Many words, no news, or apology for police shooting

At midday on Wednesday, San Francisco Police Chief Greg Suhr posed with his departmental racial window dressing while answering most questions about the police killing of Luis Gongoro with a mumbled "I don't know..." The 45-dear old dead man was represented by his picture.

Community members were not appeased. In view of the short notice and difficult hour of the meeting, it is surprising that much of anyone turned up. Local District Supervisor (councilmember equivalent) David Campos pointed out that the cops had not even bothered to notify his office of the event.

Adriana Camarena from the Justice4AlexNieto coalition asked a series of pointed questions, most of which Suhr had no answer for.

Fr. Richard Smith of the Justice4AmilcarPerezLopez coalition repeated the implausible stories the police have told about that killing, most disproved by the autopsy showing the young Guatemalan died from six shots in the back. "How can we believe you on this case?"

John Crew, long affiliated with the ACLU's Police Practices Project, pointed out that policies supposed to curb unjustified use of force by officers had long since been adopted -- but somehow these shootings keep happening.

How many more will have to die before San Franciscans throw out these police thugs and the politicians who command and enable them?