Sept. 21--An Oakland-based civil rights attorney said Thursday he will ask the U.S. Justice Department to review the Vallejo Police Department's latest fatal officer-involved shooting.
John Burris told a news conference that he is representing Joseph Johnson, 21, and Mario Romero's 3-year-old daughter.
Johnson and Romero, 23, were involved in an officer-involved shooting early Sept. 2 in which Romero was killed and Johnson was wounded. The two were sitting in Romero's car outside his North Vallejo home at about 4:30 a.m..
Police contend that when they approached the car, Romero reached for a gun in his waistband, and that is why he was shot. The gun was later identified as a pellet gun. Family members have strongly denied he had a gun
as well as other claims police have made.
Along with a letter seeking a Justice Department investigation, Burris said he will file a federal civil rights suit against the police department.
"We believe that this issue is a large part of a bigger issue in Vallejo," Burris said. "There's a systematic problem in the department, not just in this one case."
Romero's was the the fifth Vallejo officer-involved shooting death since May 25.
"It is an astronomical number for a city the size of Vallejo," Burris said.
Burris responded, "soon" when asked when he would take the two actions.
Vallejo Police Chief Joseph Kreins said late Thursday afternoon that he will not comment further on the incident, considering that Burris
may initiate litigation against the department.
The attorney's announcement came one day after Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis said he will ask the City Council to call on state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris to conduct an independent investigation of Romero's case.
"The mayor's efforts are good, but it's not enough," Burris said. "More needs to be done.
"My letter is going to request another investigation of the systematic discriminating nature of (Vallejo) law enforcement," he said. "It is not illegal to sit in the car, even if it's at 4 in the morning. I call it racial profiling."
Romero's mother, Cynthia Mitchell, is represented by another Oakland-based attorney George Holland. He also is president of the Oakland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
"What happened to Romero can happen again," Holland said. "Young men in Vallejo are living in fear."
The news conference, held in front of the District Attorney's office in Vallejo, was followed by the latest rally by Romero's family, friends and supporters.
On Wednesday, Davis also requested City Manager Dan Keen:
--Develop a program to buy in-car video cameras and more body cameras for all patrol officers in the field.
--Conduct research to select and implement a decision-based firearms/use of force training simulator system.
--Reaffirm the department's protocol and procedure for communicating with the public and families in incidents concerning loss of life or great bodily injury as a result of violence.
Davis said he hopes the City Council will take up the proposals at its next meeting.
Harris' office told the Times-Herald on Wednesday that it would not comment on whether the attorney general might agree to conduct an independent investigation.
City officials said that investigations by the Vallejo police department and the district attorney's office into the Romero shooting are underway.
Contact staff writer Irma Widjojo at (707)553-6835 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @IrmaVTH.
Copyright 2012 - Times-Herald, Vallejo, Calif.
