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Cops: ‘Are You Aware Your Daughter Is With Two Black Men?’
by DAVID BADASH on DECEMBER 4, 2013
The question, “Are you aware your daughter is with two black men?” certainly sounds racist. To the mother of a 13-year old dancer, the answer was “Yes,” probably coupled with appropriate anger and indignation.
Houston police officers found Landry Thompson, an Oklahoma teen, asleep in the back seat of her dance instructor’s car, parked at a Texas gas station. Thompson, who is white and blonde, was in the legal custody of Emmanuel Hurd, a Black man, 29 years old, and her dance partner, also Black, 22-year-old Josiah Kelly. The trio was trying to find their hotel after a long trip and a long dance session.
As The New Civil Rights Movement reported yesterday, Destiny Thompson, Landry’s mother, had not only given her daughter permission to travel to Texas to train with other dancers, but had given Hurd a signed and notarized letter authorizing him to be her guardian for the trip, her original birth certificate, several phone numbers, and her blessing.
But Houston cops didn’t care about any of that.
Their first instinct was to pull all three — Landry Thompson, Emmanuel Hurd, and Josiah Kelly out of the parked car — and handcuff the 13-year old, and her 29-year old guardian. Thompson said she was “terrified.” On top of the questionable detention, the cops handed Thompson over to Child Protective Services (CPS). Thompson was held for six hours before police allowed her to be released.
Even after calling Destiny Thompson, and asking the very ugly question, “Are you aware your daughter is with two black men?,” the cops refused to believe the answer they received.
“When I said ‘Yes, I’m aware of that,’ he called into questioning our parenting,” Destiny Thompson told KHOU.
In a statement, HPD said, “Given the age discrepancies…and the child had no relatives in the area, officers in an abundance of caution, did their utmost to ensure her safety” and sent her to CPS.
The Thompsons, Hurd and Kelly believe this is a case of racial profiling. They understand why HPD questioned them, but are upset they were not released after seeing all the paperwork, speaking to Landry’s parents and reportedly getting a call from police in Oklahoma.
KHOU asked Hurd, “Do you think it would have been different if she had been Black or you had been white?”
“Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent absolutely,” Hurd replied.
by DAVID BADASH on DECEMBER 4, 2013
The question, “Are you aware your daughter is with two black men?” certainly sounds racist. To the mother of a 13-year old dancer, the answer was “Yes,” probably coupled with appropriate anger and indignation.
Houston police officers found Landry Thompson, an Oklahoma teen, asleep in the back seat of her dance instructor’s car, parked at a Texas gas station. Thompson, who is white and blonde, was in the legal custody of Emmanuel Hurd, a Black man, 29 years old, and her dance partner, also Black, 22-year-old Josiah Kelly. The trio was trying to find their hotel after a long trip and a long dance session.
As The New Civil Rights Movement reported yesterday, Destiny Thompson, Landry’s mother, had not only given her daughter permission to travel to Texas to train with other dancers, but had given Hurd a signed and notarized letter authorizing him to be her guardian for the trip, her original birth certificate, several phone numbers, and her blessing.
But Houston cops didn’t care about any of that.
Their first instinct was to pull all three — Landry Thompson, Emmanuel Hurd, and Josiah Kelly out of the parked car — and handcuff the 13-year old, and her 29-year old guardian. Thompson said she was “terrified.” On top of the questionable detention, the cops handed Thompson over to Child Protective Services (CPS). Thompson was held for six hours before police allowed her to be released.
Even after calling Destiny Thompson, and asking the very ugly question, “Are you aware your daughter is with two black men?,” the cops refused to believe the answer they received.
“When I said ‘Yes, I’m aware of that,’ he called into questioning our parenting,” Destiny Thompson told KHOU.
In a statement, HPD said, “Given the age discrepancies…and the child had no relatives in the area, officers in an abundance of caution, did their utmost to ensure her safety” and sent her to CPS.
The Thompsons, Hurd and Kelly believe this is a case of racial profiling. They understand why HPD questioned them, but are upset they were not released after seeing all the paperwork, speaking to Landry’s parents and reportedly getting a call from police in Oklahoma.
KHOU asked Hurd, “Do you think it would have been different if she had been Black or you had been white?”
“Yes. Absolutely. One hundred percent absolutely,” Hurd replied.
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