RELIGION

Zion Church and Bowie Partner in Celebration of Juneteenth, Fathers, Summer

By Hamil R. Harris WI Contributing Writer

The members of Zion Church partnered with the City of Bowie to bring jazz musicians together with those who promote and distribute healthy fruits and vegetables.

The community event was all part of the Juneteenth celebration at the Bowie Town Center, held jointly with “Concerts for a

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what happened and they just couldn't believe it,” Mrs. Elliott told the Informer. “They shot my son 14 times while handcuffed with his hands behind his back sitting in the front seat of that District Heights Municipal Police Cruiser.”

What Police Say Happened That Fateful Night

The thorough mother knows all of the officers by name as she told the story of what happened on June 18, 1993. She said District Heights police Officer Jason Leavitt spotted Elliott III driving erratically and stopped the vehicle.

Elliott III failed several sobriety tests and as a result, Leavitt handcuffed his hands behind his back and placed him in the front seat of the police cruiser.

But the District Heights and Prince George’s County Police investigators said Leavitt failed to properly search Elliott III, who was not wearing a shirt,

Cause,” a kickoff event with the Bowie Summer Concert Series, hosted by Mayor Tim Adams.

Dr. Madye Henson-McCannon, chief external engagement and impact officer for Zion Church, hosted the event along with Brett Murray of Concerts for Causes and Mayor Adams.

“We hoped to engage the community with what Zion is doing in terms of health wellness as well as celebrate Juneteenth,”

Prince George's County police Officer Wayne Cheney then arrived on the scene moments later. The two officers said they noticed Elliott III, who was handcuffed, managed to point a .22 caliber revolver at them and claimed he disobeyed orders to drop the gun, and so they opened fire– fatally shooting him.

The Maryland State Chief Medical Examiner said at the time that Elliott III sustained injuries on the right side of the patrol car's passenger-side door. He was wearing a seatbelt when shots were fired.

Capt. James White, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Police Department at the time, said that both officers fired their semi-automatic handguns. But the police were peppered with questions as to how Elliott III could lean forward while holding a .22-caliber revolver while handcuffed.

District Heights Police Chief Michael Conboy said in media reports at the time, “they are taught to shoot to kill," when officers believe their safety is in jeopardy.

The shooting of Elliott III sparked probes, but the county prosecutor at the time, former States Attorney

Hensen-McCannon said. “We had clinics, providers of fresh fruits and vegetables, and Juneteenth special recipes.”

Last year the church gave us a recipe for cabbage, and this year they passed recipes for smothered potatoes. Food is a big part of our history.”

Alex Williams, never indicted the officers, and his successor Jack Johnson didn't-either.

“They alleged that Archie had a handgun and they discharged their weapons 22 times,” said the octogenarian mother who started to cry as she talked about facing one closed legal door after another.

THE COMMUNITY REACTS: A 30-YEAR FIGHT FOR JUSTICE

Veteran Radio Host Joe Madison was the morning man at WOL when the incident occurred.

“It was a travesty of abuse of police power” Madison said.

“After the grand jury ended without an indictment, we appealed to the 4th Circuit in Richmond and they refused to prosecute. Then we appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and the court declined to hear the case without comment,” Mrs. Elliott said.

Feeling that her lawyer was ineffective, the mother launched a weekly protest at the Prince George’s County Courthouse and even a march to Annapolis.

Battle said that community events are part of the church’s effort of “meeting people where they are with the services they need the most, but may not always be able to access.”

On Sunday, after morning services, a group of barbers were

“The Archie Elliott campaign was going for more than a year,” Madison said. “We would picket at the County Court House every day to get the State Attorney to reopen the case, but he was playing to the police union because he was running for County Executive.”

Kyle McAfee, a community activist said in an interview this week, “People couldn't believe that a man could be shot and killed handcuffed in a police car.”

It was such outrage that sparked folks to unapologetically fight towards justice for the slain man.

“I was sued by the officers because I used the term murder on WOL and we were 100 percent behind Archie Elliott,” said Madison “The purpose was to get an independent investigation.”

“This was before Breanna Taylor, and Trayvon Martin, and Freddie Gray and George Floyd,” Madison said. “This was a time when Black radio made a difference and Cathy Hughes clearly encouraged us.”

While the deaths of Martin, Gray, Floyd and Eric Garner, produced national protests, Mrs. Elliott said there was only so much she could do when invited to the Greenbelt church location for a program to honor fathers.

The event also included Black entrepreneurs on-site to showcase their various services and merchandise.

WI her son was killed.

“Things might have been different if we had been more vocal and there was massive resistance or the internet,” she said. “We demonstrated 22 consecutive Wednesdays and I would take off to be at the protest.”

Though Elliott III’s case did not get the notoriety many police shootings get today, Madison said it was still important to fight.

“I wish at the time we had an attorney like Ben Crump. It was such an injustice that rallied Mrs. Elliott and Judge Elliott,” Madison said. “He was shot multiple times a mile from his home and he was strapped in the front seat of the police cruiser. It was important to use my platform at the time to review the case and it didn't happen.”

Continuing the Legacy of Archie Elliott III, Changing the Culture

“We started the scholarship fund two years after his death," Mrs. Elliott said. “We raised $7,000 and gave four students scholarships to HBCUs. The year before we gave out $2,500 in scholarships.” WI

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Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. —Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

How are you THINKING? How much of your brain's full potential do you use? Maximizing your brain power means thinking through your problems instead of emotionally reacting. Do you have right thinking, pure thinking? Is it admirable, is it about excellence, and are you eager to get or give praise?

Our brain is connected to every part of our body. When someone has brain damage, they become known as living in a vegetated state, unable to walk, talk or eat.

Our brain is the sending and receiving station. It is how we do everything we do. We walk, talk, run, swim, dance, and we think. The Bible speaks of how the people perish for the lack of knowledge.

An example self-help author Napoleon Hill gives for how little we use this powerful ability to think: "Just how little we use our brain would be a comparison to: someone giving you a pile of money and it equals a million dollars, and you could have as much as you wanted but you only take a penny."

The brain of a human being works like a TV antenna, receiving

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all messages that are conveyed to it! It also acts like a transmitter, transmitting messages incessantly as they are invoked! Truly acting like a relay station, the human brain is the finest creation of God Almighty! It is only through human form that our soul and spirit within finally gains liberation!

Where do we go when we daydream? Normally, 99% of the human brain is unused, inactive. If we figure out how to use more of our brain, we would shock ourselves. It is a spiritual matter and requires meditation, purposeful thinking, quietness!

The famous physicist Albert Einstein, considered a genius, used only his brain 4%, and we only utilize 1% of ours. Wow! We can all do more active thinking!

Combine all of the success principles I've been writing about — your burning desire; faith; positive affirmations; power of decisions, using your imagination. Are you getting the picture? Each principle has to do with your brain; it is about how you think, what you choose to think!

Should you choose to define your success in Christian terms and choose to live by the principles set forth in His Word, the Holy Bible, living your life according to Matthew 22:36 (“Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.“), you will be successful.

When Jesus had gone 40 days in the desert fasting and praying, He was hungry and at a weak point. One translation says, "He was faint with hunger." The Devil, the tempter, came to him at that time.

How did Jesus handle this moment? He brought God into it. He quoted the Bible, God's word. Each time the Devil tried to trap Jesus, Jesus would respond, "It is written!"

Many people are also robbed of blessings that the Bible tells us are ours in Christ Jesus. But because our lack of knowledge, improper thinking and negative lifestyles, we never truly live in them.

God created you with a powerful sending and receiving station: your brain. Pick up some more of your pennies by utilizing more of your brain power! WI