Thursday, June 18, 2009
“Tagi mai ala, o le uso ua malaga . Talofa e ua le taulau. Ua le taulau i le fa’atamala.”
“Tears flow deep across the ocean to unite a family in mourning. Whoa is the tragedy of this broken promise.
Never to be forgotten is the loss of a son in the hands of atrocity.” --A Samoan elegy.
As seen online to the public
Long Beach, with a population of approximately 491,564, covers 52 square miles in southwest Los Angeles
County and is the fifth largest city in California. It has some of the best shoreline, marinas and beaches in
Southern California, and a superb climate moderated by pleasant ocean breezes. The City of Long Beach is
recognized as the home of the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Long Beach Grand Prix,
America's cargo gateway to the Pacific Rim through the Port of Long Beach (the Nation's second business
container port), one of the world's most environmentally safe off-shore oil operations and numerous major
business and commercial enterprises.
As seen in-line with the community
Long Beach is a city worth examining with lenses of discernment. We argue that we must look again and this
time, look beyond the picturesque tourist-laden Long Beach. Look past the neon lights of her shoreline front,
and into the neighborhoods where the people live amidst blood stained streets.
The neighborhoods are overcrowded by the state of poverty and communities are lacerated by deliberate acts
of oppression, suppression and repression.
Racism, for example is a transgression that exists every day. It’s prominent in our schools, courts, social
services, housing and jobs to name a few. Prejudice based solely on race, preventing access, equality and
fairness in all facets of the Long Beach opportunity.
It is expressed both overtly and/or subtly, even in a hugely diverse community such as Long Beach. With 80% of
the population from many countries; speaking well over 40 languages, and practicing hundreds of unique
customs and traditions (as it boasts online), racism is alive and thriving in the backend alleys of the “LBC.” It is
more pervasive and dangerous than ever before with more law enforcement empowerment afforded under
national security laws.
Take the case of Roketi Su’e; a 47 year old mentally ill man, gunned down in May 2008 by Dominick Scaccia,
Field Training police officer. In a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Su’e family, Scaccia testified that he ran
out of options to subdue the 147 pound man and was compelled by fear of his own life to use deadly force.
Every testament uttered by Scaccia was refuted by eye-witnesses, other people of color from Sue’s
neighborhood.
The two-week courtroom saga, paraded eye witnesses and experts testifying about the brutality Su’e suffered
during the last hour of his life. There were graphic images and video which family attorney, Joe Barrett and
associates from the Cochran Law firm complied over the course of a year.
Barrett et al, built a surmountable trail of evidence against the Long Beach Police Department officer and
presented a compelling fact-based case of police brutality to a jury of 6 whites and 6 minorities.
The verdict returns against all odds
In spite of the outcry of family and community, on Monday, June 15th, 2009 after 4 hours of deliberation, the
jury ruled in favor of Dominick Scaccia. Scaccia is free to return to the street of Long Beach and is directly
responsible for training new police officers fresh off the academy.
“Tagi mai ala, o le uso ua malaga . Talofa e ua le taulau. Ua le taulau i le fa’atamala.”
“Tears flow deep across the ocean to unite a family in mourning. Whoa is the tragedy of this broken promise.
Never to be forgotten is the loss of a son in the hands of atrocity.” --A Samoan elegy.
As seen online to the public
Long Beach, with a population of approximately 491,564, covers 52 square miles in southwest Los Angeles
County and is the fifth largest city in California. It has some of the best shoreline, marinas and beaches in
Southern California, and a superb climate moderated by pleasant ocean breezes. The City of Long Beach is
recognized as the home of the Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Long Beach Grand Prix,
America's cargo gateway to the Pacific Rim through the Port of Long Beach (the Nation's second business
container port), one of the world's most environmentally safe off-shore oil operations and numerous major
business and commercial enterprises.
As seen in-line with the community
Long Beach is a city worth examining with lenses of discernment. We argue that we must look again and this
time, look beyond the picturesque tourist-laden Long Beach. Look past the neon lights of her shoreline front,
and into the neighborhoods where the people live amidst blood stained streets.
The neighborhoods are overcrowded by the state of poverty and communities are lacerated by deliberate acts
of oppression, suppression and repression.
Racism, for example is a transgression that exists every day. It’s prominent in our schools, courts, social
services, housing and jobs to name a few. Prejudice based solely on race, preventing access, equality and
fairness in all facets of the Long Beach opportunity.
It is expressed both overtly and/or subtly, even in a hugely diverse community such as Long Beach. With 80% of
the population from many countries; speaking well over 40 languages, and practicing hundreds of unique
customs and traditions (as it boasts online), racism is alive and thriving in the backend alleys of the “LBC.” It is
more pervasive and dangerous than ever before with more law enforcement empowerment afforded under
national security laws.
Take the case of Roketi Su’e; a 47 year old mentally ill man, gunned down in May 2008 by Dominick Scaccia,
Field Training police officer. In a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the Su’e family, Scaccia testified that he ran
out of options to subdue the 147 pound man and was compelled by fear of his own life to use deadly force.
Every testament uttered by Scaccia was refuted by eye-witnesses, other people of color from Sue’s
neighborhood.
The two-week courtroom saga, paraded eye witnesses and experts testifying about the brutality Su’e suffered
during the last hour of his life. There were graphic images and video which family attorney, Joe Barrett and
associates from the Cochran Law firm complied over the course of a year.
Barrett et al, built a surmountable trail of evidence against the Long Beach Police Department officer and
presented a compelling fact-based case of police brutality to a jury of 6 whites and 6 minorities.
The verdict returns against all odds
In spite of the outcry of family and community, on Monday, June 15th, 2009 after 4 hours of deliberation, the
jury ruled in favor of Dominick Scaccia. Scaccia is free to return to the street of Long Beach and is directly
responsible for training new police officers fresh off the academy.
Article - Long Beach 2.0: The Roketi Su'e Story
by Nafanua, Staff Writer
by Nafanua, Staff Writer
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46-Year Old Samoan - Roketi Su'e
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