San Jose Police Brutality and Racial Profiling of Filipino Family Condemned

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2007
CONTACT: Raj Jayadev (408) 757-5875

San Jose Police Brutality and Racial Profiling of Filipino Family Condemned
Community Demands the District Attorney's Office to Drop Charges Against Family Members and Prosecute the Offending Officers Immediately

WHAT: Press Conference -- "Campaign Against Police Brutality and Support Filipino Family" with speakers from the Asian Law Alliance, Coalition for Justice and Accountability, and several local community organizations

WHEN: TUESDAY, May 15, 2007, 12 noon

WHERE: Public assembly area outside of the Superior Court, 190 West Hedding St, San Jose, CA, 95110

San Jose, CA-- San Jose police officers used unnecessary excessive force and racially profiled Marlo (18), Romel (25), and Marilou Custodio(50), three unarmed Filipino residents of Evergreen Valley. The beatings occurred in the Evergreen Valley lake area on February 5, 2007 around 7pm.

One officer slammed Marilou's head against a police car three times. Marilou is the single mother of Marlo and Romel and is employed in a professional occupation. After experiencing the police beating, she is suffering from post-traumatic anxiety.

Several officers physically brutalized Romel, age 25. Already pacified, officers still used tasers on him. After the incident, Romel sought medical treatment for the physical injury and excessive taser burns. Also, an officer choked Marlo, age 18 and another kneed him in the face.

"I'm appalled with police conduct against the Custodio family and urge the District Attorney's Office to drop charges against the family members right away," said Dr. Peter Chua, sociology professor at San Jose State University. "This is a clear case of police misconduct and hypocrisy. The police charged them with resisting arrest. The offending officers should be facing criminal charges."

"The San Jose Police Department has been under scrutiny recently for its routine and systematic practice of racial profiling against the Blacks and Latinos in the city and for use of excessive force against poor, racial, and immigrant communities," said Rowena Tomaneng, member of the Justice for Custodio Family Campaign and of MALAYA, a San Jose Filipina women's organization.

The Justice for Custodio Family Campaign supports the family members who experienced police brutality and their struggle for genuine justice and provides community education on racial profiling, know your rights, and social justice. At present, participating local organizations in the campaign include Filipino Youth Coalition (FYC), MALAYA, Filipino Community Support (FOCUS), Silicon Valley De-Bug, and the Coalition for Justice and Accountability as well many concerned individuals.

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