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Uhuru Group Takes St. Pete Shooting Protest To Capitol

Tribune photo by COLIN HACKLEY

David Dawson and Ollie Godfrey, father and stepmother of Javon Dawson, emerge from a meeting with Gov. Charlie Crist's chief of staff at the Capitol in Tallahassee.

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By STEVEN GIRARDI and COLIN HACKLEY

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

Updated: 08/13/2008 11:57 am

TALLAHASSEE - About 25 protesters traveled from St. Petersburg this morning to rally in front of the Capitol and demand a new investigation into the shooting death of teenager Javon Dawson.

Dawson's family and members of the International People's Democratic Uhuru Movement brought 1,700 petitions to remove Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe from the investigation of Dawson's shooting death by a St. Petersburg police officer.

After protesting in front of the Capitol at 8 a.m., they moved to Gov. Charlie Crist's office, and several of them met with the governor's chief of staff, Eric Eikenberg, at 9:30 a.m. for about 15 minutes.

They received a copy of a letter Crist sent Tuesday night to Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey asking the agency "to review State Attorney McCabe's findings and case file to ensure that a complete and thorough investigation was conducted and no additional action is necessary."

Governor's spokesman Sterling Ivy said Crist wanted to wait until McCabe's investigation was completed before getting involved.

Diop Olugbala, an Uhuru organizer, said he was pleased with the letter and that the group is getting closer to an independent investigation.

"It's clear the demands of this committee were heard," he said. "This is definitely progress."

The group is angry about a report by McCabe issued Tuesday that cleared Officer Terrence Nemeth in the death of Dawson on June 7, said Kobina Bantushango from the Uhuru headquarters in St. Petersburg.

The Uhuru group contends that McCabe's office is too close to St. Petersburg police.

The report determined that Nemeth was justified in shooting Dawson, 17, as a crowd of people swarmed outside the Masonic Shining Light Lodge at 3101 Freemont Terrace during a graduation party that grew larger than expected.

Olugbala and Dawson's father, David, and other family members are among the contingent that went to Tallahassee, Bantushango said.

Omali Yeshitela, an Uhuru leader, called McCabe's findings "suspicious" and "bogus" on Tuesday.

McCabe's report was released a day after state Rep. Darryl Rouson, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and four other public officials called for peace and patience with the investigation. Rouson said Monday that frustration was evident in public protests by the Uhuru Movement and private comments.

"The state attorney's office did a full, firm and fair investigation into what happened," Rouson said Tuesday, expressing hope that there would be no violence.

He said there is "credible and conclusive evidence" that Dawson had a gun that night.

Dawson died about 10:45 p.m. after police responded to the Masonic Lodge to break up a graduation party with about 200 people.

McCabe's report says that Nemeth heard screams in the parking lot and saw muzzle flashes from a firearm being discharged in the crowd. He drew his weapon and commanded the shooter to drop the weapon.

Nemeth saw a person later identified as Dawson fire at least two shots at the crowd. Nemeth ran after the person, who then pointed a gun at him, the letter states. The officer fired twice, striking Dawson.

McCabe's report said DNA found on the .38-caliber handgun recovered in the lodge driveway was consistent with Dawson's, according to an analysis by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and an independent forensic laboratory.

Additional tests discovered gunshot residue on the pocket area of Dawson's shorts, the report states. It also cites two witnesses who saw Dawson with a firearm, showing off the gun while in the parking lot of the Masonic Lodge and firing shots outside the building.

Capitol News Service reporter Whitney Ray contributed to this report. Reporter Steven Girardi may be reached at (727) 451-2333 or at sgirardi@tampatrib.com. Photographer Colin Hackley can be reached at (850) 294-3442 or chackley@tampatrib.com.

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