10 year anniversary of the death of David Viera. 

Be ready to take the streets! 

Five Points Plaza 

July 20th, 2014,  2pm

11980 Valley Blvd.

Jail Killer Cops!

Another police killing sparks protest


By Adrian Garcia


El Monte, Calif.


In a summer that has witnessed police shootings of unarmed Brown men and beatings of subdued Black men caught on videotape, a militant march of several hundred demonstrators made its way through the working-class neighborhood of El Monte, Calif., on Aug. 28 2004. The protesters demanded an immediate end to police brutality in their community and throughout the world.


The demonstration was prompted by the July 20 death of David Viera at the hands of El Monte police. Viera, a young Chicano father of three, was shot to death after police stopped the car he was riding in. Police said Viera and the driver, Raul Moreno, were suspects in a "gang shooting."


Police claim that Viera failed to obey orders to vacate the vehicle and attempted to retrieve something from beneath the passenger seat--possibly a weapon. The police riddled the car with bullets, mortally wounding Viera.


No weapon was recovered. Viera and Moreno were exonerated as suspects in the earlier shooting.


Among the Aug. 28 demonstrators were many family members of people victimized by police brutality.


Norma Martinez spoke about her two-year struggle to bring the Downey, Calif., police to justice for the killing of her son, Gonzalo Martinez, in February 2002. Gon zalo Martinez was shot 34 times with an automatic machine gun after a minor police chase. When he exited the vehicle, police supposedly confused a cigarette he was holding for a weapon. The incident was videotaped and sparked international outrage.


The Friends of David Viera Committee, family members and the Brown Berets organized the march and rally that concluded in Arceo Park in El Monte.


A strong contingent from the Inter national Action Center also took part in the spirited demonstration, prominently displaying placards that read "!Justicia para David! Justice for David!" and a banner reading "Stop police brutality!"


http://www.workers.org/ww/2004/killingla0909.php

To give a bit of the context of the situation that led to the murder of David Viera, we would like to recognize the life of Bryesha Limbrick, a victim of a senseless act of violence:





EL MONTE – Authorities were seeking two people Monday for the fatal shooting of of a 7-year-old girl and the wounding of an 8-year-old girl and her father outside a convenience store.

Bryesha Limbrick, known to her family as Chily, had just stepped outside a 7-Eleven store Sunday evening and was eating an ice-cream cone when she was struck by gunfire, her mother Anna Pulido told KCAL-TV. "She was just coming outta the store eating her ice-cream – and she got shot" Pulido said, breaking into sobs. The bullets also pierced the car of Phu Ho, wounding him and his daughter Ashley, Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Tania Plunkett said. All three victims were taken to a hospital, where Bryesha was pronounced dead. Phu Ho and Ashley Ho were treated and released, Plunkett said.

Authorities were seeking two men in their 20s who had apparently been seen in front of the store shortly before the shooting and fled in a black compact vehicle, Plunkett said. Bryesha's uncle, Gustavo Ramirez, described the attack as family and friends gathered to mourn the little girl with bouncy braids and a wide smile. Ramirez said he went to the store with his niece and a friend to buy candy and something to drink. "I turned back and the guy takes out his rifle and he shoots about 10 rounds," he told KABC-TV. "The first round hit my niece and took her down. You could tell she was dead on the spot."

Ramirez said he knew of no reason for the attack but that his friend may have exchanged words with the shooters.

The shooting shocked residents of El Monte and pushed authorities to launch a manhunt. Authorities held a community meeting Thursday asking for the public's help in finding Bryesha's killer.

ASSOCIATED PRESS 4:43 p.m. July 19, 2004

Life in all its forms should be respected and cherished. The cowardly act of violence that caused the death of Bryesha led to the conviction of Eric Andrew Odell. However, the manhunt led to the wrongful killing of David Viera. There is more to the story than what is told in the newspapers.


In Memory of David Viera on May 20, 2009 at 6:13 pm said:


El Monte Police have been harassing El Monte Residents as far back as I can remember. I first moved to El Monte in 1973, moved out for 7 years and then moved back. I am the sister in law of David Viera. El Monte Police shot him in the back seven times in July 2004. The papers and news made him out to be a gang member when he was not. They made him out to be a violent man and he was not. He was coping in the death of his father and turned to drugs. That was his only crime. EMPD would harass his family including my husband. This happened over many years. One officer told David and one of his other brothers that the Viera men would either end up dead or in prison. Out of eight boys, only one has been incarcerated and one is now deceased. I believe that EMPD covered up the shooting. The outcome was “Justifiable Homicide”. It was never reviewed on why he was opened fire like a shooting range.
http://www.insidesocal.com/sgvcrime/2009/05/18/tuesdays-column-memories-of-el/

For this reason, we call the people to take to the streets!

More info to come…