A march with a personal connection held in Martin County

A march with a personal connection held in Martin County

In Martin County a peaceful protest was held Sunday in a community that has had its own recent history involving fatal encounters with law enforcement.

THAT HAS HAD ITS OWN RECENTHISTORY INVOLVING FATALENCOUNTERS WITH LAENFORCEMENT."IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL BEINGHERE BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTSLIVED IN THIS SAMECOMMUNITY.") JAMES RICHARDSONFLEW IN FROM OHIO TO BE ININDIANTOWN ON SUNDAY... ACOMMUNITY THAT WAS PART OF HISCHILDHOOD... AND A COMMUNITYHE'S FOREVER CONNECTED TO, FORGOOD AND BAD.

"JUST TO BE HERETO MAKE SURE MY BROTHERSMEMORY IS PRESERVED.") BACK IN2017, JAMES' BROTHER, 46YEAR-OLD JERRY RICHARDSON, WASSHOT AND KILLED BY A MARTINCOUNTY DEPUTY AFTER A LATENIGHT STRUGGLE.

RICHARDSON,WHO WAS SHOT FIVE TIMES, HAD ALONG MACHETE STRAPPED TO HISWRIST.

A GRAND JURY FOUND THEDEPUTY JUSTIFIED IN USINGDEADLY FORCE.

"I WOULD HAVENEVER DREAMED IN A MILLIONYEARS THAT MY BROTHER WOULDHAVE BEEN KILLED AT THE HANDSOF A POLICE OFFICER.") (NATSOUND) SUNDAY, A DIVERSE GROUPMARCHED IN THE BOOKER PARKNEIGHBORHOOD.

AMONG THEMARCHERS, SEVERAL LOCALTEACHERS... WHO HAVE TAUGHTGENERATIONS OF CHILDREN HERE."WITH ALL THE INJUSTICE GOINGON IN THE WORLD, WE NEED TOBRING FOCUS ON IT AND SAY,'THEY DO MATTER'.") THE IDEAFOR THIS BLACK LIVES MATTERMARCH CAME FROM COUNCILMANANTHONY DOWLING.

"I'VE BEENVERY IMPRESSED AND HAPPY TOSEE THAT THE WORLD IS STANDINGUP AGAINST INJUSTICE.")DESPITE THE HEAVY EMOTIONS,JAMES RICHARDSON SAYS THISWON'T BE THE LAST TIME HERETURNS TO SOUTH FLORIDA."THIS COMMUNITY IS UNITED ANDTHEY'RE ALSO LOOKING FORCHANGE JUST LIKE ALL OF USARE.")RICHARDSON SAYS HE TOLDVILLAGE LEADERS ANYTIMETHERE'S A DEMONSTRATIONFOCUSING ON EQUALITY... HESAID HE'LL MAKE THE TRIP TOTAKE PAR