NAACP to Hold News Conference on Wilson Courthouse Steps Demanding Justice for John McNeil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2012

For More Information:             Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President, 919-394-8137

Mrs. Amina Turner, Executive Director, 919-682-4700

NAACP to Hold News Conference on Wilson Courthouse Steps Demanding Justice for John McNeil

WILSON, NC - Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, President of the North Carolina State Conference of the NAACP, leaders of the Wilson NAACP Branch, and members of John McNeil's family will hold a news conference on the Wilson County Courthouse Steps (115 E. Nash Street, Wilson, NC 27894) on Friday, June 15, at 11 a.m.

John McNeil, a former basketball star for Fike High School (see photos and more information here) has been incarcerated in Georgia prisons for 5 ½ years, for shooting an advancing trespasser just outside the back door of the McNeil family home in Cobb County, Georgia.   The McNeils were the only African American family living in the up-scale suburban community. The trespasser, who was armed and had marijuana in his vehicle, had threatened John and Anita McNeil's son minutes before with a knife, refused twice to leave the McNeil's property and continued to advance, despite a warning shot into the ground by McNeil.   

The McNeil family requested the NAACP get involved to and while there are signs of new interest in the Free John McNeil movement, his wife, Mrs. Anita McNeil of Wilson, N.C., has suffered a recurrence of cancer. She is fighting for her own life and for her husband's return to her side. She will attend the news conference.

The North Carolina and the Georgia State Conferences of the NAACP have led the struggle to free McNeil. The National NAACP has thrown its full weight behind the campaign as well. Both Rev. Barber and Mr. Ed DuBois, president of the Georgia NAACP, have met with John and are committed to fighting for his life until justice is done. They will bring National NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous to meet with him later this summer.     

The Wilson NAACP Branch and the John McNeil Defense Committee will also be represented. The Defense Committee retained a Georgia attorney who recently argued to an appellate judge that there was strong evidence of inadequate counsel and unfairness in McNeil's trial. The Court's decision is pending.

"The McNeil case is a prime example of the age-old unequal justice in the court system," said Rev. Barber. "Here we have a man who did everything right. A high school athletic and academic all-star who went on to graduate from Elizabeth City State University. An outstanding father and businessman with no criminal record. Two white police officers testified on his behalf saying it was a clear example of self-defense and was protected by castle doctrine.  It was only 275 days after the incident that the District Attorney disagreed with the police officers and decided to arrest him. A former Georgia Supreme Court Justice said the same thing in a powerful dissent opinion. One white eye-witness supported John's story and said he was innocent and only acted in self defense. What happened to John McNeil is an obscenity to justice. The "Castle Doctrine" doesn't appear to apply to him. In Georgia, a black man's home is not a castle, his home means nothing before the law."

The news conference also coincides with a major silent march against the racist and discriminatory Stop and Frisk policies of the NYC police department. Over 87% of the people stopped under this practice are Black and Latino men. Also, this week, ultra-right legislators are trying again to repeal the South's first Racial Justice Act, in North Carolina. The NC NAACP will send a delegation of members to Georgia this weekend for events surrounding McNeil's case. 

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