Seattle Black Man Convicted and Faces Sentencing For Escaping a Lynch Mob; Community Calls For Investigation into SPD Community Policing Model
Will hold an 8:30 a.m. press conference on Thursday, November 13th outside of Seattle Municipal Court on 5th between Cherry & James
Matt E, aka MC Bypolar the Toxic Cherub, will be hosting a press conference outside of the Seattle Municipal Court before he faces sentencing for a false conviction he received on October 23rd for escaping what amounted to a lynch mob.
The community will be holding an interfaith and non-religious gathering outside of the jail with Breakfast 8-9am, Lunch 11:30a-12:30p, and another meetup at 4:30p.
Matt E was found guilty of possession of an unlawful weapon, despite the knife actually being legal. Moreover, Matt E never used the weapon, but drew his legal knife to create space while retreating from an armed and attacking crowd that was pursuing him with intent to injure or even kill him.
This attack, incited by SPD officers Chase and Clay, is being referred to as an attempted lynching because a large group of people was directed to harm or kill Matt E in an extralegal manner. Furthermore, we do believe the attack was racially motivated as Matt E is black, the two officers who incited the attack are both white in a police force with a history of racism, and the crowd was yelling racial slurs at Matt E throughout the incident.
Matt E is a founding member of Seattle Copwatch. The night of the attack, Matt E was copwatching officers Chase and Clay as they were targeting another individual at Westlake Park. The officers responded to Matt E’s presence by calling the attention of a large crowd of street kids who were Westlake Park regulars to Matt E. Officers Chase and Clay notified the group it would be ‘dangerous’ for them to have him around. Subsequently, 20-30 street kids who possessed chains, skateboards and other weapons pursued Matt E all the way into Pacific Place Mall as he backed away using his legal knife to keep his attackers at bay and stay alive.
The mall security video, which can be found at stoplegallynching.wordpress.com, shows officers Chase and Clay rolling Matt E towards the same crowd who pursued him into the mall. Members of the group can be seen hitting and stomping on him while the officers hold him down. In their report, officers Chase and Clay list the attacking persons as “assisting in the arrest†of Matt E.
This attack was both politically and racially motivated. While the officers were targeting Matt E for his copwatching, the mob was heard yelling “GO BACK TO JAIL N***ER!â€
Matt E and the community are demanding an investigation into SPD Officers Chase and Clay and the Community Policing model that these officers discussed in their testimony during Matt E’s trial.
Three friends of Matt E were found to be in contempt of court by Judge Steven Rosen for their reactions following the announcement of a guilty verdict for possession of an unlawful weapon and resisting arrest. Cameron Coale and Chris Schulz were sentenced to the maximum possible—30 days in jail. Holly Johnson was sentenced 8 days.
Members of the community are also asking for an investigation into Judge Steven Rosen to see if he is involved in covering up the crimes committed within SPD’s Community Policing model.
Matt E’s original bail was set at $25,000; but when the community was able to raise that amount to post bail, another charge was added and an additional bail of $25,000 was set. Matt E’s community nonetheless managed to post a bail bond for the added bail.
Please write to Judge Rosen urging leniency with Matt E’s sentencing and/or that Judge Rosen recuse himself from the case. The sentencing hearing will take place at 9am.
For more information, contact: Matt E & Cody Lestelle (310) 613-4319
