Dr. Boyce Watkins on MSNBC: The State of the US Economy

Dr. Boyce Watkins on MSNBC: The State of the US Economy

Tom Joyner Talks to Dr. Boyce Watkins About Black Scholarship

Tom Joyner Talks to Dr. Boyce Watkins About Black Scholarship

Your Black World Exclusive Music Release – Research and Development by Mark A. Holmes

Your Black World Exclusive Music Release – Research and Development by Mark A. Holmes

Dr, Boyce Watkins Discusses Chris Matthews State of The Union Comments

Dr, Boyce Watkins Discusses Chris Matthews Comments on the Takeaway

Heather Talks to Media in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) – A Central High School teacher is back in Baton Rouge after a week-long trial that has changed her life. Heather Ellis pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and disturbing the peace after being accused of cutting a Walmart line in Kennett, Missouri in 2007.

Ellis was offered a plea deal years ago but refused to admit guilt. She said she wanted the truth to come out in trial. One woman testified she cut in front of Ellis in the store and accidentally nudged her, but the biology teacher admits she too was at fault.

Heather Ellis said she was brought to her knees during the trial, which could have ended with her spending 15 years behind bars.

"I went to the bathroom and I got on my knees and I started to cry," she said. "At that point, it was a split second decision. Do I want to stand or am I going to risk going to jail for all of these years with a conviction on my record?"

To understand her breaking point, you have to go back three years. A disruption at the checkout counter led to years of worry and turmoil for Ellis. She was charged with assaulting two police officers, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.

Her quest for justice led to many marches, protests and sleepless nights. Even though race was not a part of Ellis’ defense during the trial, the overtones were obvious. Her family was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan. Plus, there were cries of racial injustice in the town of Kennett itself.

 

Click to read.

Heather’s case discussed on MSNBC

Dr. Boyce and Richelle Carey Discuss Heather on CNN

Heather Ellis Finally Speaks: Listen to her Side of the Story

Here is an interview that Heather Ellis did for AOL Black Voices – it appears that her side of the story is very different from the prosecution and she may have reason to sue the police department.

CNN Video on the Heather Ellis Plea Deal

Here is more CNN coverage, including final statements from Heather Ellis.

Heather’s First Statement Since the Trial

"I didn’t break the line, she actually broke in front of us.  We also found out that I was shoved first and that I didn’t yell or curse.  I was speaking in a loud tone  as I do always.   And i still think that it’s important that my story got out and that people understood the truth and heard it.  If I would have signed a plea bargain or anything before, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to let the world know now and let the jurors know what actually happened."

Dr. Boyce: Yes, Heather Took the Plea, but I’ve Still Got Questions

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Black Planet 

I have been actively involved in the fight for Heather Ellis, the 24-year old school teacher now facing up to 15-years in prison for cutting line at a local Wal-Mart.  Although Heather has now reached a plea deal with prosecutors over her arrest, there are still questions that need to be answered.  No, she was not charged with cutting in line, but it was the cashier’s reaction to the alleged line cut which led to the relevant sequence of events.  Had the cashier been more professional and not refused to serve Heather, none of this would have happened (You hear that Walmart? Perhaps that’s why your attorneys are telling you to remain silent).

I have five simple questions about the trial of Heather Ellis:

1) If “no one was seriously injured,” why was she facing up to 15-years in prison?

In the opening statements of the trial, the prosecutor in the case, Morley Swingle (the dandy fellow with the Confederate flag on the cover of his book) stated that “There was no serious injury, but it did hurt,” when referring to the alleged assaults committed by Ms. Ellis.  If no one was seriously injured, does that constitute a Class-C felony?  This statement was quite telling when it comes to understanding the style of justice being administered in the Southeast Missouri area (which is why we are sending our reports to the Justice Department after the trial is over).  Given that Ellis appears to have been the only person to go to the hospital after she allegedly beat down all of these great big men, it would seem to me that perhaps she might be the one who is able to file an assault charge against the officers.  Additionally, the defense attorney on the case, Scott Rosenblum, presented evidence in court of there being blood in Heather Ellis’ jacket pocket from the night of the incident.  This would be consistent with her claim to the doctor the next day that she was assaulted by the police.

Click to read.

Heather Ellis Takes the Plea Deal

Heather Ellis, now a schoolteacher, was a student in 2007 when the Wal-Mart incident occurred.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: Ellis’ permanent record will be cleared if she stays out of trouble for a year
• Heather Ellis agrees to probation, anger-management class
• Plea deal reached as jury deliberated
• Ellis testifies on her own behalf in racially charged case

Kennett, Missouri (CNN) — A woman accused of cutting in line at a Wal-Mart, shoving merchandise and assaulting police officers will plead guilty to disturbing the peace and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors.

Under the agreement — reached after the jury received the case for deliberations — Heather Ellis will plead guilty to disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. She will serve a year of unsupervised probation, attend an anger management course and serve four days in jail before the end of the year.

The sentence stipulates that if Ellis stays out of trouble for a year, the charges will be sealed and the arrest won’t be on her permanent record.

Ellis said after court was adjourned that she was "taking responsibility for her actions and [hopes] that everyone else involved in the case will take responsibility for theirs."

Click to read.

Heather Claims She was Assaulted – There was blood in her Jacket Pocket

KENNETT, Mo. (AP) — Closing arguments ended Friday and a jury took up the case of a black school teacher charged with assaulting white police officers, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace at a Southeast Missouri store.

A jury of 10 white women, one black woman and one black man began deliberating Heather Ellis’ case late Friday. One of the last to testify in the three-day trial, Ellis maintained Friday that white police officers had attacked and abused her.

Prosecutors said Ellis, a Louisiana school teacher, cut in line at the Kennett Walmart in January 2007, then became belligerent and attacked officers called in to quell the scuffle. The 24-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison if she is convicted of the felony charges against her.

The racial overtones of the case have drawn national interest. Prosecutor Morley Swingle said Friday the defense was trying to portray Kennett as "some racist Hooterville."

The customer who accused Ellis of pushing in line, the assistant store manager and arresting officers are all white.

Police said Ellis used obscene language and kicked and bit officers as they led her out of the store.

In nearly two hours of testimony, Ellis denied cursing or attacking anyone. Instead, she said, it was police who assaulted her in the parking lot after she was led outside.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Releases Statement about the Heather Ellis Surveillance Video

When I received a private copy of the video two weeks ago, I wanted the world to see what I was seeing. There is nothing on this tape that argues that this woman committed any felonies, and Prosecutor Stephen Sokoloff was bluffing when he stated that the video would prove his case. The prosecutor’s focus on Heather allegedly ‘behaving badly’ has nothing to do with the felonious accusations being thrust upon her. The truth of the matter is that there may have been some collusion on the part of Wal-Mart employees and the police, and this has led to Heather’s life being derailed unnecessarily.

It is my greatest hope that Heather will be exonerated and I congratulate her for standing up for what is right. I also ask that the Missouri state Attorney General and the United States Justice Department do an investigation into the entire Southeast Missouri justice system, since defendants are being railroaded by aggressive police officers and unjust prosecutors. The data tell us that Heather’s case is just the beginning of larger problems in this area, which is a threat to American citizens everywhere.

Viewership of Heather’s Blog is Growing Each week

The Your Black World Coalition took up the cause of Heather Ellis knowing that she was being ignored by nearly everyone with the exception of Pastor Jessie Bonner from the local NAACP and Pastor Dwight Montgomery from the Memphis chapter of the SCLC.  We stepped in to support their efforts with a national campaign that pushed the issue to CNN, NBC, AOL, the Associated Press and nearly every other national media outlet in America. 

Finally, the world is starting to take notice.  The Rev. Al Sharpton has mentioned on the air that he would like to join Dr. Boyce Watkins if he chooses to make another trip to the Missouri area, Stephen Sokoloff has recused himself from the case, and America is now debating the merits of the justice system when it comes to their treatment of African Americans. 

We want to thank those of you who are supporting Heather and encourage you to tell your friends about the case.  When it comes to saving our children, it takes a village to make things right.

Essence Magazine Weighs in on Heather’s Case

Heather Ellis, the 24-year-old schoolteacher charged with assaulting police officers, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace after allegedly cutting in line at a Walmart in Kenneth, Missouri, is currently on trial and claims that she was a victim of racism.

Police officers and some onlookers have a completely different story, saying that Ellis was out of control that night in 2007. Either way, Ellis, who refused a plea back in 2007 and who now is engaged to a state trooper, could get 15 years in jail for the incident.

Walmart has just released the video tape of Ellis at the checkout counter.  There’s also footage of her with police in the parking lot.  Take a look and tell us what you think.

Continue reading "Walmart Line-Cutter Claims Racism The Reason" »

Heather’s Attorney is Ripping Witnesses Apart

It appears that Heather’s attorney, Scott Rosenblum, actually knows what he’s doing – the trial is getting interesting.

Heather Ellis Walmart Video Released on CNN

Does anyone see a smoking gun in this video?

Heather in the St. Louis Dispatch – 11/19/09

Heather Ellis, left, arm-in-arm with her mother, Hester Ellis, exits the Stoddard County Justice Center in Bloomfield, Mo. on November 4, following a pre-trial hearing. (File photo/AP)

By Heather Ratcliffe

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

11/19/2009

KENNETT, Mo. —Police say Heather Ellis threw a fit, hitting and kicking officers who asked her to leave a Walmart here one night almost three years ago.
She says she was the real victim, and has risked prison and possibly her chances for medical school by rejecting a plea deal and taking her felony case to trial.
While the evidence is about her conduct, activists insist the elephant in the courtroom is her race. That claim has drawn national attention to this economically struggling town at the bottom of Missouri’s Bootheel.
Officially, the defense has been mum about it. Scott Rosenblum, who took over her representation several weeks ago, is one of the highest-profile lawyers in the St. Louis region. He insists he has told his client not to talk, and he has mostly followed his own advice.

Click to read.

Surveillance Video Released – 11/19/09

Surveillance video shown to jurors, show Heather Ellis knocking off a customer’s merchandise off the aisle in a Kennett Wal-Mart.

The Heather Ellis Trial entered day 2, with surveillance video being shown to jurors by both attorneys. Each has said the video will show the jurors their side of the story.

Prosecutor Morley Swingle says the video proves his point that Ellis “went ballistic” and went on a “profane tirade.” The video shows Ellis pushing another customers merchandise into the floor.

Defense attorney Scott Rosenbloom says the video simply shows Ellis joining in line with her cousin, and no where does it show Ellis assaulting police. Another video shows Ellis being escorted from Wal-Mart by police.

 

Click to read.

Transcripts from the Trial – 11/19/09

The first day of the State of Missouri vs. Heather Ellis trial was held on Wednesday.

Events taking place on the first day included a jury being selected, opening statements from the prosecutor Morley Swingle of Cape Girardeau County, and the defense, represented by attorneys Scott Rosenblum and T.J. Hunsaker of St. Louis and two testimonies from individuals involved in the case.

The day began with the selection of the 12-person jury and two alternates that would have the task of observing the evidence and hearing testimonies to eventually decide a verdict on the trial.

The group contacted for jury duty included 107 individuals from Dunklin County who were first introduced to the court’s employees and informed that Ellis had plead not guilty to the crimes of which she had been accused.

A recent motion from the defense was made on Ellis behalf for a change of venue and to drop all charges against the defendant, but the presiding judge, Joe Satterfield, denied the motions.

Potential jurors were informed to answer all questions presented by the prosecution and defense which would lead to the decision of the final 12 individuals on the jury and two alternates.

 

Click to read.

International Press Covers Heather Ellis Case

KENNETT, Mo., Nov. 19 (UPI) — The trial of a young African-American woman accused of disturbing the peace at a Missouri Wal-Mart is indicative of racial bias, civil rights activists said.

Officials with the American Civil LibertiesUnion and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference allege racial bias in Kennett, Mo., played a role in the Dunklin County Circuit Court case of 24-year-old Heather Ellis, CNN reported Thursday.

Ellis is accused of acting belligerent at a local Wal-Mart in January 2007, allegedly moving another customer’s merchandise before attacking police officers.

 

click to read.

MSNBC: Jury Selected for Heather’s Trial: Verdict May Come Along Soon

• 
• Related News from MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

Heather Ellis case one in a long line of Missouri’s racial injustices

Wal-Mart arrest leads to charges of racism

Where is the outrage and action for Heather Ellis?

Trial for the woman at the center of a controversy that started when she allegedly cut in line at a Missouri Wal-Mart began with jury selection Wednesday.

The day began at 9:00 a.m.

Heather Ellis looked on as both prosecution and defense attorneys began questioning 107 potential jurors, the people who could ultimately decide Ellis’ fate.

Ellis, a college student with plans to go to medical school, got into an argument over a place in line at Wal-Mart three years ago.

Click to read.

More Heather Ellis on CNN – 11/19/09

Heather Ellis, now a 24-year-old schoolteacher, is on trial on felony charges this week in Dunklin County, Missouri.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Heather Ellis accused of assaulting police, resisting arrest at Wal-Mart
• Ellis faces up to 15 years in prison; case divides Missouri town along racial lines
• Ellis alleges police roughed her up, told her to "go back to the ghetto"
• Witnesses and police say Ellis belligerent to customers in checkout line, officers

Kennett, Missouri (CNN) — This much isn’t in dispute: Heather Ellis cut in line at a Wal-Mart nearly three years ago.

But the accounts of what happened next vary, depending on whom you ask — and has divided this economically struggling Missouri town of 11,000 along racial lines.

Ellis, then a college student with no criminal history, said some white patrons shoved and hurled racial slurs at her when she switched checkout lines at Wal-Mart in January 2007.

Store employees refused to give her back her change and called police, she said.

And when she was taken outside to the parking lot, an officer allegedly told her to "Go back to the ghetto." Another roughed her up, she said.

Witnesses and police offer a different take: Ellis was belligerent, shoving merchandise belonging to another customer to make way for hers on the conveyor belt, kicking one officer in the shin and splitting another’s lip.

A Dunklin County Circuit Court jury heard from the prosecution and defense as Ellis’ felony trial got under way Wednesday.

Click to read.

Heather Ellis on Anderson Cooper 360

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Heather Ellis is facing 15-years in prison for allegedly cutting line at a Wal-Mart store in Missouri.

Dr. Boyce Watkins
Special to AC360°

Heather Ellis is in trouble. The 24-year old preacher’s daughter has spent most of her life doing the right things: Going to college, getting ready for medical school and staying out of trouble. What Heather didn’t realize is that even when you do the right things, your margin of error as a person of color in America is virtually non-existent.

When I wrote my book, “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” the key point was that America’s justice system has a difficult time understanding that punishments must match the magnitude of the crime that has allegedly been committed. The actions that a “frat boy” can get away with 20 times during college can send an African American to prison for the next 20-years. America is a country that has, without question, consistently over-charged, over-searched, over-incarcerated and over-sentenced African Americans for the past 400 years of its existence.

Given its ugly past, the criminal justice system has very little credibility, and even police reports are subject to being questioned – especially in a town like Kennett, MO. My father’s a cop, so I know how all this works. Even when black men were lynched 100 years ago, there were always “witnesses” and police reports to say that he was a bad person. Fortunately, lynching does not occur anymore (although a black boy – Walter Currie Jr. – was burned alive by his white classmate in the same area as Heather), but the noose has been replaced with the long prison sentence as the most typical and most devastating form of punishment. As a result, black men and women are filling up America’s penitentiaries at an alarming rate, and it is destroying the core of the black family.

Click to read.

Heather Ellis on CNN Twice – 11/18/09

 

Tonight at 7:30 pm, Dr. Boyce Watkins will discuss the Heather Ellis case on the Jane Valez Mitchell Show.  He will discuss it again on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight at 10 pm EST.

The Nation in an Uproar Over Heather Ellis

Heather Ellis, walking arm-in-arm with her mother, Hester Ellis, could get up to 15 years in prison after an incident at Walmart.

 

ST. LOUIS – Nearly three years after Heather Ellis switched checkout lines at a southeast Missouri store and touched off what she calls a racially charged dispute with white customers and authorities, the young black schoolteacher faces a trial that could send her to prison for 15 years.

Witnesses have told authorities that Ellis cut in front of waiting customers at the Walmart in Kennett on Jan. 6, 2007, shoved merchandise already placed on a conveyor belt out of the way, and became belligerent when confronted, according to court filings.

Ellis maintains she was merely joining her cousin, whose checkout line was moving more quickly. She claimed in a written complaint to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People that she was then pushed by a white customer, hassled by store employees, called racial slurs and physically mistreated by Kennett police officers.

Click to read.

Didn’t See the Rally? This Might Not be the last one

Heather Ellis’ case makes the top story on the Memphis news – the country awaits the verdict of her trial.

More Video Footage from Our Rally in Kennett

Watch video of our rally that was held for Heather in Kennett, MO.

MSNBC: Heather’s Case is Not the Only Missouri Injustice

• Supporters of Heather Ellis gather on the Dunklin County Courthouse steps on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009, in Kennett, Mo. (AP Photo/Daily Dunklin Democrat, Deanna Coronado)
• by Brenda L. Jones – MSNBC’s TheGrio.com

When hundreds of people rallied outside a Wal-Mart in Kennett, Missouri Monday, they did so to protest the treatment by police and local prosecutors of Heather Ellis, the now infamous 24-year-old African-American college student who three years ago made a routine trip to that very same Wal-Mart to run some errands and ended up leaving in handcuffs after being accused of cutting a checkout line.

Led by civil rights activist Dr. Boyce Watkins and a coalition of civil rights organizations including the ACLU, the protesters marched to the Dunklin County Courthouse where, beginning today, Ellis, a Kennett native whose father still serves the Church in God in Christ congregation in town, will find herself fighting for her freedom after being charged with multiple felonies that could land her up to 15 years in prison. They were there to decry what Ellis has said was the abhorrent treatment she received from both her fellow shoppers and police. In a complaint she filed with the NAACP, Ellis says she was pushed by a white customer, hassled by store employees and called racial slurs by police who physically mistreated her. The police were called to the scene after Ellis and her cousin got into two separate checkout lines, and after Ellis joined her cousin when one line started moving faster than the other.

Click to read.

Heather Ellis Case Makes the Cover of ABC News Website – 11/18/09

The prospect of spending 15 years in jail was probably the last thing on a Missouri woman’s mind nearly three years ago when she switched checkout lines at a Walmart store.

Heather Ellis, inset, could face up to 15 years in prison after allegedly assaulting police officers who asked her to leave a Walmart store in Missouri when she cut a line to be with her cousin.

(Courtesy Your Black World/Getty Images)

But jail’s a possibility for Heather Ellis, 24, who goes on trial today for charges stemming from a dispute at the Kennett, Mo., Walmart.

Ellis faces charges of disturbing the peace, trespassing, resisting arrest and assaulting police officers after she became"belligerent" when she was asked to leavethe store Jan. 6, 2007, authorities say.

The schoolteacher could face 15 years in prison, if convicted.

But Ellis, who is black, has said that the charges are racially motivated, and that she has been unfairly targeted, which authorities deny.

Click to read.

The Rally Has Taken Place: How it All Went Down

by Dr. Boyce Watkins 

I am sitting in my hotel room in Memphis after the exhausting day I spent marching forHeather Ellis, the 24-year old college student now facing up to 15 years in prison after cutting in line at Walmart. If you were to be picky about it, you could argue that Heather is technically not being charged for cutting in line. But had the Walmart employee not mistreated Heather after accusing her of cutting in line, the entire incident would not have taken place.

When the black folks rolled into Kennett, Missouri for our rally, the entire town stopped, the police showed up in massive force and there were even snipers on the rooftops. I assume the snipers were there for our protection, but after visiting the Lorraine Hotel (where Dr. King was killed) just the day before, I was honestly a wee bit nervous. There were people standing on the side of the road, taking pictures and some holding up flags with swastikas and confederate flags on them. It was very interesting.

I’ve put together some random thoughts about the case, the rally and everything in between. I have to be blunt and honest, since you know that’s how I operate:

1) The fight is not over: Heather’s trial begins Wednesday and I am highly concerned about the outcome. The idea that this young woman’s entire future can be stolen over such a tiny incident is simply unbelievable. The truth is that common sense tells us that this situation should have been squashed long ago, and Kennett, MO is becoming known as the racist town that destroys the lives of young black women.

Click to read more on AOL Black Voices

Listen to Dr. Boyce, Roland Martin and Tom Joyner Discuss Heather Ellis

Given that Tom Joyner’s Show is sponsored by Walmart, this leads to a relatively awkward conversation!

Memphis Benefit Planned for Heather Ellis

Tom Joyner Morning Show Discusses the Heather Ellis Case

On Thursday, November 12, Dr. Boyce spoke with Tom Joyner about The Heather Ellis Case.  Please sign up to save Heather at www.SaveHeatherEllis.com and get involved!

Heather’s New Prosecutor Has a Confederate Flag on the Cover of His Book

Should we be concerned about this?

News: Special Prosecutor Assigned to the Heather Ellis Case

The Dunklin County prosecuting attorney has stepped aside in a criminal case with racial overtones, and Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle has been appointed as special prosecutor.

Swingle has been asked to prosecute Kennett resident Heather Ellis. In an incident at the Kennett Walmart in 2007, Ellis was arrested and charged with two counts of felony assault on a law enforcement officer, a count of misdemeanor peace disturbance and a count of misdemeanor resisting arrest.

A scuffle broke out in a checkout line at the store after she was accused of cutting in line.

Ellis’ attorney filed a motion Nov. 2 requesting Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Sokoloff to recuse himself from the case.

Sokoloff was accused by Ellis’ lawyers of "making extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused."

On Thursday, Judge Joe Satterfield denied the request, saying there was no legal basis for it.

According to the defense motion, Sokoloff replied to a story about the case written by Michael I. Niman of Progressive Populist, a twice-monthly publication.

Click to read.

Stephen Sokoloff Removes Himself from The Heather Ellis Case

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 ~ Updated 1:25 PM

Heather Ellis is shown alongside her mother, Hester Ellis, outside the Justice Center at Bloomfield last month following her pre-trial hearing in a case that has gained national attention. At right is Ellis’ attorney, Timothy Hunsaker from the St. Louis firm of Rosenblum, Schwartz, Rogers and Glass. Also pictured (at left) is an unidentified member of the American Civil Liberties Union.
(Staff photo by Noreen Hyslop)

A motion filed in a Dunklin County courtroom brings a new twist to the case against Heather Ellis, a case that has garnered national media attention.

Ellis, an African-American woman from Kennett, is charged in connection with an incident at the Kennett Walmart in 2007 during which she was arrested and charged with two counts of the Class C felony assault on a law enforcement officer, one count of the Class B misdemeanor peace disturbance and one count of the Class A misdemeanor resisting arrest. Ellis was charged as a result of a scuffle that broke out in a checkout line at the store, following Ellis being accused by associates employed by Walmart of cutting in line.

The motion in question, filed by Ellis’ attorney on November 2, involves Ellis’ legal representation requesting Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Sokoloff to recuse himself from the case.

Click to read.

Sirius/XM Satellite Host Dr. Wilmer Leon Talks about Heather’s Case

Listen as Dr. Wilmer Leon speaks with Elliot Millner and Pastor Nathaniel Ellis about Heather’s trial.

Hip Hop Wired Talks about Heather Ellis and the Rally

» By MICHAEL ICEBLUE HARRIS   Nov 5 2009, 11:31 Am

Dr. Boyce Watkins will be spear heading a rally on November 16th in Kennett, Missouri in support of Heather Ellis. Ellis, a young college student is facing up to 15 years in prison after an altercation at a local Walmart that started from cutting the line.

After the dust settled, Heather was arrested and charged with trespassing, disturbing the peace, and two felony counts of assaulting a police officer. These charges have delayed her education and cost her potential employment opportunities.

When Heather refused to sign a plea deal

Media Coverage on the Heather Ellis Trial Continues

CNN is going to interview Dr. Boyce Watkins on Friday, and Fox 5 has jumped on the case.

The Afro Writes about Heather Ellis and Her Ordeal

Heather Ellis will have her day in court Nov. 18 to defend against charges for her allegedly cutting in line at a Missouri Walmart.(Courtesy Photo/Hester Ellis)

UPDATE, Nov. 4, 2009

(November 1, 2009) – On Nov. 18, Heather R. Ellis goes to trial in Dunklin County, Mo., on two felony and two misdemeanor charges. She faces a possible 15-year sentence for charges stemming from her allegedly cutting in line at a Walmart store in her hometown of Kennett.
Among the amazing things about this case is that it has taken almost three years for Heather to get her day in court. "We have been fighting fiercely for a long time," said Hester Ellis, Heather’s mom. "My daughter is telling the truth. She’s innocent. She is ready to tell her story [in court]."
According to Heather’s mom, on Jan. 6, 2007, while Heather was home for winter break from Xavier University of Louisiana, she and her 15-year-old cousin went to Walmart. They each picked a separate line at checkout, agreeing to combine the items for purchase with the first person to reach the cashier.
When her cousin reached the cashier, Heather walked over and handed him the items. Other customers began to say Heather had cut the line, prompting a manager to call the police. Heather made her purchases and left the store, but was arrested on the parking lot.
The Rev. Jesse Bonner, president of the Sikeston Branch of the NAACP and pastor of Divine Second Chance Ministries, said the process of the arrest was brutal. Heather sustained cuts on her arms from the tightness of the handcuffs, he said, and multiple bruises from being forced to the ground. Her mother said they slammed her into a metal door at the police station and the police report notes that she requested and was released to obtain medical attention for her injuries.
The probable cause affidavit portion of the police report signed by arresting Officer A.W. Fisher on Jan. 7 tells the story differently. Fisher states Heather was so out of control he heard her yelling before getting into the store. He said she was cursing at the cashier, store manager and customers and when he approached and asked her to calm down, she turned and cursed at him.

 

Click to read.

Need a Ride from Memphis to support Heather Ellis?

National Journalists Association Covers the Heather Ellis Case

By Pharoh Martin NNPA National Correspondent
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 8:53 AM CST

(NNPA) – Because of a trip to Walmart three years ago, Heather Ellis is now fighting for her life. The 24-year-old former college student is facing felony charges that could get her up to 15 years in prison after being arrested for an incident that stemmed from her cutting a line at a Walmart in Kennet, Missouri.

The case is garnering national attention because of the racial underpinnings and perceived multiple injustices involved. It goes to trial Nov. 18. On November 16, the Your Black World Coalition, NAACP, American Civil Liberties Union, National Action Network, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference plan to converge on the small town of Kennett to protest and heighten the publicity.
Here’s what happened: On Jan. 6, 2007, Ellis and her cousin were sent on a midnight run to Walmart by her parents to pick up some items. With her cousin already standing in line near the register, Ellis tried to join him at the front of the line. That’s when the clerk accused Ellis of cutting in front of other customers.

Customers behind objected and verbally accosted the then 21-year-old, according to Ellis’ father Rev. Nathanial Ellis in an interview with the NNPA News Service. One White customer physically pushed the former college student. Ellis tried to explain that she was joining her cousin who was already in line and told the lady not to push her again. She was subsequently pushed again. The cashier would later refuse to ring Ellis up even after everybody else in line went through.

“The cashier stalled my daughter long enough for the night manager to come up,” Rev. Ellis explained. “My daughter paid with cash but she asked my daughter for an I.D. [Heather] said that she didn’t need an ID because she paid with cash.”

Click to read.

Nationally Syndicated Host Michael Baisden Announces on-air Pledge to Heather Ellis Case

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Just when you thought black celebrities didn’t care anymore, the “Bad Boy of Radio,”Michael Baisden announced today that he is going to give $5,000 to the legal defense fund of the family of Heather Ellis, a 24-year old black female college student who faces 15-years in prison after cutting in line at a Walmart.

Click to read.

Anderson Cooper 360 Discusses the Heather Ellis Case

Heather Ellis’ case was debated on Anderson Cooper 360

XM Satellite Host Has A lot to Say about the Heather Ellis Case

Dr. Wilmer Leon, Howard University, Sirius/XM Satellite

One of the things that make America unique is its Constitution, specifically the Bill of Rights. In its original form, the Constitution did not include a list of basic civil liberties or guarantees to the individual. Many prominent Americans, including Thomas Jefferson insisted that a list of fundamental protections be included to restrain the national government from tampering with the fundamental rights and civil liberties of its citizens. The intent of the framers of the Constitution was to level the playing field. They felt it necessary to restrain the very powerful government, prosecutors, and police from arbitrary and capricious action against the less powerful individual. Over time these protections have been passed down to the state level.

The case of Heather Ellis is a perfect present day example of why individual American citizens need to be protected from over zealous capricious prosecutors and police. For a young woman to be facing up to fifteen years in prison for trespassing, disturbing the peace, and two felony counts of assaulting a police officer, all for allegedly cutting a check-out line at a Wal-Mart is unconscionable.

Click to read.

Anderson Cooper 360 Covers the Heather Ellis Case

Editor’s Note: Watch Randi Kaye’s full report tonight on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pm ET.

Randi Kaye| BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Is it a classic case of “he said, she said,” or is it a brutal case of racism? Whatever it is, it may land a Missouri woman, a preacher’s daughter who has never been in trouble with the law before, in jail.

It all apparently started at a Walmart store in Kennett, Missouri where according to police, customer Heather Ellis had cut in line to pay for her items. What followed is at the heart of a court case that may send Heather Ellis to jail for as many as 15 years!

Let me first say Ms. Ellis has pleaded not guilty. But here’s how police tell it: officers say they were called to the store after Ellis caused a “disturbance” at the cash register by “yelling and cursing.” Officers say when they tried to get her to leave the store, she turned and yelled at them, “I ain’t going nowhere until I get my (expletive) change back” but that even after she got her change, she continued to be “belligerent.” The lead officer says they tried to get her to remain calm and leave in a peaceful manner and told her they’d arrest her if she refused. That is when the lead officer says Ellis “issued a threat to assault” and said if the officer put their hands on her “she was going to beat my (expletive).” Well, it turned ugly according to police, who say she became “combative and began fighting.” The officers say Ellis “continued to fight, yell and curse” and was “completely out of control.” They say she “resisted arrest” and “stiffened her body” when they tried to put her in the police car. Read the full police report here.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins Discusses the Heather Ellis Case

Dr Boyce Watkins discusses the Heather Ellis Case, the rally and plans to find justice for Heather and her family.

News: Rallies Planned for Heather Ellis Case

To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit www.YourBlackWorld.com.

From Dr Boyce Watkins

www.BoyceWatkins.com

To the Your Black World family:

When the children of my assistant Shauntay (Justice and Journi) brought the case of Heather Ellis to me, I was in disbelief.  I was shocked that in 2009, a young college student, with no criminal record, could face 15 years in prison for cutting line at Walmart.  I was even more appalled by the threats from the KKK and allegations by local leaders that the town went as far as blacking out the local news coverage during the minutes that the family held a press conference in support of their daughter.  We sent information about the case to CNN and other media outlets, and they covered it (along with BET, Essence, ABC News and others), but I don’t feel this is enough.  We’ve decided that we aren’t going to take this sitting down, and we hope you won’t either

In honor of Justice and Journi, the two young visionaries who convinced me to take on this issue, we’ve created the “Journey for Justice,” set to take place in Kennett, Missouri on Monday, November 16 at 11 am.  On that day, we are going to meet at the Walmart where the incident took place (1500 1st St., Kennett, MO) and march to the steps of the courthouse(Square 200 Slicer St.).  You can find out more information about the case and rally on the site www.TheHeatherEllisCase.com.  Given that the prosecutor in the case (Stephen Sokoloff) has asked for a change of venue (to Bloomfield, MO – a town with less than 20 black people), some of the details of the rally might change (I have no doubt that they are scheming to make this as difficult as possible).  But I can guarantee you this: On November 16, we are heading down there to fight against the madness occurring in this county, no matter what the cost.

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Media Matters Discusses the Heather Ellis Case

Racial injustice rears its ugly head again, this time in rural Missouri, where heavy-handed prosecutor Stephen Sokoloff is threatening to impose a lengthy prison sentence on a woman after an altercation at a local Wal-Mart almost three years ago.

In January 2007, 20-year-old Heather Ellis, then a student at Xavier University, and her cousin David went to a Wal-Mart in Kennett, Missouri, near the Tennessee border, in an area commonly known as the Missouri Bootheel.  Kennett, in rural and conservative Dunklin County, which boasts that it seceded from the Union during the Civil War, is overwhelmingly white.

At the check-out line, the pair split up in order to find the shortest line.  When Ellis left her line to join her cousin at a shorter line, customers complained and a store employee accused her of cutting, at which point an argument ensued and a manager notified a security guard, an off-duty Kennett Police officer.  The situation escalated from there:

In the Ellis version, she was shoved by another customer, had her items pushed aside by the clerk and then was short-changed when she finally was checked out. The police affidavit contends, at numerous times, Ellis became belligerent, loud, abusive and cursing when she was told to leave by the store’s assistant manager. Summoned by a frantic phone call from her son, as the pair walked out to the parking lot, [Ellis' aunt] Blackmon says she arrived in time to witness her niece being brutalized by police during attempts to place her in a squad car.

[...]

Ellis was charged with disturbing the peace, trespassing, resisting arrest and two counts of assaulting a police officer. Yet, curiously after being described in the police affidavit as "completely out of control" during her arrest, she was released to the custody of her parents to receive medical attention only 45 minutes after being jailed. However, her arrest triggered a whole series of problems. Although she returned to school in Louisiana, two months later, an attorney hired by the family tried to talk Heather into taking a plea deal offered by powerful Dunklin County Prosecutor, Stephen Sokoloff.

 

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Contact information for Walmart Executives

If you choose to reach out to the executives at Walmart, the contact information is below.  Feel free to use one of the form letters provided.

Here is the link for the contact information.

A form letter you can use to write to Walmart Executives in the Heather Ellis Case

Here is a form letter you can use to contact Walmart executives (their contact information is here).  Please email, mail or fax the letter and also follow up with a phone call.  We need to get their attention on this case.

To whom it may concern:

I am writing to you as a customer of Walmart and a concerned citizen.  Heather Ellis, the daughter of a Baptist Minister, was accused of cutting line in the Walmart store in Kennett, MO.  This led to police being called, with Heather being charged with disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer.  As a result, this college student with no criminal record now faces 15 years in prison if she is convicted.

Heather has  no history of deviant behavior, and the evidence seems to show that she was the only one hurt in the altercation with the police officers (which was minimal).  We feel that these charges are unjust and would like your help in saving the future of this young lady.

We are part of a nation-wide campaign by the Your Black World Coalition to seek justice for Heather Ellis.  We’re asking that you use your influence to persuade the Dunklin County courts to be lenient on Heather and to allow her to pursue her educational objectives.  Whether she was cutting in line or not, this hardly warrants two felony counts and 15 years in prison.

Your support would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

A form letter you can use for Attorney General Chris Koster or Attorney General Eric Holder

Attorney General Eric Holder

Here is the form letter you can use to contact either Attorney General Eric Holder or Attorney General Chris Koster for the State of Missouri.  Koster’s contact information can be found here.  Holder’s information is here.

 

To the Attorney General:

I am writing to request your support in the case of Heather Ellis, a college student with no criminal record who now faces 15 years in prison for allegedly cutting line at a Walmart.  The case has been on CNN and received national attention, because it represents what might be a pattern of corruption on the part of the Kennett Police Department, as well as the District Attorney’s office.

In nearby Poplar Bluff, 15-year old Walter Currie was set on fire by a classmate, without there being a proper response by law enforcement.  When Heather Ellis’ family fought her charges, they were threatened by the Ku Klux Klan.  After seeing and hearing about all of the peculiar incidents taking place in this part of the nation, it is my greatest  hope that you’ll intervene in this case and bring justice to this town.

As part of the Your Black World Coalition, I am supporting a national campaign to get justice for Heather Ellis.  But I also hope that finding justice for Heather is the beginning of a broader search for fairness within the entire legal system in the Bootheel area.  The community needs your support.

 

Sincerely,

Heather Ellis Case Covered on CNN

 

Click here to watch the video, as CNN covers the case of Heather Ellis.

Can Walmart Step in to Help Heather?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins  – From AOL Black Voices 

I mentioned the story before about Heather Ellis, the young woman who was threatened by the KKK after protesting about her arrest that took place in a Walmart store. The story was quite interesting in that Ellis now faces 15 years in prison for effectively cutting line at a Walmart. The unfortunate events occurred when Ellis was shopping with a cousin in Kennett, Missouri.
Heather and her cousin went to separate lines and when her cousin found the shorter line, Heather joined him. Ellis was then accused of cutting line by the person checking out customers, which led to an altercation. When Ellis was asked to leave the store, she argued with the managers, which led to the police being called. Ellis was eventually charged with disturbing the peace, resisting arrest and two counts of assaulting a police officer.
Ellis, a college student on her way to medical school, argues that the charges were not appropriate, particularly since she doesn’t have a history of this kind of behavior. She now faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Ellis has publicly protested the DA’s decision to push the case forward, which has led to her receiving threats from the Ku Klux Klan. The African American community is working to help Heather now, as a website has been set up for an online protest and petition fighting to support Heather’s case.

Click to read.

Walter Currie Lives Near Heather Ellis – Set on Fire by a White Kid

To give you a picture of the location in which Heather Ellis fights for her freedom, meet Walter Currie, a 15-year old in nearby Poplar Bluff, who was set on fire by his classmates with the attacker allegedly yelling the words “Burn nigger burn” while he did it – visit SaveHeatherEllis.com.

The Latest on the Heather Ellis Case – 10/25/09

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Heather Ellis is a college student facing15 years in prison for cutting line at Walmart – visit www.SaveHeatherEllis.com for more details on the national protest to be held in Kennett, MO on November 14.

TheRoot.com Gives Notice on Heather Ellis Case

The Buzz was cruising the web when this bit of outrageousness came floating by on the Twitternets. From News Release Now

Kennett, MO. – Heather Ellis, a young college student out of Kennett, MO is now facing 15 years in prison if she is sentenced after being accused of cutting line at a local Walmart. Her case has gotten the attention of the nation, and has been the subject of extensive online protests.

Heather was in a Walmart store 3 years ago with her cousin. The two split up to find the shortest line. Since her cousin was in the shorter line, Heather joined him. That’s when the clerk accused Heather of cutting in front of the other customers. An argument ensued, leading to the manager and security guard being called, and finally the police.

The incident left Ellis, an honor student on her way to medical school, charged with disturbing the peace, trespassing and two counts of assaulting a police officer. After Heather refused to sign a plea agreement, Stephen Sokoloff, the town’s prosecutor, filed felony charges against Heather.

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Essence Magazine Writes about the Heather Ellis Case

Heather Ellis, a college honors student in Missouri, is facing 15 years in prison for allegedly cutting the line at a Walmart. We’ve all been in the supermarket, our favorite retailer and even the bank, and watched people wiggle past us to be served first. Amazingly, in 2009, we’re getting arrested, charged and maligned for cutting?

The case started nearly three years after a Kennett, Missouri-based Walmart employee made the accusation. Ellis and her cousin were searching for the shortest line, so they split up. When her cousin found the shorter line, she joined him. That’s when things went awry. A manager and security guard got involved and ultimately, the police were called.

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Heather Ellis’ Case Reminds Us of the problems in the Justice System

• by Dr. Boyce Watkins, MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

After a peculiar incident nearly three years ago, Heather Ellis is on the verge of becoming another African-American statistic in the criminal justice system. The confusion is over a trip to Wal-Mart and a simple misunderstanding. Heather’s story is a bit shocking and reflective of broader issues in our society.

Heather was shopping at a Wal-Mart in Kennett, MO with her cousin. The two were searching for the shortest line, so they split up. When Heather’s cousin found the shorter line, she joined him. That’s when things got strange.

Heather was accused by a Wal-Mart employee of cutting the line, and an argument ensued. This led to the manager and security guard being called, and ultimately police intervention. Somehow Heather, an honors student who has only gotten two traffic tickets her entire life, ended up being charged with disturbing the peace, trespassing and two counts of assaulting a police officer.

After Heather rejected his plea deal, prosecutor Stephen Sokoloff became set on pushing for a felony trial against her next month. The young college student faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, in spite of the fact that she has a clean criminal record and a good reputation in the community.

Her family believes that the plea deal (a small misdemeanor count) was offered to keep them from suing the police department for arresting her without just cause or for police brutality. (Her father says that Heather’s knees and head were severely hurt from being slammed by the police officers.) With the pending felonies on her record, Heather is having a difficult time finding work and was not able to get into medical school. She has been scouring the country trying to bring attention to her situation, and says she didn’t take the plea deal because she did nothing wrong.

Click to read.