Jackson Free Press

When ACLU Public Education Coordinator Brent Cox attempted to observe a police interdiction in front of Rainbow Whole Foods Co-op Grocery on Sept. 14, police arrested and charged him with "disobeying a police officer" and "interfering with the duties of a police officer." Cox said the officers did not read him his Miranda rights, and refused to give him their badge numbers.

Cox's arraignment is Nov. 15. As a sign of support, the Mississippi ACLU will hold a demonstration in front of the Jackson Police Department at 8:30 the morning of Cox's arraignment. Cox said that ACLU workers will file open-records requests with the city to uncover other arrests with circumstances similar to Cox as part of the demonstration.

"The demonstration is, of course, about my arrest, but it is also about the greater issue of the right of citizens to observe police in public and the need for police oversight and accountability," Cox said.

The ACLU will also announce the launch of a Cop Watch Web site in conjunction with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, a human rights organization. Cop Watch is a community-based program that trains citizens in police monitoring. Chapters organize patrol groups, who record and take notes on police interdictions in their neighborhoods. The Web site will list Cop Watch chapters in the community and offer training resources for citizens interested in started projects, Cox said.

For more information, call ACLU Executive Director Nsombi Lambright at 601-354-3408, or Brent Cox at 601-502-5520.