By Phillip M. Bailey
Under most of the city’s radar, 17-year-old Lamartez Griffin was brutally stabbed to death by five skinheads at the corner of First and Saint Catherine less than 10 blocks from U of L last summer.
Left on the sidewalk, Griffin stood and fell twice, yelling, “I’m not scared,” before succumbing to his wounds, witness reports say. According to prosecutors, the hunting knife used to kill Griffin was 4 to 6 inches long and pierced all the way to his spine.
My original intentions for this column were different. Initially the focus was to be Griffin’s family, particularly his mother, Mona Flippins.
I still want to write that column, but after the acquittal of what should have been a slam-dunk case for prosecutors, I’m left with much more to say.
Last week — shockingly — an all-white jury found four of the suspects not guilty of murder and at least one, Michael Stone, was downgraded to manslaughter.
My original call to be mindful that groups like the National Alliance, Aryan Nation and other less popular ones are far from toothless unfortunately rings true.
Daniel Levitas, author of “The Terrorist Next Door: The Militia Movement and the Radical Right,” a book about extremist groups, wrote, “Although the movement is smaller and is faced with pretty significant institutional and ideological problems, what remains is in some respects deadlier, more dangerous.”
Still, spineless liberals following the banner of free speech advocated that hate groups were archaic vestiges of history long past. Hypocritical conservatives, who condemned Sister Souljah while weeping on WHAS-AM, were totally silent on Griffin’s murder.
A few black folks -— like U of L Communications professor Vanessa Cunningham, — actually preached that blacks should lovingly embrace anti-black hate groups.
However, not all the fighters are dead or crazy, like Cunningham.
Newly elected NAACP president Raoul Cunningham has demonstrated potential among a nearly empty civil right leadership.
“This case and others concern the NAACP,” said Cunningham, who was elected as president last November.
“We’ve got to look at the entire criminal justice system in Louisville.”
Without a doubt, the strategy poor civil rights organizations with “protest first, nothing later ” mantras need a legal acumen. But potential may not be enough for a politically emasculated black community.
Christopher 2X, spokesperson for Griffin’s family and a relative himself, hopes those with legal expertise and other talents will join efforts in seeking justice for Griffin’s family.
“Based on the discovery the commonwealth has, the family needs expertise from the NAACP or whoever is willing,” said 2X.
2X believes the Griffin murder is worthy of national attention. “We must raise this case to the federal level under hate crime statutes for full indictments,” he said.
But my mind is still on Flippins, who collapsed in the courtroom as the verdicts were read and four of the men who murdered her son were set free.
“We’re living in the injustice world,” Flippins said later. “It wasn’t fair that my son was surrounded by five men and fighting for his life.”
For just her sake alone, justice has to be served.
Phillip M. Bailey is a junior double-majoring in Political Science and Sociology, chair of the U of L SNCC and is a columnist for The Cardinal. E-mail him at: pbailey@louisvillecardinal.com
