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Groups plan to press for police oversight at Raleigh city council meeting

Justice Served NC is calling on Raleigh residents to pack a city council meeting scheduled Tuesday night to speak out about police-community relations.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Justice Served NC is calling on Raleigh residents to pack a city council meeting scheduled Tuesday night to speak out about police-community relations.

The group has been vocal in the aftermath of the Aug. 17 arrest of Frederick Hall and the beating earlier this summer of Kyron Hinton.

Justice Served NC and associated groups want to air their concerns about policing in poor communities. They circulated a flyer with a list of five concerns, including law enforcement accountability and policing vs. mental illness.

"We will bring our folded chairs and take our place at that table," said Diana Powell, executive director of Justice Served NC.

Powell joined Hall's family in discussing his history of mental illness in the days following his arrest, an arrest captured on video that showed Hall threatening officers and punching them before they were able to take him down with Tasers and batons.

Witnesses to the incident posted video to Facebook showing Hall fighting with officers on Garner Road near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Bonnie Kidder, who filmed one of those videos, said she believes the officers were justified in their actions, based on the man's behavior.

After a review of body-worn and dashboard camera video from the scene, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said the officers' actions did not warrant criminal charges.

“While this incident is unfortunate and troubling to watch, law officers are authorized under law to use force to stop an attack when necessary,” Freeman said.

Hall's family said he had a history of mental illness, and that police were aware of his condition.

Tuesday's evening meeting of the Raleigh City Council is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Justice Served NC plans a press conference at 5 p.m.

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