Outside groups increasingly joining chorus against Downey Police

Dec. 16, 2011 by Ben Baeder

DOWNEY — A collection of anti-police activists and reformers from outside of Downey are slowly coalescing around the family of Michael Nida, who was unarmed when he was killed by police Oct. 22.

Since two weeks after the shooting, Nida’s family members and closest friends have been speaking at every City Council meeting.  They have been joined by a host of other speakers, most of whom were complete strangers to Nida’s family before the killing.

A member of the Brown Berets, an anti-police activist, and a labor union leader all spoke at this week’s council meeting.

They were joined by three Fullerton residents who are advocating for reform in the wake of the Kelly Thomas beating.

The most frequent speaker since Nida’s death has been Agustin Cebada of the Brown Berets, who often brings up accusations of racial profiling. He has several times mispronounced Nida’s name, saying it “knee-duh” instead of “nigh-duh.” Each time, Nida’s friends and family yell out and correct him.

Paul Orloff, who leads an effort on the change.org website to collect signatures regarding the killing of Kelly Thomas in Fullerton, also speaks at almost every meeting. He has repeatedly called for Downey Police to use less-lethal apprehension methods. This week, he read several passages from the book of Isaiah in the Bible.

Also on Tuesday, two members of a recently formed police-oversight committee in Fullerton addressed the City Council.

A young woman from Boyle Heights also spoke regarding the number of police shootings across the state and nation.

At the same meeting, Cliff Smith, vice president of a local roofer’s union, took a turn at the podium, telling each council member that the union and members of Nida’s family would openly campaign against every member of the City Council.

And nearly every time Nida’s friends and family are at City Hall, they are joined by Doug Kauffman of the Long Beach Campaign to Stop Police Violence, who often comes with signs calling the police “guilty.”  Kauffman attended the first meeting after Nida’s killing with an electronic bull horn on a strap around his shoulder. This week, he made case that all police agencies are inherently racist.

Nida, 31, was killed Oct. 22 at Imperial Avenue and Paramount Boulevard after he twice ran from police, who were looking for two robbery suspects.

Police said Nida made an aggressive move before he was shot to death.

Nida, a married father of four, was unarmed and turned out to have been out on a date with his wife.

Since the shooting, Nida’s family members and close friends have vowed to pressure the city to apologize for the killing and to address the family’s concerns about the police.

Damion Ramirez, a close friend of Nida and his family, has said he appreciates any outside support.

“They have their things they want to get across, and that’s fine with us,” he said.

In the days following the shooting, Police Chief Rick Esteves released a statement offering his condolences to Nida’s family. And Councilman Mario Guerra called the Nidas to acknowledge their loss. But, for the most part, council members sit silently at the dais while being addressed by speakers. Their legal counsel has advised them not to speak on the matter.

The Nida family on Nov. 10 filed a $15.1 million claim against the city on behalf of Nida’s wife, four children and his parents.

Ramirez and almost of all of Nida’s family and friends live in the Hollydale neighborhood in South Gate. Nida was raised there by the Thaxton family, who are his relatives.  Nida’s biological parents gave him up when he was a baby.

The Thaxtons’ other children all refer to Nida as their little brother. Nida was a rowdy skateboarder who grew up to be a hard-working drywaller, a trade taught to him by his biological mother, who stayed in his life although she didn’t raise him.

The entire incident has been especially complicated for Guerra.

The Thaxtons are related to Guerra’s ex-wife, and Guerra was very close with Nida and his family. Guerra, a deacon at St. Raymond Catholic Church, baptized Nida’s children. At this week’s council meeting, Guerra’s ex-wife spoke about how much she and her children missed Nida.

Nida’s family members and friends have vowed to attend every meeting until they feel they have been heard.

“You messed with the wrong people this time,” said Sierrah Teramura, Nida’s niece. “My family is outspoken, and they know their rights.”