Hey IPRA! Whats about the execution of Aaron Harrison?

By Evelyn Holmes | http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6708301

Family questions IPRA in 2007 case

March 13, 2009 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- The family of a teenager who was shot and killed by police wants to know why the internal investigation is taking so long.

Eighteen-year-old Aaron Harrison was shot by officers in August of 2007. The medical examiner ruled Harrison died of a gunshot wound to the back.

The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates police-involved shootings, has still not issued a report on the incident.

Harrison's relatives and community leaders are meeting with members of the Independent Police Review Authority to find out why the investigation is taking so long.

"No answer, none, not one answer about how the process of the case is going, how transparent it should be, that we felt it should be," said Ashunda Harris, victim's relative.

Aaron Harrison's aunt arrived Friday morning at police headquarters looking for justice. She along with community leaders want to know why two years have passed without what they call significant movement in the investigation.

Protesters and neighborhood advocates did take to the streets years ago when Aaron Harrison was allegedly shot by police after they said he first fled officers, then pulled a weapon on him. His family says police shot him in the back for no reason.

While a spokesperson for the Independent Police Review Authority says the IPRA remains committed to transparency and the integrity of investigations, some community leaders say this case is an example of justice delayed.

"I think that the system is the same system it was before they created the Independent Police Review Authority. And that needs to be broken. You don't try to fix something with the same system," said Rev. Robin Hood, Clergy Committed to the Community.

The IPRA does not normally meet with families, but they made an exception in this case because of some of the issues involved. That authority so far has about 2,500 open cases on its books. It has concluded or come to the conclusion of results of two of those cases. In both those cases, they found that officers were in compliance with department regulations.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Chicago Police
• Aaron Harrison
• Police Shooting

[stymie662]

This has to stop! We need to get out of this system... It was meant for us to fail.