WE shall see the real commitment #ShastaCounty leaders have in ending #racism , especially #Anderson #California #Police Chief Michael Johnson as we ask you to reopen the #Murder / Hanging case of Leo Coleman Jr. #JusticeForLeo #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/krOZU9phgo— California Cop Watch (@CalCopWatch) June 9, 2020
*NEW* Justice For Leo Coleman Facebook Page
You can find complete story and all 3 editorials here
*UPDATE* Those Seeking more information on this story can present questions in facebook group setting here as it is a wealth of information and personal accounts of this horrible tragedy
Redding Against Police Brutality
Excerpts from "Strange Fruit Found Hanging From A Shasta County Tree"
"The mutilated body of 31 year-old Leo Coleman, Jr. of Redding, California was found hanging from a tree in the nearby town of Anderson by two teenage boys from the area who reported it to the police on November 24, 1997. The boys apparently told police they had seen the body November 3, 1997 but said nothing then, thinking it was a Halloween dummy.
"If I had known there had never been an autopsy, we would never have had the cremation as quickly. We were promised by the coroner it would be done," the senior Coleman said.
The coroner, Ray D. Bailey, later told Coleman he'd never done an autopsy on a negro.
On November 25, 1997, · Leo Coleman, Sr.' visited· the wooded area where his son's body was located. He reported finding swastikas and other racist Aryan symbols and graffiti carved nearby the tree from which Coleman, Jr. was found hanging. Yet, on December 18, 1997, Leo, Sr. and Ernestine Coleman went with Patricia Sansom, NAACP member and community activist, and attorney Paul· Arons, to the wooded hanging site, only to find all the traces of the swastikas and white power propaganda were gone, having been obscured.
Police reports document that Officer Ochoa received three separate ' reports from three different people on November 24, that Leo Coleman, Jr. was the victim of hanging by adherents of so-called "white pride" elements in the local community. On the day after Leo, Jr.'s death was reported, someone made a drawing of a hanging man and put it on Bobbi Culver, Leo, Jr.''s girlfriend's, front door. ·
The case of Leo Colemarn, Jr., was closed after a two-day, investigation' as police found "no evidence of foul play" although, according to police. reports, three witnesses told police officers that they had seen the victim alive four to seven days after November 3, and one witness claimed· to see Leo, Jr. alive November 19, 1997, and three other witnesses reportedly provided information the victim had been beaten and lynched.
WE shall see the real commitment #ShastaCounty leaders have in ending racism , especially #Shasta #County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett we ask you to reopen the #Murder / Hanging case of Leo Coleman Jr. https://t.co/xLk0AdFkoL #BlackLivesMatter #JusticeForLeo #Redding pic.twitter.com/5FlnYlUKTg— California Cop Watch (@CalCopWatch) June 9, 2020
There are 3 letters to the editor, here is one.
Excerpts from Editorial "She Saw The Body"
"At first, the coroner only wanted to show the face, but his mother wanted to see the whole body.
Just looking at the face, it did not look like "Little Leo." His mother needed· to see a tattoo so she could be sure it was her son. After opening the bag further, there was no foul odor coming from the body although it was said' to have been dead for eight to ten days. The coroner didn't want the bag all the way open. The nose looked like a piece was missing. The skin I color his forehead to his nose was very white, while the rest of his skin was very brown.
"In the penis area [ we saw] fresh looking blood. The penis did not appear connected, .but I did not touch it. The cuts on the wrist looked like fresh cuts. The blood was very red. The body was too firm and his hands so white.
I wondered why his face was so white and his body still so brown? We were told bugs and birds had gotten to the face, because it was uncovered. But the arms were not eaten. They were uncovered, too.
There was no swelling of the body "Little Leo" looked his normal size. His mother bent the fingers. They were [too] easy to bend for her son to have been dead for eight to ten days. The family wanted an open casket service, but were told that it would not be possible.
It was ~ suggested by the coroner that Leo be cremated.
He was."
Faye Williams
If ever a case needed to be reopened...
Billie Holiday-Strange fruit
For More Info
Justice For Leo Coleman
PLEASE SHARE - What's That Strange Fruit Hanging From an "#Anderson Oak Tree? https://t.co/9NitkvZFsC #ShastaCounty #Redding #California @Blackmatterssac #GeorgeFloyd #GeorgeFloydProtests #Police #Sheriff @KRCR7 @ActionNewsNow @BreakingNews_RS @Sacramento #Chico #BLM pic.twitter.com/XigHDx77Lg— Redding Homeless (@ReddingHomeless) June 4, 2020
For More Info
Justice For Leo Coleman
7 comments:
How do you comment on something like this?
Im looking for more info on this case can anyone point me in the right direction? Are his parents still alive?
As a long time Shasta County resident I can tell you the young boys penis was allegedly removed and found in his mouth. Investigating Anderson and then later Redding Police officer Ed Ochoa is still around I believe. A prominent black pastor at the time investigated , found out who did it, and was later scared off by someone more powerful. Many people know much more to this story.
Kyle Melnick Facebook post...
June 6 at 4:55 PM
"EDIT: since this post has been shared so much, Leo Coleman Jr.’s son reached out to me and had this to say: “This news article is about my father. Yes this is a true story. There have been multiple attempts to reopen his case but none have been successful. Both officers who attempted to reopen the case resigned shortly after. My mother told me that the police even forged her statement on when the last time she had seen my father. Thanks to everyone who is sharing this in an attempt to get his story out.”
Two years later Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder were murdered in Happy Valley by two brothers who were involved found to have white supremacy literature at their residence. The brothers were Tyler and Matthew Williams. I’m curious if this wasn’t a suicide could they be linked to this case? They we’re also linked to a Sacramento Synagogue burning along with a beating if a jail guard while in Shasta County.
So sad and so wrong!!! No family should have to go through that ever! I hope not only for the case to be reopened but for the law enforcement involved to be get what they deserve. This man and his family deserve justice. There is really nothing that can equal what has been done to them. Also that is the most disrespectful headline I have ever seen almost makes me think that whoever came up with that was involved or at the very least was laughing in the family's face. Very sad!!!
Here it is three years later, and the Anderson PD Chief Johnson has stated he is actively investigating this crime. Why is there no update on the Anderson PD progress or lack thereof??
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