Milwaukee County D.A. Chisholm Expected Not To File Charges Against Former Officer Manney

D.A. Chisholm expected to file charges against former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney for Dontre Hamilton's homicide, according to inside sources at the Milwaukee County Court House.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

December 19, 2014

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) released a final total of protesters arrested during several disobedience actions in the City of Milwaukee. The MCSO reported that 73 adults and 1 minor were arrested and cited for disorderly conduct and blocking part of the N-S I-43 freeway with fines totaling at least between $800 to $1,400 each. The MCSO will allow all Milwaukee residents that were arrested during Friday's protest to be released after being booked without requiring bail, according to the Coalition for Justice group who organized the protests.

One of those arrested was Jessie Garza, a reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Garza confirmed that he was handcuffed (plastic cuff straps), bused to the MCJF along with others and was allowed to leave after two to three hours later. Garza was not booked. He was taken into custody at the McKinley/I-43 entrance ramp and did identified himself as a reporter covering the protest, but the arresting officer didn't care.
Friday's rally and protests began in the afternoon at Red Arrow Park where Dontre Hamilton was fatally shot 14 times by former Milwaukee Police Officer Christopher Manney. Then the protesters headed to I-43 and managed to block the North and South bound lanes of the highway. Other people made their way to protest in front of the Milwaukee Police Administration building and the Milwaukee County Justice Facility (MCJF - jail).

Another downtown protest is expected for Saturday. 

Mayor Tom Barrett said, that he was disappointed that the protest organizers and the Hamilton family for allowing people to block highway traffic, endangering freeway drivers and protesters. Barrett and police had agreed to allow the protesters to actively stage peaceful rallies and they had promised to abide by the law. But eventually, they didn't comply or kept their promise. The MCSO and MPD confirmed on Friday that they will continue to arrest protesters, if they block traffic, walk into the freeway system and endanger lives or break any laws.

A fund was created by the protesters to get donations for bail money. So far, as of late Friday less than $2,200 had been donated.

Protesters claim that some of their fellow supporters were arrested while engaging in a peaceful protest on Friday, although Mayor Barrett, MPD and MCSO dispute that claim.

Around 10:15 p.m., some protesters attempted to storm into the MCJF and were stopped by police and sheriff deputies. According to Carolina Soza-González, she posted on Facebook that Jayme Montgomery Baker had been taken into custody when people attempted to storm into the MCJF. Mike Wilder also posted on FB, "they (deputies) snatched the phone from another young lady who caught the best footage and threw it in the garbage ...to incite violence." Police blocked the 700 to 900 blocks of W. State St. and N. 9th St. to prevent any traffic from going through the jail facility.

Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm is expected to announce at any time, if he will press charges against Manney for Hamilton's homicide last April. Hamilton was homeless and suffered from mental disability when he was killed. Chisholm is expected not to charge Manney for Hamilton's death, according to inside sources at the Milwaukee County Court House.

Governor Scott Walker (R) has put the national guard on standby, if it is needed to provide security and to keep the peace after Chisholm announces his decision whether to charge or exonerate former Officer Manney.

Update: On Saturday, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr. in a press conference said, that the mob (protesters) engaged in a mob behavior that involved anarchists, out of towners and agitators who gathered to violated the rights of other people and preventing citizens from using the freeway by blocking parts of I-43. On Friday, 73 people and one minor were arrested, cited and charged with misdemeanors (disorderly conduct and pedestrian on the freeway) and felonies. The adult that took the minor into the freeway to block the flow of traffic was also charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Sheriff Clarke also said, that Milwaukee County D.A. John Chisholm has been "foot dragging" leading to a "destructive effect" in rendering a decision on the Dontre Hamilton case.