SCHERMERHORN STREET — Re-elected City Councilman Charles Barron is still waiting for his chance to fight charges of disorderly conduct for the Sean Bell protests last year, after another pretrial hearing was scheduled Thursday in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
“The slavery days are over. We’re going to protest when we’re done wrong,” Barron told the Eagle earlier this year. “D.A. [Charles] Hynes should dismiss the charges in the name of justice.”
According to Barron, the last court date was canceled because prosecution was not ready.
Barron (D-East New York, Brownsville) was one of the prominent African-American leaders who led protests in Downtown Brooklyn after the acquittal of the three police officers charged in connection to the Bell shooting that occurred in Queens.
Noting that the protests took place over a year ago, on May 7, 2008, Barron called the charges “absurd.” “We have a right to protest,” Barron said. “[Hynes] should be ashamed of himself.”
A 30-day Adjournment in Contemplation of Dismissal (ACD) was offered by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office to the approximately 40 people in Brooklyn who were charged with disorderly conduct after they sat down in front of the 84th Precinct police station. (The ACD was originally for six months and was later reduced to 30 days.)
But Councilman Barron turned down that offer. Asked whether he thinks the charges will be dropped, Councilman Barron said he didn’t know.
“They probably won’t, because Charles Hynes has got to show the police he will protect them. And he shows Sean Bell’s family he has no real regard for their loved one,” Barron said.
Barron is a former member of the Black Panther Party, having joined the Harlem branch in 1969.
In 1979, Barron joined the National Black United Front. He worked as Chief of Staff to the Rev. Herbert Daughtry, chairperson of the National Black United Front, with whom he led the Sean Bell protests across Brooklyn.
He was elected to the New York City Council in 2001, and re-elected this week.
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© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2009
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