Santa Ana community continues demands for justice despite attacks from police union

Santa Ana, CA – On June 3, nine Community Service Organization Orange County (CSO OC) members and supporters delivered public comments at Santa Ana’s city council meeting to demand justice for Noe Rodriguez. The attendees included two members of Noe Rodriguez’s family, including Erika Armenta, Rodriguez’s wife and mother of his two daughters, and Rodriguez’s sister. Many attending wore shirts designed by Armenta that included portraits of Rodriguez, and all held signs that displayed his killers – Officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra.

First to speak was Rain Mendoza, member of CSO OC, who stated, “Firstly, I wanted to address the Police Officers’ Association letter to the city council regarding our organization’s efforts for police accountability and police transparency. In that letter they called our organization: ‘pro criminal’ and ‘anti-public safety.’ I wanted to say that myself, nor anyone from CSO has ever shot anyone 29 times for holding a toy gun, or groped a minor and then sabotaged our own internal investigation, or commanded a K-9 to attack a 73-year-old man, ultimately killing him, like they did with Miguel Chavez. However, these are all actions committed by the Santa Ana Police Department, so if you wanna talk about anti-public safety, well there ya go!”

Around this time, the angle of the camera facing Mendoza was changed in order not to capture the signs brought by CSO OC members.

Mendoza concluded, “Also, if this is the way that the police department responds to the public pushing for accountability and transparency – with threatening letters – that is extremely concerning. Transparency and accountability are very basic things to expect from people being paid by our tax dollars.”

Next to speak was Erika Armenta, who said in Spanish: “I come once again here to speak of my husband, Noe Rodriguez, who was brutally killed by officers Isaac Ibarra and Luis Casillas on the first of December.”

CSO OC members stood behind Armenta and held a sign demanding that officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra be fired and arrested. The sign displayed both officers’ headshots. In an unprecedented move, the camera pointing at the speakers was turned off.

Armenta continued, “I come once again to demand all of the body camera video and the footage from the patrol cars as well as the police report. My daughters and I are shattered from this loss, and we do not have answers. We demand that the officers are made responsible for their actions! We know that this case is under investigation, but we demand that these officers stop patrolling our streets. Our community is in danger from these officers as they were involved in this murder. Nothing assures us that more officers will not commit the exact same crimes because they have not been made accountable for their actions.”

Armenta concluded, “SAPD is classified as among the hundred worst departments in the state. We need transparency! We need the Police Oversight Commission to function. What are we going to wait for to act, Santa Ana? Are we going to wait until this happens once again in our Hispanic community? We continue in the fight for Noe Rodriguez and with the support of God, all will be well.”

Armenta’s response was followed by a poor English translation done by the city that failed to capture her emotion or many of her main points. The translator’s voice stumbled over the officers’ names.

Next to speak was David Pulido, resident of Ward 5 and member of CSO OC. “First of all, I’m not sure who’s in charge of your cameras, but it’s shameless and disgraceful that you’re not filming the speakers today, including Erika Armenta! You should be ashamed.”

Pulido continued, “In your last city council meeting, all but one member ignored her testimony. The rest of you were silent. Your silence is loud! That is unacceptable.”

The only city council member who offered support to Armenta and Rodriguez’s family was Johnathan Hernandez, who represents Ward 5. In 2021 Hernandez’s cousin, 34-year-old Brandon Lopez, was killed by Anaheim Police Department (APD) in the city of Santa Ana with the cooperation of the Santa Ana Police Department’s (SAPD). Lopez was unarmed and experiencing a mental health crisis when he was chased onto train tracks and pinned by a heavily armored SAPD vehicle. Anaheim police officers shot a flash bang grenade into Lopez’s vehicle and shot him over 22 times, with many of the shots fired once Lopez had already collapsed to the ground. APD claimed that they mistook a water bottle in Lopez’s bag for a gun. Ultimately, Anaheim was forced to pay a $6 million settlement to Lopez’s four children.

Pulido continued, “We are here to demand that the city council and city manager direct the Personnel Board to immediately remove killer cops Santa Ana Police officers Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra from the force without pay. Additionally, we demand that the Personnel Board and the Police Oversight Commission – as soon as it is empowered – investigate both officers for the violation of the police department’s code of ethics, for failing to uphold the department’s procedure in treating people with mental illness, and for the violation of Noe’s civil rights. The family demands that both officers be imprisoned so they do not continue to harm people and kill people in our community.”

Next to speak was Wendy Rodriguez [no relation to Noe Rodriguez], who came to support the family of Noe Rodriguez and CSO OC. She said, “I have been a resident of Santa Ana for 21 years, and today I am going to speak in Spanish because that was the only language that Noe understood.” Rodriguez continued, saying “It is not possible that you continue protecting killer cops like Luis Casillas and Isaac Ibarra, who are supposed to protect the community and not kill us in cold blood. In Santa Ana there is a large community that only speaks Spanish. Is this a crime? So, why did they only give Noe commands in English? Nothing justifies shooting an unarmed person 29 times. They couldn’t give warning shots, or non-lethal shots?”

Rodriguez continued, “How is it possible that these police continue to be free and patrolling our streets as if nothing had happened? While the life of a family and their small girls is destroyed? The answer is simple: those police know that they are protected by the Police Officers’ Association and by the mayor of Santa Ana [Valerie Amezcua].” She ended by reminding people that this is not an uncommon occurrence. “Today it was Noe, but tomorrow it could be any of us or one of your family members. Justice for Noe Rodriguez!”

Last to speak was Emma Gottfried, resident of Ward 4 and member of CSO OC. “We’re here as Orange County to demand justice for Noe Rodriguez. I want every single council member to look at these two officers. You guys seem to be very afraid of our signs and us being here in this presence. So I want every single council member to look at these two officers. These are killer cops! And these cops are on our streets, and that’s not OK.”

Gottfried continued, “The family demands that both officers be imprisoned so that they do not harm anyone again. And beyond just being killer cops, they’re also liars!” She pointed out that the officers lied about the number of shots they fired and added, “Ibarra said that Noe was waving around a shotgun and pointing it in their direction: that’s a complete fabrication! Again, the body camera footage completely contradicts both of these false claims.”

Mayor Valerie Amezcua did not directly address any of the comments. However, during public comment she sneered, rolled her eyes, and even blew her nose for several seconds in vulgar displays of disrespect. She ended the meeting with a 15 minute rant filled with police propaganda, including the mourning of a police officer from Los Angeles. In 2022 Amezcua received $217,850.91 campaign support from the Santa Ana Police Officers’ Association (SAPOA) for a mailer and text message campaign.

CSO OC continues to fight for justice for Noe Rodriguez and for community control of the police. If you are interested in building this fight and winning our demands, reach out to us:

Phone: (714) 367 – 6350

Instagram: cso.oc

Facebook: Orange County CSO

Email: orangecountycso@gmail.com

#SantaAnaCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PoliceBrutality #KillerCops #CSOOC

Source: https://fightbacknews.org/santa-ana-community-continues-demands-for-justice-despite-attacks-from-police?pk_campaign=rss-feed