Justice for Levi

With deepest appreciation and honoring of your lives, commitment and work- this March 15th, International Day Against Police Brutality, the Coalition Justice for Levi would like to offers a message of thanks, respect and solidarity

to all those who suffer under unaccountable or brutal policing

to all their loved ones who also suffer to all those communities particularly targeted, profiled or marginalized by unaccountable policing and

to all those educators, researchers, journalists, documenters, civil liberties advocates, writers, lawyers, artists, agitators and grassroots organizers who embattle themselves against the blue wall.

We thank all those who have organized teach-ins, talks, panels, rallies, marches, demonstrations and all of the other wonderful things that communities across Canada and the world do to mark and take action on the International Day Against Police Brutality.

On April 19th, 2013, the Coalition Justice for Levi will attend the Supreme Court of Canada with two Ontario families who have spent the three and a half years since the deaths of their sons pressing through the courts to question whether the internal police protocol of lawyer note vetting- a process whereby a police lawyer looks over an approves an officers notes before they are submitted to oversight or investigative bodies- is, or is not in line with the law.

On November 15th, 2011- The Ontario Superior Court of Appeal released its decision on the matter. In this decision, Ontario’s highest court clarified that the personal interests of an officer for self protection or protection of another member of the force, or of the force- must be understood as secondary to the sworn duty that an officer has as a public employee and professional state witness and that, furthermore, lawyer vetting of police notes could obstruct the well functioning of all levels of our justice system.

Unsatisfied with the court’s decision- police are set to argue to the Supreme Court of Canada that the Ontario Superior Court of Appeal’s decision creates an ‘unworkable’ situation for police. The Coalition Justice For Levi works to raise legal funds and widespread awareness about the Schaeffer/Minty case and the wider reality of a rising state of systemic police impunity in Canada.

We invite those allies who are having events, publishing literature or amassing and sharing in other ways this MARCH 15th to share our website- www.justiceforlevi.org, or our youtube video “We Want Justice For Our Communities, Not Police Impunity” or to announce in some way that in APRIL 19th, 2013 is an important day to note, attend, write about, and stay tuned for the result of.

Please let us know if and how we can help with the brilliant things you are doing and the campaigns that you are working on to reveal and end police brutality and impunity. Let us be strengthened by each other’s stories and struggles and become a force, together, capable of knocking down that blue wall. With great respect, the Coalition Justice for Levi.