On Jan. 1, undercover New Orleans police officers shot and killed Adolph Grimes III in what Police Superintendent Warren Riley has described as a “gun battle.”
The details of the incident remain murky, as there have been various claims surrounding the fatal incident of that night, but what is known is that Grimes, 22, fired upon an unmarked police vehicle from the first district’s narcotics unit during an apparent sting. Grimes then attempted to exit his vehicle, gun in hand, but was quickly subdued by the undercover officers. Of the nine officers on the scene, seven fired at Grimes, who was struck 14 times, with 12 of the wounds in his lower back and legs.
After the incident, the “Grimes Nine” were prudently reassigned to desk duty pending an internal NOPD and potential FBI investigation. However, before the NOPD itself or a third part has confirmed any account of the incident, some are already accusing the nine of being nothing short of murderers. While this sort of reaction may be expected from the family and friends of the deceased, the public condemnation based on little actual evidence of police wrongdoing has been astonishing.
In a Jan. 9 letter to the Times-Picayune, Dr. Martha K. Huggins of Tulane University’s sociology department described the “execution” of Grimes to be likely associated to his minority status, even though the race of the officers in question is still unknown. She also scoffed at the notion that the officers were involved in an actual shootout, as Grimes hit none of the officers.
It is astounding that this highly educated academic can make such brash statements about the incident without a shred of evidence to back up her claim. She asserts that Grimes was fatally shot after police fire immobilized him as if she witnessed the incident or had seen some authoritative report to back up her claim. Obviously, she has not.
Further, it is nothing short of despicable to claim that the officers were not in serious danger despite their numbers; it is unknown if Grimes fired his weapon at the police more than once. Who is Huggins, a person who faces absolutely no danger in her day-to-day professional life, to say that there was no shootout when Grimes and the police clearly traded shots?
Ultimately, an investigation may very well find that the officers acted completely inappropriately. If so, they will be forced to pay for their crimes. But is it too much to ask that we, the public, wait for evidence to make judgment? I am certainly not calling for unwavering loyalty to the police, because a police department with no accountability is a legitimate danger to any community.
But for people to go as far as calling the Grimes Nine bigoted executioners before they have proof is irresponsible at best. In this country, it is innocent until proven guilty for all citizens. People like Huggins should save their righteous indignation for something they back up with fact.
