Our Press – 2022

“Sheriff Rowe was incredibly transparent during his campaign,” said Dawn Blagrove. “He made clear that he intends to address overcrowding in the jail, repair distrust in the Black community, allow real community involvement in policies and issues the Sheriff’s Office has struggled with in the past, and be a partner in creating accountability.”

Elizabeth Simpson stated, “Police departments that operate under best practices prioritize the sanctity of human life over the small chance someone could destroy evidence during a brief pause to permit voluntary entry.”

"I know and understand that people's lives depend on this policy, and will individuals be held accountable for breaking these policies?" Kerwin Pittman asked.

"She's traumatized, you're talking about my child, she does not want to go back to school," Jarrett Jenkins said. Emancipate's Dedan Waciuri assisted the Jenkins family to organize the press conference about a School Resource Officer assaulting a teen girl at school.

“It is imperative that the people demand very strong retribution, and reprimand for officers who have not taken the necessary steps to ensure that someone who is in their custody, in their care, is properly cared for,” Dawn Blagrove added.

“It’s a struggle to try to feed your loved one, to stay in contact with them," Cierra Cobb said.

"There's a growing consensus nationwide that our child welfare system has focused too much on removing children from their homes," Elizabeth Simpson contended.

"Protesters are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees in the newest lawsuit. They are represented by ... Ian Mance of Emancipate N.C."

"What we are about to do is awaken a sleeping giant," Kerwin Pittman said.

"They are terrorizing [B]lack and brown communities and allowing their officers to terrorize [B]lack and brown communities for things that do not impact safety," Dawn Blagrove said.

"I’ve seen a lot of people lose sight of reality and go crazy back there," Kerwin Pittman said.

“States judges are the last line of defense to protect civil rights and personal autonomy,” said Dawn Blagrove, an attorney and executive director of Emancipate NC.

“[It is a way] to uplift and [expose] and to let people know what is really going on inside the system and to just keep people updated on all the things going on and how people are being treated,” Cierra Cobb said.

Civil rights attorney Ian Mance of Emancipate NC noted in an interview that justices are now holding prosecutors to a higher standard.

"Ashlee has needed this surgery for a very long time, and she has suffered without it. Unfortunately, North Carolina incarcerates far too many people in its state prisons and it has not provided adequate resources to take care of all their medical needs,” Elizabeth Simpson said

“It is indisputable that our system is wrought with systemic and institutional racism,” Dawn Blagrove said. “I stand here today calling on the council to honor, acknowledge and pay for the harm that has been caused.”

Ian Mance, Dawn Blagrove and Elizabeth Simpson sent a letter to the City Council on Monday saying they had watched the developments with “a growing sense of alarm."

“Gov. Cooper and Attorney General Stein are actively enabling white domestic terrorism by turning a blind eye to the threat against the life of a Black elected official,” Dawn Blagrove said.

"Much of these attempts are going to be Band-Aids until we truly commit to divesting our safety from law enforcement. At that point, we will really be able to think creatively and freely about ways to create real safe communities," said Dawn Blagrove from Emancipate NC.

“Who knows what could have been if James was on the outside still speaking positivity for a lot of the youth in Greenville, North Carolina that actually looked up to him as a mentor," said Dedan Waiciuri.

“Solitary confinement is not meant, by no means, to rehabilitate you. It is meant to break your spirit," said Kerwin Pittman.

"Justice has been delayed for her too long and denied for this family far too long. It's now time for her to reap what she has sown," said Kerwin Pittman at Emancipate NC

“That is their loved one. That is their mother, brother, sister, daughter, father. They should definitely know what happened," said Cierra Cobb with Emancipate NC.

"Tyrrell County's monument to 'faithful slaves' and slaveholders conveys a racially hostile message, and it has no place at a courthouse expected to administer equal justice under law," said Ian Mance, an attorney at Emancipate NC.

"Master Officer P.W. Coates … lusted for any pretext to murder a mentally unstable man with suicidal ideations." said Dawn Blagrove, the Executive Director for Emancipate NC.

“My brother was not an animal," said Jasiel Nunez Rodriguez, represented by Emancipate NC.

“Why in the world should Raleigh be paying for an officer who chose to abuse the trust that he was given, by killing a man who was in a mental health crisis?” said Dawn Blagrove.

"If nobody is being held to report to this database, then what good are they?" Kerwin Pittman said.

A judge ordered the footage released during a hearing last week in which both the family, represented by Emancipate NC, and the police petitioned for its publication.

“(It) will hopefully ignite, or reignite, the black radical tradition,” Dedan Waciuri said.

"No amount of money can change what I felt that day, no amount of money can bring back the people [who Raleigh police have fatally shot in recent years]," said Nyee'ya Williams, who was represented in settlement talks by Emancipate NC

"We all are organizers," Kerwin Pittman said. "Don't wait for somebody to make the change. You make the change."

“We have a lot of pretend progressives, people who say the right thing, who show up during election time and promise things,” said Dawn Blagrove from Emancipate NC

“These changes are smoke and mirrors. We know they are changes without changes,” said Dawn Blagrove from Emancipate NC.

"We hope District Attorney Waters uses this rebuke of the case presented against Lester as a moment to reflect on his role and responsibility as a district attorney," said Cierra Cobb from Emancipate NC.

"I think they got it backward. They need to be showing officers how to respond to citizens." said Kerwin Pittman.

“Because of the outsized power that law enforcement has to create narratives that make them look least culpable at best, it is even more critical that we are as a community are very skeptical of initial reports from law enforcement,” says Dawn Blagrove of Emancipate NC.

“Instead of buying Tasers to escalate and incite violence on behalf of law enforcement — in situations where very often it’s not needed or warranted — this money could be invested in de-escalation trainings,” Dawn Blagrove said.

Dawn Blagrove, executive director of Emancipate NC, said the use of the taser “was completely unwarranted,” and “completely premature.”

Cierra Cobb, family advocate for Emancipate NC, said they weren’t asking for a pity party, but for a fair jury to look at the evidence and make a fair decision.

"Lester being locked away has caused so much devastation. Lester is innocent ... and Lester is a kind person. He would never commit such a heinous crime." said Doris Lashey at the Emancipate NC press conference.

I’m pretty sure if it was one of their kids, they would push the [body cam videos] to be released,” said Kenya Walton, Emancipate NC client.

“They are scared they are going to die from COVID, due to not being able to keep up with Centers for Disease Control guidelines,” Kerwin Pittman added.