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At the time, police were reacting to a fight that occurred outside the bar, and Henry was not involved in any illegal activity.
Henry's parents, Angela and Danroy Henry, are asking that Attorney General Eric Holder investigate the shooting, as they do not trust that local law enforcement has been unbiased in their investigation. Someone from inside the police force leaked Henry's blood alcohol level to the media, which was reportedly above the legal limit. This contradicts accounts by others that Henry was the designated driver for the group with whom he was traveling.
"We share a great concern. Because the information that's being leaked is coming from a department that's trying to investigate itself. And we just find that hard to believe," said DJ's mother, Angela.
DJ's father, Danroy said "we've always been trying to pursue the truth. What we're worried about now is that we're going to be fighting against people who are going to try to deny us that truth."
The Henry family is taking the right approach to finding out what happened to their son. Given that he was not involved in the fight that police were investigating, it's hard to imagine that he should have been subject to such a harsh use of deadly force. The story is further complicated by the fact that the officers' version of events has been contradicted by the accounts of many of the witnesses.
There are a few thoughts that come to mind when I read about the shooting of DJ Henry. First, I think about the fact that police departments in many cities across America are fundamentally designed to deny citizens access to truth and justice. When abnormalities occur within many departments, it's not out of the question to expect that officers are going to cover for one another. That's why independent investigations are sometimes necessary.
Secondly, Henry's shooting reminds all young people of the importance of being very careful in any situation involving the police. Although DJ wasn't connected to the event that led to the police presence, he'd quickly been engulfed by the umbrella of brutal police authority. Officers are trained to use all necessary force to take control of a situation, and a crowded nightclub is exactly the kind of place where officers might feel their authority would be threatened. Any sudden moves, talking back, or fighting with police can lead to horrific consequences.
Third, in light of the point I just made about officers taking control of their environment, I am not implying that this is the right approach. There are many who have would legitimately question the boundaries of police authority and why officers have the right to be mean and disrespectful to law-abiding citizens. While many officers are helpful and polite, there are quite a few who seem to get a kick out of mistreating people for disobeying even the tiniest of orders. This has got to change.
I look forward to finding out what happens with the shooting of DJ Henry. I hope his family gets the justice they deserve. I could see from the sadness in DJ's father's eyes that the damage is eternal, and this is the kind of case where there is no happy ending for any of us.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (9)
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By: John Lindsay on 10/27/2010 3:07AM
Good article, Boyce!
Now let's await the avalanche of responses attacking you...rather than the issue you wrote about. :>)
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By: caicshen on 10/27/2010 10:20AM
DJ's father, Danroy said "we've always been trying to pursue the truth. What we're worried about now is that we're going to be fighting against people who are going to try to deny us that truth." I am an Air Force and single at present .I need a woman who can love me back ..I also uploaded my hot photos on Uniformedmingle .c om under the name of hoho212..It's the largest and best club for seeking Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Police Force, and the admirers of those who wear the uniform.I just hope you don't mind me being a soldier ...Please Check it out!I'm serious.
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By: bob on 10/27/2010 8:27AM
Borrable article, Boyce! The boy was drunk, parked in a no parking zone and ran over two cops. I can add and that is three crimes. One of the crimes was fatal, for him. Now if the cop tapped on the window with his gun, or pointed the gun at the car.... whole new ball game let the investagation begin!
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By: kim on 10/27/2010 11:07AM
As usual, great article Dr. Boyce!! Thank you for keeping our community informed & I hope you continue to do the yeoman work that you do. You are hated by our opposition because you speak out loudly on these issues & don't sugarcoat the truth.
@bob
The "boy" was black! That's it in a nutshell! Is was for that reason & that reason only why DJ Henry was murdered by those rogue cops. White males get pats on the backs & sent home to their mommies for far far more grievous offenses. If in fact there were any offenses in the Henry case. We only have the cops' word for that, which is always dubious to me. Seldom, if ever, are white males gunned down like dogs in the streets like Amadou Diallo, Oscar Grant, Sean Bell to name a few. All of their circumstances were doubtful, to say the least. Add DJ Henry's name to the list. The outright murder of black males by cops happens time & time & time again! Then you seek to justify this rampant criminal, inhumane, cruel, brutal, unjust behavior by making the victims (blk ppl)culpable. Take off your hood bobby & lets see the institutional racism for what it truly is! IF YOU DARE!
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By: icdatruth on 10/27/2010 11:25AM
I always find it interesting that people that have never had a run in with a bad police officer are always quick to defend all of them, while the people who have, condemn most of them.
Bob, why are you automatically assuming that the police were right in their actions? Why was his alcohol level released during an investigation? And when was it drawn, how long after he was shot? Has it ever occurred to you that since they could not find any other reason to shoot him maybe that was the only justification that they could muster?
Dr Boyce you have given your readers a great dis service by not telling the whole story. You did not mention that he was left on the sidewalk dying with no medical attention or the fact that his boys were assaulted by the same officers.
Come to think of it, how much damage could he have done to the officers that were allegedly run over from a parked position since neither needed medical attention.
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By: sundiata sadiq on 10/27/2010 6:29PM
I worked for Con Edison for 30yrs during that time i worked in Thornwood and Pleasantvill N.Y. While working in Thornwood i had a police officer along with his crew put a gun in my ribs and told me to tell my employer i may get killed working in that area. Con Ed had been forced to hire Black mtr readers and in Thornwood folk never saw a black mtr reader until the 70s. I had a Con Ed truck and uniform which did not mean a thing. One winter day a woman(white) said i was freezing and to have some coco. I told her if i sit for over 3 minutes the police would be there at her door. She did not believe it,i sat down and soon a plain detective care and marked Thornwood cop cars showed up to ask the woman was she all right. I was also the former NAACP president in that area. Google Ossining NAACP.
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By: Jocelyn on 1/24/2011 10:49AM
I watched a special on BET last night about this young man's shooting and all I could do was cry. Sometimes we are faced with these horrible realities,as this one, and all you can do is pray and hope that the truth soon comes out. I am a high school student and I am well aware of how things can get after a homecoming, but never should police resort to shooting. And in this case I believe they made a big mistake. This boy did not deserve the deadly consquences he encountered and an apology to the family is not going to cut it. They deserve the truth. The police are supposed to protect us and when I hear stories like this I loose all trust in the police force. I wish the best to the family and I thank you for posting articles like this to get the word out on what is going on.
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By: missi on 1/25/2011 9:54AM
I watched the special on BET sunday night also, and quite frankly I have been talking to my children and to my friends about this subject for the last year or so. It is a growing problem and is going to get worst. The thing is everybody knows and sees this and allow it as if we are afraid of the police dept. Do we remember they are paid by our tax dollars and work for us. Why can't we help not only this family but those to come. It will happen again and again and again. Laws can be changed If we could just pull together and get this to congress somehow. I cried uncontrollably when I saw that young man guned down by a marine, which brings me to this the police depts are recruiting unstable people to protect us. they are not being screened properly and for the african american officers that see this and engage in it just to fit in, well don't forget you don't want a sole to touch a hair on your kids heads of any member of your family. You had better fall on your knees now because you will reap what you sow.
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