WE’LL HAVE MORE ON JOE BIDEN’S
VISIT TO PITTSBURGH TODAY TO
TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS.
BUT BEFORE THIS, I WANT TO BRING
IN JACOB BLAKE’S SISTER, LETETRA
WIDMAN, HIS FATHER AND THE
FAMILY ATTORNEY BENJAMIN CRUXMP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU, AGAIN.
MR. BLAKE AND LETETRA, I HAVE TO
ASK, HOW IS JACOB DOING?
HOW IS HE THIS MORNING?
>> YOU KNOW, JACOB GOT SHOT IN
HIS BACK SEVEN TIMES.
SO I CAN ONLY EXPECT HE’S DOING
AS SOMEONE WOULD THAT HAD GOTTEN
SHOT IN THE BACK SEVEN TIMES.
I KNOW HE’S GONE UNDER A LOT OF
STRESS, TRAUMA, AND HE IS
PROBABLY VERY EXHAUSTED.
HE’S MEDICATED HEAVILY FROM THE
PAIN.
SO I MEAN, THAT’S HOW HE’S
DOING.
>> YEAH.
MR. BLAKE, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO
HAVE ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH YOUR
SON OR IS HE JUST NOT AT THIS
POINT ABLE TO DO THAT?
>> HE’S -- YESTERDAY HE WAS IN
AND OUT, YOU KNOW, HE’S HEAVILY
SEDATED.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
SO YOU MIGHT GET TWO, THREE
MINUTES OF -- AND THEN NONE FOR
THE REST OF THE CONVERSATION.
>> YEAH, THAT MUST BE INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE
WITH YOU.
MR. CRUMP, GIVEN ALL THIS, CAN
YOU PROVIDE SOME CLARITY?
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE
POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE THAT HAS
OVERLAID THIS.
I SPOKE WITH MARK MEADOWS WHO
SAID THE PRESIDENT WAS IN TOUCH
WITH THE FAMILY’S PASTOR, THE
PRESS SECRETARY SAID THIS
MORNING THERE HAS BEEN OUTREACH
ON THE PART OF THE WHITE HOUSE,
BUT THEY HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO
CONNECT.
BEN, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF A
POTENTIAL CONVERSATION BETWEEN
MR. BLAKE’S FAMILY AND PRESIDENT
TRUMP?
>> WELL, HALLIE, THANK YOU
FOR -- JACOB BLAKE AND HIS
FAMILY.
MY OFFICE RECEIVED NO CALLS TO
SET UP ANY KIND OF MEETING.
I KNOW WHEN VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND SENATOR HARRIS WANTED TO
MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FAMILY,
THEY SIMPLY CALLED MY OFFICE AND
WE COORDINATED SUCH A MEETING.
BUT RIGHT NOW THIS FAMILY IS NOT
FOCUSED ON POLITICS.
HALLIE, THEY ARE FOCUSED ON
TRYING TO HELP A YOUNG MAN WHO
HAS SEVEN BULLETS GO THROUGH HIS
SPINAL CORD, FRACTURE HIS
VERTEBRAE, GO INTO HIS COLON, HE
LOST HIS COLON, GO INTO A SMALL
INTESTINE, HE LOST MOST OF HIS
INTESTINES, GOING INTO HIS ARM,
GO INTO HIS KIDNEY, THEY WERE
ABLE TO SAVE HIS KIDNEY, TWO
HOLES IN HIS STOMACH.
HE LOST PORTIONS OF HIS BOWELS,
HE LOST PORTIONS OF HIS ORGANS
AN HE IS DEVASTATED KNOWING THAT
HE CAN’T MOVE HIS LEGS AND THAT
HIS THREE YOUNG BOYS WITNESSED
HIM BEING SHOT IN THAT CAR.
AGES 8 YEARS OLD, 5 YEARS OLD
AND 3 YEARS OLD.
AND SO YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE THESE
BABIES ARE GOING TO HAVE FOR
REST OF THEIR LIVES AND THE
8-YEAR-OLD -- FOR THE REST OF
HIS LIFE.
>> AND IT IS A LITANY OF
OBVIOUSLY DIFFICULTIES THAT
JACOB FACES.
AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF
THOSE.
LETETRA, FIRST, DO YOU WANT TO
TALK?
I KNOW VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN AND
SENATOR HARRIS REACHED OUT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN
SPEAKING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP?
>> BEING THAT MY PARENTS ARE HER
AND LIVING, AND THEY’RE THE HEAD
OF THIS, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DECIDE. IT IS NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE.
IT IS NOT FOR ME TO DECIDE.
I’M DEFINITELY HERE TO --
>> I DON’T WANT POLITICS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS.
THIS IS ABOUT MY SON.
>> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR
SON.
YOU VERY EMOTIONALLY LAST WEEK
TALKED ABOUT HOW HE WAS -- WHEN
YOU SAW HIM AT ONE POINT IN HIS
HOSPITAL HE WAS SHACKLED TO HIS
HOSPITAL BED, PARALYZED, AS HE
IS FROM THE WAIST DOWN, POLICE
SAY HE WAS SHACKLED BECAUSE OF
THE ARREST WARRANT FROM JULY,
NOW VIEACATED.
ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN THE POLICE
INVESTIGATION MOVING FORWARD?
>> MY CONFIDENCE IS IN MY
ATTORNEY.
AND IF MY ATTORNEY SEES
SOMETHING THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE
OR NOT NECESSARY, I’M MORE THAN
CERTAIN THAT GENTLEMAN DOWN
THERE IN THAT BOX WILL STAND UP
FOR MY FAMILY TO THE UTMOST.
SO WHETHER I’M SECURE WITH WHAT
THEY DO OR NOT, IT HAS NO --
NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT
GENTLEMAN DOWN THERE IN THAT BOX
WILL COUNTER WITH.
THEY SAY HE’S A BETTER
COUNTERPUNCHER THAN MUHAMMAD,
BUT WE’LL HAVE TO FIND OUT.
>> SO MR. CRUMP, WITH THAT
SETUP, TO YOU THEN, POLICE HAVE
NOW PUT OUT WHAT IS REALLY THEIR
STRONGEST PUSHBACK YET TO THE
EVENTS THAT UNFOLDED.
I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN THAT
STATEMENT FROM THE KENOSHA
POLICE UNION SAYING THAT JACOB
BLAKE WAS TRYING TO TAKE CAR
KEYS, CONFRONTATIONAL WITH
POLICE, THAT HE WAS RESISTING
OFFICERS, AND IT IS A DIFFERENT
ACCOUNT THAN WHAT WE HEARD
FRANKLY FROM YOU PREVIOUSLY.
HOW DO YOU RECONCILE THOSE
CLAIMS AND HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO
WHAT THE POLICE ASSOCIATION IS
SAYING NOW?
>> WELL, MR. BLAKE AND HIS
FAMILY ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
ME AND OUR LEGAL TEAM ARE A
POWERFUL TEAM OF LAWYERS AND OUR
OWN INVESTIGATION ON BEHALF OF
THE BLAKE FAMILY.
AS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE
DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND EVERY
OTHER ELECTED OFFICIAL HAS SAID,
THE POLICE UNION DOES NOT SPEAK
FOR THEM.
THE POLICE UNION IS A UNION THAT
SUPPORTS OUR POLICE OFFICERS, IN
MY OPINION, NO MATTER HOW
UNBELIEVABLE THE EXCESSIVE USE
OF FORCE, THE BRUTAL USE OF
FORCE USED AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE
IN AMERICA.
SO LET’S PUT THAT UP FIRST.
SECONDLY, HALLIE, WHY DO WE NEED
TO HEAR ANYTHING ELSE OR SEE
ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES WHAT WE
SEE IN THAT VIDEO?
BECAUSE WHEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE
ACCUSED OF DOING SOMETHING
ILLEGAL OR NEFARIOUS, IF THERE
IS A VIDEO, THEY SAY WE HAVE
VIDEO EVIDENCE.
WHEN THERE IS A POLICE OFFICER
DOING SOMETHING BAD OR KILLING A
BLACK PERSON, THEY SAY, WE HAVE
TO PUT IT IN CONTEXT.
LET’S DON’T RUSH TO JUDGMENT.
THEN THEY RUSH TO JUDGMENT WHEN
THEY SHOT JACOB BLAKE SEVEN
TIMES IN THE BACK.
WHO POSED ABSOLUTELY NO THREAT
TO THEM AS HE WALKED AWAY, TRIED
TO GET IN THE CAR AND GET HIS
CHILDREN OUT OF A VOLATILE
SITUATION AND JUXTAPOSE THAT
WITH THE YOUNG WHITE MAN WHO
WENT AND SHOT THREE PEOPLE,
KILLING TWO OF THEM, AND HAD THE
ASSAULT WEAPON HANGING DOWN HIS
NECK AND WALKED RIGHT PAST
SEVERAL NATIONAL GUARD AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, NOBODY
SHOT HIM IN THE BACK, NOBODY
KILLED HIM, HE MADE IT HOME
UNINJURED.
WE JUST WANT OUR CHILDREN TO
MAKE IT HOME UNINJURED.
>> LETETRA, THIS ISSUE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY WITHIN THE POLICE
SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE THEMES THAT
HAPPENED IN THE MARCH ON FRIDAY
IN WASHINGTON.
YOU SPOKE THERE, YOU HAD WORDS
ON ACCOUNTABILITY ON FIGHTING
BUT NOT VIOLENCE THAT SEEMS TO
HAVE RESONATED WITH A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY IT WAS
IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO DELIVER
THAT MESSAGE?
>> BECAUSE SOMEBODY NEEDS TO DO
IT, NUMBER ONE.
VIOLENCE AND CHAOS IS NOT -- IS
NOT GOING TO GET US TO THE GOALS
WE NEED TO MEET.
BLACK PEOPLE NEED TO COME
TOGETHER AND UNIFY AND PRACTICE
GROUP ECONOMICS, KEEP OUR
DOLLARS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
BUILD EACH OTHER UP.
THERE IS REALLY NOTHING ELSE
THAT WE CAN DO BECAUSE IT --
THERE IS CERTAINLY STARTING ANY
TYPE OF VIOLENCE OR WARS AT THIS
POINT WOULD BE POINTLESS.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON OUR
COMMUNITIES AND BUILDING UP
AS -- AND EMPOWERING EACH OTHER.
AND WE’RE REALLY JUST SICK AND
TIRED OF THE VIOLENCE.
WE’RE TIRED OF IT.
WE DON’T WANT TO SEE MORE OF IT.
WE WANT TO SEE CHANGE.
THAT’S WHAT WE WANT.
WE WANT ITOUR CHILDREN TO BE ABL
TO BE SAFE AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT BEING MURDERED JUST
BECAUSE THEIR SKIN IS BROWN.
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS.
IT IS 2020.
AND IF WE DON’T START
RECOGNIZING WHAT THE REAL ISSUES
ARE, IT IS GOING TO KEEP
HAPPENING.
AND THAT’S UNACCEPTABLE.
IT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE.
THE POLICE OFFICER -- THE POLICE
OFFICER IS NOT THE JUDGE, JURY
AND -- PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICERS
POLICE DO NOT ENTAIL JUDGING AND
SENTENCING AND THAT OFFICER
JUDGED AND HE SENTENCED MY
BROTHER.
HE TRIED TO SENTENCE HIM TO
DEATH.
AND THAT WAS NOT HIS PLACE.
I WANT A PUBLIC SERVICE OFFICER
TO DO THE JOB OF A PUBLIC
SERVICE OFFICER.
HE IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT, HE’S
SUPPOSED TO DEFEND, NOT EXECUTE.
>> MR. BLAKE, YOU TALK ABOUT THE
TOLL THIS HAS TAKEN ON YOUR
FAMILY.
WE HEARD YOUR ATTORNEY MENTION
OBVIOUSLY THE KIDS IN THE CAR.
CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT
HOW YOUR FAMILY IS DOING AND HOW
YOUR GRANDKIDS ARE DOING?
>> MY GRANDCHILDREN UNFAIRLY
HAVE BEEN UNDER UNDUE AMOUNT OF
STRESS SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY WANT
TO SEE THEIR FATHER.
IT IS UNDUE, UNDERAPPRECIATED,
LIKE MY DAUGHTER JUST MENTIONED,
THE JUDGE, JURY AND THE
EXECUTIONER TOOK THEIR FATHER
AWAY FOR A LITTLE -- FOR AN
AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND WE’RE ATTEMPTING, AS WE
SPEAK, TO GET THEM THE CORRECT
PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP THAT THEY
WILL NEED FOR THE FUTURE.
BUT THE TOLL ON MY FAMILY, I
CAN’T BEGIN TO TELL YOU THE
STRESS AND THE DEPRESSION THAT
IT IS BRINGING ON MY FAMILY.
THERE IS BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
IT IS ROUGH.
IT IS ROUGH.
WE’RE STANDING TOGETHER, YOU
CAN’T DIVIDE US.
YOU CAN’T CONQUER US.
