DEAR NATION

Dear Nation:

You are no doubt very familiar with the Trayvon Martin tragedy in Sanford FL.  What most people are not aware of is what happened just a few miles south of Sanford, FL and did not get into the headlines. Young Rodney Mitchell was a recent college grad who had come home to Sarasota to begin his career in Education and to raise his 2-year old son.

Due to profiling or (DWB-Driving While Black) poor Rodney Mitchell was wrongly stopped and subsequently killed by 2 Sarasota Deputy Policemen. The story is attached. It happened in 2012 and we have been trying since to get national attention and justice on this case because like Trayvon another African American youth has been slain senselessly due to the color of his skin. We MUST stop this open season on our youth and it must be brought to the attention of the nation to put an end to these murders especially at the hands of Law Enforcement. 

This young man could easily have been a role model for so many young men in the Sarasota/Bradenton, Florida community. He was a well educated, athletically gifted young Christian father who could be my son or yours, very likable as well. The Bible tells us those things done in the dark shall be brought into the light. This was a good kid who did not deserve to be cut down just as he was beginning his journey in life. It would never have happened had he not been profiled to start with but this time it led to this fatality.

We are helping Rodney's mother pursue justice and we were led in your direction for a reason we pray that you and our fellow Americans will help us seek justice not only for this child's family but, for all parents who pray that when their babies walk out of the house, God will watch over them and we can trust that our children will not be harmed by the hands of evil, racial hatred and be returned to our homes each day.

Please help our cause we have to raise money and sign petitions to bring Rodney's case into the public hearts and find justice through our legal system.

Respectfully,

Natasha Clemons

President of The Rodney Mitchell Foundation, Inc.

Happy Valentine's Day to you and your family 

SIGN PETITION for RODNEY MITCHELL

A petition in which was started for Justice for Rodney Mitchell A.K.A Hot Rod! http://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-rodney

We Need Your Help

SARASOTA - Three months after her son was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies, Natasha Clemons hoisted two photos of him at a rally Thursday and shook her head.

“No justice, no peace,” chanted a crowd of about 60 that had gathered at the Newtown Estates gym to push for a new investigation of the shooting of 23-year-old Rodney Mitchell.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's office and the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office have ruled that the shooting was justified.

Sheriff's officials have said they stand by their investigation, and that they hired an outside consultant to review the findings because they wanted to present all the facts.

Mitchell was pulled over for an alleged seat belt violation June 11, but tried to drive away from the traffic stop. He had a suspended license and likely would have been taken to jail.

As Mitchell hit the gas, the SUV he drove headed toward one of two deputies who had approached the SUV, according to the sheriff's office. The two deputies fired out of fear that one of them would be run over, sheriff's investigators concluded.

Clemons, a nurse, says she will never believe it. She wants the deputies to face criminal charges for killing her son. On Thursday, members of the local chapters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference , and the Sarasota-Manatee Black Democratic Caucus joined Clemons in calling for a federal investigation.

“There are huge pieces of the puzzle missing,” Clemons said in an interview. “They are guilty and I will never give up or give in until I get justice.”

By the time the crowd reached a meeting room inside the gym, it had swelled to 100, with a line of people standing that ran around the room and out the door.

They pointed to several inconsistencies in the sheriff's investigation including:

• It started with an alleged seat belt violation. The officer who said he saw Mitchell was not belted was going the opposite direction on U.S. 301 at 9:30 at night. Additionally, Mitchell's driver seat was reclined at a 45-degree angle. After he was shot and the car crashed, his seat belt was on. Deputies say he must have put it on sometime before the officer pulled him over.

• Deputies and a crime scene investigator hired by the sheriff's office say the car was headed at one of the officers. But a 16-year-old cousin of Mitchell's in the front passenger seat says Mitchell turned the wheel to the right, away from the deputies, before he hit the gas.

Additionally, the deputy who initiated the traffic stop had been cautioned before by his supervisors for his judgment regarding traffic stops, arrests and officer safety. Five drivers had filed complaints alleging that he pulled them over for seat belt violations when they were belted.

Local SCLC leader Charles Smith, a Palmetto City Commissioner, told the crowd that evidence of racial profiling is one thing that will attract the attention of the Department of Justice's civil rights division.

The Democratic caucus leaders who hosted Thursday's rally emphasized that it will take time and pressure to convince the federal government to investigate.

“This is how you do it, you pack the room,” said black caucus co-chairman Lou Murray. “We packed it.”

Justice for Rodney Mitchell

Justice for #9

Justice for a SON

Justice for a College GRAD!

Justice for a DAD

Justice for Rodney Mitchell # 9

#9 Rodney Mitchell

Position: CB
Height: 5-9
Weight: 165
Class: Senior
Hometown: Sarasota, Fla.
High School: Palmetto High School/New Mexico Military Academy

Enters the 2010 season as a Lindy's and Sporting News Preseason All-American at cornerback ... Made First Team Don Hansen's Football Gazette All-Super Region 4 ... Made Honorable Mention All-Lone Star Conference South Division after leading the entire LSC with 23 passes batted down and finishing second in the conference (seventh in Division II) with seven interceptions ... Made 72 tackles, including 45 solos and finished tied for sixth in the LSC with two fumble recoveries ... Started all 11 games at corner for the Hounds ... Made his debut on August 29th at Colorado State Pueblo, grabbing two interceptions and making eight tackles ... Also had two interceptions, the following week at Southwestern Oklahoma State ... Made 10 tackles and scored on a 22-yard interception return against LSC North champion, Texas A&M-Commerce ... Also picked off a pass in the Wagon Wheel game at West Texas A&M ... Selected as the LSC South Defensive Player of the Week on September 7th and made the ENMU Athletic Director's Honor Roll in the spring semester.

As a Junior in 2009 ... Made First Team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American and Second Team Daktronics All-American ...

Before ENMU ... Played cornerback for head coach Raymond Woodie at Palmetto High School in Florida ... Also played shooting guard for the Tiger basketball team ... Played for head coach Jeff Lynn at New Mexico Military Institute in nearby Roswell, N.M.

Push for federal inquiry in Rodney Mitchell shooting

SARASOTA - Three months after her son was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies, Natasha Clemons hoisted two photos of him at a rally Thursday and shook her head.

“No justice, no peace,” chanted a crowd of about 60 that had gathered at the Newtown Estates gym to push for a new investigation of the shooting of 23-year-old Rodney Mitchell.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's office and the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office have ruled that the shooting was justified.

Sheriff's officials have said they stand by their investigation, and that they hired an outside consultant to review the findings because they wanted to present all the facts.

Mitchell was pulled over for an alleged seat belt violation June 11, but tried to drive away from the traffic stop. He had a suspended license and likely would have been taken to jail.

As Mitchell hit the gas, the SUV he drove headed toward one of two deputies who had approached the SUV, according to the sheriff's office. The two deputies fired out of fear that one of them would be run over, sheriff's investigators concluded.

Clemons, a nurse, says she will never believe it. She wants the deputies to face criminal charges for killing her son. On Thursday, members of the local chapters of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the NAACP, and the Sarasota-Manatee Black Democratic Caucus joined Clemons in calling for a federal investigation.

“There are huge pieces of the puzzle missing,” Clemons said in an interview. “They are guilty and I will never give up or give in until I get justice.”

By the time the crowd reached a meeting room inside the gym, it had swelled to 100, with a line of people standing that ran around the room and out the door.

They pointed to several inconsistencies in the sheriff's investigation including:

• It started with an alleged seat belt violation. The officer who said he saw Mitchell was not belted was going the opposite direction on U.S. 301 at 9:30 at night. Additionally, Mitchell's driver seat was reclined at a 45-degree angle. After he was shot and the car crashed, his seat belt was on. Deputies say he must have put it on sometime before the officer pulled him over.

• Deputies and a crime scene investigator hired by the sheriff's office say the car was headed at one of the officers. But a 16-year-old cousin of Mitchell's in the front passenger seat says Mitchell turned the wheel to the right, away from the deputies, before he hit the gas.

Additionally, the deputy who initiated the traffic stop had been cautioned before by his supervisors for his judgment regarding traffic stops, arrests and officer safety. Five drivers had filed complaints alleging that he pulled them over for seat belt violations when they were belted.

Local SCLC leader Charles Smith, a Palmetto City Commissioner, told the crowd that evidence of racial profiling is one thing that will attract the attention of the Department of Justice's civil rights division.

The Democratic caucus leaders who hosted Thursday's rally emphasized that it will take time and pressure to convince the federal government to investigate.

“This is how you do it, you pack the room,” said black caucus co-chairman Lou Murray. “We packed it.”

MY LIFE BEFORE DEATH

Rodney Mitchell was born March 21, 1989, in Sarasota, Florida. From the beginning, his mother Natasha Clemons knew there was something special about her first-born son. As time passed, he proved her right, for he was both intelligent and a gifted athlete. Following high school graduation from Palmetto High school, the talented and gifted young man received a scholarship to East New Mexico State University (ENMU) where he continued to shine both scholastically and athletically.

Earning Bachelor's Degree in Education from East New Mexico University with aspirations to become a Special Education teacher. Rodney returned back home to Sarasota, Florida in 2010, to continue with his future endeavors. While back home he began to seek out for employment while taking care of his two year old son Channing, who was always traveling by his father’s right side.  Rodney was always devoted to the service of others.  He had a big heart that was selfless.  Rodney's dream was to become a role model for the less fortunate youth in the surrounding areas of Sarasota Florida.

The community and the family members were suddenly mourning the death of an honor student, star athlete, “All American”, and father, Rodney Mitchell who was viciously gunned down by racist Sarasota County Sheriff deputies on June 11, 2012, while accompanied by his cousin and running errands for his mother, Natasha.  The community and family members were left with unanswered questions and concerns about Rodney’s murder.  They are still waiting for answers and justice to be served.

This young man who had a future is so fondly remembered and deeply missed by his mother as "never having a frown on his face!"

BY: Joesph Bessard, II