Photo Diana K. Arreola
Vol. 44 No. 8
Published by Acción Latina
Abril 24–Mayo 7, 2014
Laura Waxmann El Tecolote
T
he past four weeks have perhaps been the hardest times that many of Alejandro Nieto’s close family and friends will have to experience in their lives. The shocking news of the 28-year-old man’s death at the hands of San Francisco police officers, the storm of media coverage and confusion that followed, as well as the accusations and lack of information revealed by those responsible, have led many community members to denounce police brutality and injustices in the legal system. On April 21, a group consisting of those who knew Nieto and many who didn’t, participated in the first of what they said will be monthly memorial gatherings to “demand justice.” Burritos in hand, they trekked from Precita Park up to the west side of Bernal Hill, where the young man was gunned down just a month earlier—Nieto is said to have been eating a burrito at this spot before being shot at least 10 times by San Francisco Police officers on the evening of March 21. “How many people who were born and raised in the Mission or in Bernal, had one of their very first kisses on this hill? This place was traditionally called ‘Lover’s Lane.” This is what they called it, because everybody came out here to have their first romance,” said Adriana Camarena, a law consultant and literary writer. “Alex loved this place— he was a lover, and that’s why he would come up here, to see this beautiful view and sunset.” The grief and anger over what Nieto’s family believes to have been an unjustified shooting has been directed into a community movement demanding justice. “I believe that profiling occurred in this case,” said Benjamin Bac Sierra, author and professor at City College of San Francisco, who is serving as the Nieto family’s spokesperson. In a recording of the 911 dispatch call made on the evening Nieto was killed, a neighbor reported that he had seen a man “pacing” on Bernal Hill, with what appeared to be a gun in his holster. It was later determined that Nieto was in possession of a Taser, which he was licensed to carry for his job as a security guard. “(The officers) hear his description—Latin male, 6-foot tall—and that causes them some intimidation, because he’s somewhat tall. He has a red jacket on. He has never been involved with guns, never been arrested in his life, but I believe they profiled him as some type of gang-involved individual,” added Bac Sierra. “If Alex had been a blond-haired, blue-eyed, 6-foot individual with what appears to be a gun on a holster, eating a corned-beef sandwich—he may have been mistaken as an off-duty police officer. There’s a mindset that occurred as they were approaching.” A week before the memorial gathering, Nieto’s family filed a claim against the City, initiating the process for a lawsuit.
La primera reunión de Burritos en Bernal, una caminata en memoria de Alex Nieto. The first gathering of Burritos on Bernal, a walk and memorial for Alex Nieto, on April 21. Photo Nina Parks “The claim is the first step a person must take in order to file a lawsuit against the city district court... (we) filed so that the City will do the right thing, which is not only to provide the information that we believe the family and the community are entitled to in order to evaluate this incident on their own, but also to compensate the family for the loss of their child,” said Adante Pointer, an associate attorney with the law offices of prominent civil rights lawyer John Burris, who is representing the family. The City has yet to respond in a given 45-day timeframe, according to Pointer. Besides seeking compensation for the family, the claim demands that the City and its entities “preserve all evidence” relating to the case. The family accuses the police department of not having been forthcoming with information regarding Nieto’s death—the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s report has yet to be released, nor have the names of the officers involved in the shooting been disclosed. See nieto, page 6
Laura Waxmann El Tecolote
L
as pasadas cuatro semanas tal vez han sido las más difíciles para muchos de los familiares y amigos cercanos de Alejandro Nieto. La noticia impresionante de la muerte de ese joven de 28 años de edad a manos de los oficiales de Policía de San Francisco, la tormenta de la cobertura por los medios de información y la confusión que ha continuado, así como las acusaciones y la falta de información revelada por aquellos responsables, han llevado a muchos miembros de la comunidad a denunciar la brutalidad policíaca e injusticias en el sistema legal. El 21 de abril, un grupo de conocidos de Nieto y otros, participaron en la primera de las que dijeron serán reuniones mensuales en su memoria para “demandar justicia”. Con burritos a la mano viajaron desde el parque Precita hasta subir al lado oeste de la colina Bernal Heights, donde el joven fue baleado apenas hace un mes —se dice que Nieto estaba comiendo un burrito en ese lugar antes de recibir por lo menos diez
disparos por parte de los oficiales de la policía de San Francisco en la noche del 21 de marzo. “¿Cuantas personas que han nacido y crecido en la Misión o en Bernal, han tenido uno de sus primeros besos en esta colina? Este lugar era tradicionalmente llamado ‘La línea de los amantes’. “Así es como lo llamaban, porque todo mundo venía aquí a disfrutar su primer romance”, dijo Adriana Camarena, una abogada consultora y escritora literaria. “Alex amaba este lugar —era un amante, y es por eso que subió hasta acá, para ver esta hermosa vista y el atardecer”. La tristeza y el disgusto por lo que la familia de Nieto considera han sido disparos injustificados, los ha llevado a un movimiento comunitario demandando justicia. “Yo creo que en este caso se ejerció un caso de perfil de minoría”, dijo Benjamin Bac Sierra, autor y profesor del City College of San Francisco, quien está sirviendo como portavoz de la familia Nieto. En una grabación de una llamada al 911, la noche que Nieto fue acribillado, reportó un vecino haber visto a un hombre
“caminando en círculos” en la colina Bernal con la apariencia de tener un arma en una funda de pistola. Más tarde se determinó que Nieto estaba en posesión de un Taser, para el cual tenía licencia para portarlo para su trabajo como guardia de seguridad. “(Los oficiales) escucharon su descripción —hombre latino, 6 pies de alto— que les causó algo de intimidación, por ser alto, con una chamarra roja puesta. Él nunca se involucró con armas, nunca fue arrestado, pero creo que lo perfilaron como un pandillero involucrado en alguna actividad”, añadió Bac Sierra. “Si Alex hubiera sido rubio, de ojos azules, un tipo de 6 pies con lo que parecía ser una pistola en funda, comiéndose un sándwich de corned-beed, podía haber sido tomado por error como un oficial de policía fuera de su servicio. Había una predisposición que ocurrió conforme ellos se aproximaron”. Una semana antes de la reunión conmemorativa, la familia Nieto presentó una queja contra la Ciudad, iniciando el proceso para una demanda. Vea bernal, página 6