This video is no longer available.
CHARLOTTE, NC – “I’m very disappointed and somewhat appalled,” says Charlotte NAACP President Rev. Kojo Nantambu.
Civil rights leaders are upset after hearing proposals a task force is making for the Citizens Review Board.
“My concern in observing these people is ‘are they people that have had encounters with the police themselves?'” asks Nantambu.
Pressure for a stronger review board has mounted since CMPD Officer Randall Kerrick shot and killed 24-year-old Jonathan Ferrell on September 14th.
At City Council’s request, the task force, which includes some CRB members.. came up with 12 recommendations.
They include not giving the power to conduct independent investigations or subpoena witnesses, lowering the standard for holding a full hearing, and requiring a written explanation for denied appeals.
“I think it’s something that we can very quickly put into place,” explains CRB Task Force Chair Patricia Albritton.
Albritton says the changes would respond to public criticism – without overstepping legal boundaries.
According to the Charlotte City Attorney, giving the review board subpoena power might require action by the state legislature.
“I would like to see us do the changes now, we don’t have to wait another year or two to get approval from Raleigh,” Albritton says.
But critics like Kare Romanski.. say that subpoena power is needed now.
She lost an appeal in front of the review board in 2009.
“In my case there was video evidence, there was time stamped, witnesses that could have been spoken with, they refused to do any of that,” Romanski says.
But for now.. the proposed changes will go forward without giving the board that power.
