ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY IN ATLANTA GRAVELY DISAPPOINTED BY COBB COUNTY GRAND JURY DECISION.

Contact: Fasil Cherinet
Phone: 404-325-5675
On the Web: www.surafel.com

The Ethiopian Community Association in Atlanta (ECAA) is gravely disappointed by the Cobb County grand jury’s decision not to indict two police officers who fatally shot Surafel Assaminew, a 30-year-old Electrical Engineering student, on September 16.

ECAA is also very troubled by Cobb County District Attorney Patrick Head’s decision not to offer the Assaminew family the courtesy of being notified of this verdict before it was leaked to the press. Kirubel Assaminew, older brother of Surafel, first became privy to the news after being contacted for comment by members of the press who were personally contacted by the District Attorney’s office.

The decision of the grand jury, which apparently came down sometime on Thursday, came a day after a very successful candlelight vigil organized by the community on Wednesday, December 10 in Marietta. The vigil was covered extensively by several local Atlanta media outlets including the Atlanta Journal Constitution, WAGA FOX News 5, WGCL CBS Channel 46, WSB-TV Channel 2 News, WRFG 89.3 and WALK’s The Chris Askew Show.

"In fact, the decision by the grand jury a day after the successful candle light vigil may not be so coincidental. All indications were, based on specific statements to Surafel's family by the Cobb County District Attorney's office was that the case would NOT be presented to the grand jury until later this month or early in 2004. According to a recent Atlanta-Journal Constitution article, the "county grand jury evaluates all police shootings, and Assaminew's case will be reviewed later this month, said a spokesman for Head. A Cobb grand jury has not indicted a police officer involved in a fatal shooting in at least 25 years. There have been five fatal police shootings in Cobb this year."

"I was shocked to hear the news from a reporter," said Kirubel Assaminew. "And what's worse, we are again left with more questions than answers. Since the grand jury proceedings are secret, we still don’t know what happened exactly."

Said family spokesperson Mr. Abebe Kebede: "Their mother was told of the death of her son in a manner that was less than dignified. Now this. Something is terribly wrong."

The ECAA will launch a fact-finding mission that will intricately chronicle the circumstances that led to the death of Assaminew as well as research past cases of Cobb County police procedures into restraining citizens.

Assaminew, who suffered from Bipolar Disorder was killed by multiple shots to his upper body; one bullet went though his head, two through his heart and two through his side. In a speech at Wednesday’s candlelight vigil, Liz Degoursac, who works in the advocacy and education arm of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) stated, "The question is, why did such a man die pierced by so many bullets?"

ECAA will continue to work closely with the family and with civic organizations that have supported a full and open investigation into this matter. Organizations that have written letters of support on behalf of Assaminew include Amnesty International, CARE, Ethiopian-American Retail Association, American Human Rights Coalition, The Citizen’s League of Ethiopian-Americans and the Coalition of Concerned Africans.

December 5th, 2003

CANDLELIGHT VIGIL TO BE HELD IN MEMORY OF YOUTH FATALLY SHOT BY COBB COUNTY POLICE

Contact: Fasil Cherinet
Phone: 404-325-5675
On the Web: www.surafel.com

The Ethiopian Community Association in Atlanta (ECAA) is organizing a candlelight vigil in memory of Surafel Assaminew, the 30-year-old Electrical Engineering student who was fatally shot by two Cobb County police officers. The vigil will be held in downtown Marietta on Wednesday, December 10, 2003 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 32 Waddell Street between Buildings C and D.

"This time of the year was Surafel’s favorite season," said Kirubel Assaminew, his older brother. "We want him to know that we have not forgotten about him. He was a champion of peace, and it is still hard to believe he left this world under such violent circumstances."

Assaminew was shot five times in broad daylight by two Cobb County police officers on September 16, 2003. He was unarmed except for holding a block of wood. In a recent interview with Creative Loafing, Cpl. Brody Staud of the Cobb County police stated that it was department policy that officers use weapons "one level above what the bad guy's using."

ECAA and the community at large is very disturbed by this statement. "As much as we may try, we cannot understand such skewed reasoning that five bullets to the upper body is considered a fair response to a block of wood," says family spokesperson Mr. Abebe Kebede. The case is being investigated by the Cobb County District Attorney and is about to be presented to the grand jury.

The ECAA had organized a peaceful rally in front of the Georgia State Capitol on November 17, 2003 where approximately 300 people showed up to urge the Governor to ensure an open and thorough investigation into this matter. The family was able to present a petition signed by over 5,400 people supporting an open and fair investigation.

Assaminew was slated to graduate from Southern Polytechnic in December 2003 with a degree in Electronic Engineering despite suffering from Bipolar Disorder. He was also a poet, a writer and an accomplished musician.

November 7th, 2003

ETHIOPIAN COMMUNITY IN ATLANTA URGES FULL INVESTIGATION OF YOUTH FATALLY SHOT BY COBB COUNTY POLICE

Contact: Fasil Cherinet
Phone: 404-325-5675

The Ethiopian Community Association in Atlanta is urging a complete investigation into the death of Surafel Assaminew, a 30-year-old Electrical Engineering student who was slated to graduate from Southern Polytechnic in December 2003. Assaminew was fatally shot by two Cobb County police officers on September 16, 2003 at approximately 10:30 AM, a few blocks away from his Marietta home.

"As law abiding citizens, we are deeply grateful for the protection provided us by our law enforcers," said Mr. Fasil Cherinet, community leader. "They risk their lives to serve and protect us. But we are very disturbed by the excessive force used on this young man. It was broad daylight and he was only carrying a block of wood. It makes no sense." Assaminew’s neighbors who witnessed an altercation between he and his roommate had summoned police to the scene. Assaminew was shot five times. All five shots were administered to his upper body: one to his head, two to his heart and two to his side.

Over 5,000 concerned citizens from the nation and all over the world have endorsed a petition requesting a complete investigation into this matter by the Cobb County District Attorney and other high-ranking Georgia officials. The Ethiopian Community Association will be sending these signatures as well as letters of support from different civic groups and civil rights organizations to these high-ranking Cobb County and Georgia officials. The community is organizing a peaceful rally at the Capitol on Monday, November 17 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The family plans to present Governor Perdue the petition at the rally.

Assaminew, the son of a famous Ethiopian journalist, was also a poet, a writer and a musician. Even though he suffered from Bipolar Disease, he was determined to finish his studies in Electrical Engineering. In a recent interview with a popular on-line magazine, abesha.com, Assaminew was asked what he would change about the world. He said, "Suffering. There is too much suffering going on in this world. People suffer for all kinds of reasons. Some of it [makes] no sense."

"He was the light of his mother’s life," said Mr. Abebe Kebede, spokesman for the family. "But now that Surafel has been so violently killed at the hands of police officers, his mother's dreams for his life have died with him."