VPD station for 2 days. The press conference was meant to be held OUTSIDE, but was moved INSIDE to only accommodate the press. Furthermore, when the Times Herald listed that there would be a conference, they kept using the language "today at 11 AM", but all the articles were dated "SEPT 4TH".
* My questions: are why is the VPD avoiding speaking to the family?
* Why are there so many replica handguns (in 3 of the 5 deaths) but no REAL handguns?
* Why was the Times Herald sloppy in their announcement of the conference?

2012-09-05 "VPD Press Conference: Romero / Johnson Shooting" video from "Vallejo Independent Bulletin" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAlZSBfckf0]:
===
2012-09-05 "Officer-involved shooting draws hundreds in Vallejo protest" by Jessica A. York and Irma Widjojo from "Vallejo Times-Herald"
[http://www.timesheraldonline.com/ci_21470784]:
Under a sea of protest signs hoisted in front of the Vallejo Police Department on Tuesday afternoon, numerous speakers angrily denied that a pellet-gun wielding 23-year-old man killed by Vallejo police provoked his own death.
More than 150 people gathered for more than two hours to decry Vallejo's latest fatal officer-involved shooting. In this one, 23-year-old Mario Romero, known as "Papaya" by friends, died before dawn Sunday and his brother-in-law, Joseph Johnson, 21, was shot through his hip and hospitalized.
During the rally, the police department released information to the press linking Romero to a neighborhood gang, but no one from the department addressed the crowd outside. A family member denied any gang affiliation.
Those gathered -- many family, friends and neighbors of Romero -- raised questions about what was the city's fifth fatal, as well as seventh officer-involved shooting this year. In the seven shootings,
10 unidentified officers have been involved, Vallejo police spokesman Sgt. Jeff Bassett said late Tuesday. The two officers in this shooting, who both have at least a decade experience, are on administrative leave.
Romero and Johnson were shot by the officers around 4:33 a.m. Sunday, while sitting in a Thunderbird parked in front of their home, in the 100 block of Pepper Drive, near Lofas Place. A vehicle matching the same description was reportedly involved in a shooting in recent weeks, Bassett said.
Police say the duo was approached because of recent gang-related activity in the neighborhood. They said officers fired repeatedly at Romero because they believed he had reached for a gun in his waistband. Police released a photo Tuesday of a pellet handgun they said Romero had on him.
The protesters said the shooting was not justified.
Rally organizer, Fresno-based Rev. Floyd D. Harris Jr, said he organized Tuesday's protest to spotlight the Romero shooting, and potentially help Vallejo form its own branch of the
activist police oversight organization, Copwatch.
"This type of policing is not acceptable in America -- nowhere across the United States," said Harris, president of the civil rights group National Network In Action.
Later, Romero's mother, two sisters and several others spoke to the crowd before they drove to City Hall with plans to confront Mayor Osby Davis.
"I saw everything," said Romero's sister, Cynquita Martin, whose house Romero shared with her.
"My brother never got out of the car. My brother was slumped over in that boy's lap," Martin said. "He caught bullets for that child (Johnson). He saved somebody's life while they was killing him."
"And," she scoffed, "they try to make him out to be some Ecstasy dope dealer. We got better drugs to sell."
Martin was referring to police charges that more than 50 pills of Ecstacy and packaging materials were found in the car.
Police said that Romero briefly responded to officers' shouts to show his hands after they shot off their first rounds, but that he then allegedly went back into the car "reaching toward the center console," that prompted a second volley of shots.
Martin and her sister, who identified herself only as Kris, said they believed Romero did not have a pellet gun -- or any other gun -- as police allege.
"There were no precipitating factors that justified him being killed, and my brother-in-law being shot," Kris said. "This is not a case of excessive force -- no force was required. There was no altercation. There was no confrontation."
Kris said she was not part of a "cop-hating family," and that her brother's shooting was not a "black and white thing" but "a human thing."
Many people at the rally asked where Vallejo's leadership was during the fallout of this shooting, and why Vallejo police chief Joseph Kreins did not appear to address the crowd.
Kreins explained later, "I understand that the group in front of the PD today was demanding to speak to the chief," Kreins told the Times-Herald after the rally. "That of course was not the time or place to have a civil discussion regarding this matter."
However, Kreins said he will address questions today at an 11 a.m. press conference at police department headquarters.
Kreins added that any incident involving a fatality is an unfortunate one, and that the community must address the problem of the large number of people with guns.
"To put it in perspective, we've had hundreds of shooting calls per year," Kreins said. "Seven of them involved our officers, unfortunately, and five of them fatal.
"No officers want to be put in that situation," Kreins said. "But if anyone points a gun at them and are threatening their lives that's what we are going to do."
Kreins added that Sunday's incident was one of 18 shooting calls the department received last weekend, Friday to Sunday.
About 40 people from the rally later made their way to the steps of Vallejo City Hall, though family members who attempted to speak with Mayor Osby Davis were reportedly unsuccessful.
While the rally was being held, Bassett, the department spokesman, released a statement to the press with new information in the case, saying Romero:
* Has been confirmed as a Lofas Street Gang member
* Was on felony probation for carrying a concealed weapon with a prior conviction, and
* Was identified in 2008 as a lead in a shooting investigation in which a female bystander was seriously wounded. Police said he was not convicted for this crime.
Romero's sister Martin denied that her brother was a gang member.
"We just moved to this address in June from Fairfield," she said. Romero, however, was born and raised in Vallejo.
Romero's Facebook account shows that he also went by the rap name "Sh8y P. Dot."
2012-09-05 photograph by Mike Jory from "Vallejo Times-Herald": Rev. Floyd D. Harris, the president of the National Network in Action, a civil and human rights organization, leads a chant of 'No Justice, No Peace' at a protest rally on the steps of the Vallejo Police Department in support of the family of Mario Romero, killed in an officer-involved incident Sunday morning. Behind Harris is Cynthia Mitchell, mother of Romero, while Romero's godmother, Shantell Stokes stands in front.

2012-09-05 photograph by Mike Jory from "Vallejo Times-Herald": Supporters of the family of slain Vallejoan Mario Romero march outside the Vallejo Police Department Tuesday afternoon following a rally on the department steps. Romero was killed early Sunday morning in a police-involved shooting, the fifth officer-involved fatal shooting this year in Vallejo.



2012-09-03 "Vallejo police account of shooting disputed" by Victoria Colliver from "San Francisco Chronicle"
[http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Vallejo-police-account-of-shooting-disputed-3836720.php]:
The family of a 21-year-old man wounded in a police shooting in Vallejo that left his companion dead disputed the police account of the incident, arguing Monday that the men did not have a fake gun that officers said they found at the scene.
Vallejo police said officers opened fire early Sunday when a 23-year-old man in the driver's seat of a parked car got out and reached for what appeared to be a weapon in his waistband. A volley of shots killed the man and wounded 21-year-old Joseph Johnson of Vallejo, who was being treated Monday at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.
Police said the object the dead man was carrying turned out to be an Airsoft replica gun that fires plastic pellets.
Kevin Edwards, Johnson's father, said Monday that the slain man had not gotten out of the car or menaced officers with a bogus weapon.
"They never stepped a foot outside the car. There was no gun inside the car," said Edwards, 40, of Richmond, speaking outside the hospital where his son was recovering after surgery for a gunshot wound to the hip. "This is all a cover-up story."
Johnson, speaking through a family member in his hospital room, said he was not feeling well enough to be interviewed but confirmed his father's account.
Sunday's incident began at 4:33 a.m. when two officers patrolling near Pepper Drive and Lofas Place saw Johnson and the other man in the parked car. The officers approached because there have been several recent gang shootings in the area, police said.
Edwards said his son and the shooting victim, whom he described as his son's brother-in-law, had been parked in front of the home where they lived. He said his son is married and has two young children.
Police would not confirm the identity of the man who was killed and declined to respond to the family's allegations. Police said earlier that officers had found more than 50 ecstasy pills in the car along with the pellet gun.
The incident came a few months after a spate of four fatal shootings by Vallejo police in May and June. Authorities said two of the victims had brandished guns before they were shot, the third had a BB gun, and the fourth, a 17-year-old robbery suspect, was holding only a metal wallet.
The officers involved in Sunday's shooting were placed on administrative leave, a routine measure, while police and the Solano County district attorney investigate.
===
2012-09-04 "Sister of man slain by Vallejo officers says he was a 'hands-on dad'" by Tony Burchyns from "Vallejo Times Herald"
[http://m.timesheraldonline.com/mntimesherald/db_/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=l3L2H6UH]:
When Cynquita Martin got to the window it was too late. Officers had already started firing into her brother's car just steps outside their home on Vallejo's Pepper Drive.
One officer jumped up on the hood apparently to get a better view. From inside the house, Martin said she banged on the window and yelled "Stop Shooting! He's unarmed!"
The officer told her to stay inside as he reloaded and resumed firing, Martin said.
"I watched them kill my brother right in front of me," she said Monday. She said she heard a groan, then silence.
"I heard him take his last breath."
Martin wants the Department of Justice to investigate the shooting, saying she doesn't believe the official story that her brother, 23-year-old Mario Romero, pulled a pellet gun on police. She said she had never seen him with the replica gun police say they found in his car.
(Police said Sunday that Romero was  on felony probation for weapons possession, and that they also found 50 Ecstasy pills in the car after the shooting.)
Martin said her brother, who has a 3-year-old daughter, was a family oriented man and a "hands-on dad" who was looking forward to starting a new job in Dixon. She said the last time she saw him was Saturday afternoon, after he took her youngest son, age 4, to the park.
Martin also said her brother had played video games with his 11-year-old nephew that day and accompanied her to the grocery store just to keep her company.
"My kids are shellshocked," Martin said. "I can't sleep. I can't live with it ... you can't just take the lives of innocent people who don't have weapons."
Martin said the two had lived in a rented house with her children, their sister and her sister child on Pepper Drive near Lofas Place since June.
Romero's friends and loved ones held a vigil in front of his house Sunday. Also, organizers are planning a rally and march at 11 a.m. today in front of Vallejo police headquarters.
Police said the officers involved in the shooting were conducting routine patrols following a string of "gang-related" shootings in the area. Some neighbors, however, said reports of gang violence are exaggerated.
"This is no gang-ridden neighborhood," said Patrice Johnson, who lives across the street from Martin, and witnessed the aftermath of the shooting from her bedroom window. She said she didn't know Romero too well, but considers the family good neighbors. "We have always been a tightknit neighborhood."
Meanwhile, there has been an outpouring of emotion in the wake of Romero's death on the Times-Herald's Facebook pages. The range of sentiment by hundreds ranges from grief, to anger toward and support of police.


2012-09-02 "Vallejo residents hold vigil for man fatally shot by police" from "KTVU.com"
[http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/vallejo-residents-hold-vigil-man-fatally-shot-vall/nR2Y9/]:
VALLEJO, Calif. — Dozens of residents gathered at a Vallejo park to protest the actions of two police officers who shot and killed one man and sent another to the hospital early Sunday morning.
 Officers said they were forced to fire at the two suspects after one of them, Mario Ramiro, 23, had what appeared to be a gun but was later determined to be a pellet gun.
 Ramiro's mother, who would only identify herself as Cynthia, railed against the officers who fired 30 rounds at her son's car and described her son as "blameless," but Vallejo police have a different version of events.
 Police said the incident happened around 4:30 a.m. near the 100 block of Pepper Drive, as police were conducting a routine patrol.
 Police said they spotted Ramiro, and his passenger, Joseph Johnson 21, as they were sitting inside a white Thunderbird. The officers turned on their patrol car spotlights to illuminate the suspects' car.
 Ramiro got out of the car and the officers reported seeing the butt of a handgun in his waistband, police said.
 The man -- partially obscured by the open door of his car --  reached for the gun and began to turn toward the officers, police said.
 Believing he was going to shoot, the officers fired their weapons at the suspect, who remained crouched behind the car door, police added.
 The man did not comply with officers' demands to show his hands, and instead reached into the vehicle toward the center console, police said.
 The officers then fired 30 rounds and the driver slumped over inside the car.
 Ramiro was taken to the Kaiser Permanente's Vallejo campus where he later died.
 Johnson was transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek where he underwent surgery from being shot five times.
 Police said Ramiro was on parole for a weapons violation.
 Police searched the vehicle and found the pellet gun that police spotted in the driver’s waistband and more than 50 ecstasy pills, investigators said.
 Cynquita Martin, Ramiro's sister and a witness to the incident, questioned the officers' judgement.
 "They reloaded in front me, stood on the roof of the car and shot him and shot and shot,  they shot at least six to eight times," Martin said.
 Floyd Harris, a pastor with the National Network in Action visiting from Fresno, encouraged the crowd of about 60 people to stand up for their community.
 "This police department needs to be held accountable," Harris said. "It's your job to hold this police department accountable."
 An investigation into the incident was under way by the Solano County District Attorney's Office and the Vallejo Police Department.
 Both officers have been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
 Many in the crowd Sunday afternoon admitted they were afraid of the Vallejo police force, which is now investigating the department's seventh officer-involved shooting since May.
 Five of those shootings were fatal.
video-still from 2012-09-02 "Vallejo residents hold vigil for man fatally shot by police" video from "KTVU.com":


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2012-09-03  video from CBS news

2012-09-02 "Vallejo Police shoot two men after they spot gun" from "KTVU.com"
[http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/crime-law/vallejo-police-shoot-two-men-after-they-allegedly-/nR2M4/]:
VALLEJO, Calif. — One man was killed and another injured in an officer-involved shooting in Vallejo early Sunday morning, police said.
Two officers were on patrol in the 100 block of Pepper Drive -- an area known for recent gang-related activity -- at about 4:30 a.m., according to Vallejo police.
Two men were spotted sitting inside a vehicle, police said. The officers turned on their patrol car spotlights to illuminate the suspects' vehicle.
The driver got out and the officers reported seeing the butt of a handgun in his waistband, police said.
The man -- partially obscured by the open door of his car -- reached for the gun and began to turn toward the officers, police said.
Believing he was going to shoot, the officers fired their weapons at the suspect, who remained crouched behind the car door.
The man did not comply with officers' demands to show his hands, and instead reached into the vehicle toward the center console, police said.
The officers fired 30 rounds and the driver slumped over.
The driver, 23-year-old Mario Ramiro, was taken to the Kaiser Permanente’s Vallejo campus where he later died.
The passenger, 21-year-old Joseph Johnson, was struck by a bullet or shrapnel in the buttocks and transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he underwent surgery from being shot five times.
A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded an airsoft pellet gun, which police spotted in the driver's waistband, and more than 50 ecstasy pills.
An investigation into the incident was under way by the Solano County District Attorney's Office and the Vallejo Police Department.
Both officers have been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated.
Ramiro's sister Cynquita Martin said she watched the shooting from inside a house and neither man posed a threat.
“When I went to the window I saw him reclip his gun, hop on the hood and just start firing,” Martin said. “His arms was out the window. My brother is slumped in the car already.”
Ramiro's mother Cynthia also said the police didn't have to use deadly force.
“The Vallejo Police Department has killed my son, an innocent person sitting in the car and then they're trying to make it like it's a shootout,” she said. “It wasn't a shootout. The only shootout was them shooting him.”
Police said both men were on parole for felony weapons violations.
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2012-09-03 "Vallejo police fatally shoot man with pellet gun" from "The Associated Press" newswire:
VALLEJO, Calif.—Vallejo police say officers fatally shot a 23-year-old parolee who apparently turned at them with a weapon that turned out to be a pellet gun.
Sgt. Jeff Bassett said officers fired 30 rounds early Sunday at the man who they say saw reach for a gun.
Police say officers were conducting a routine patrol when they spotted Mario Romero and a passenger sitting inside a white Thunderbird. Bassett says officers then shot Romero when they saw the gun and fired more rounds when he apparently refused orders to show his hands.
Romero later died at a local hospital. Officers later found the pellet gun and 50 ecstasy pills.
Bassett said officers also shot Romero's passenger Joseph Johnson, who underwent surgery after he was shot five times.
The incident is Vallejo's seventh officer-involved shooting since May.
Five of those shootings have been fatal.