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Indybay Feature

RCNV and Santa Cruz NAACP Party with Cop Who Broke Elderly Woman's Arm

by Black Lives Matter in Santa Cruz
The Resource Center for Nonviolence (RCNV), the Santa Cruz Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and Garfield Park Community Church partnered to throw a party with the goal of bringing together the police with the social justice community in Santa Cruz. The party was called the "NAACP Peace Party" and was held at Garfield Park Community Church on August 28. The church even skipped a worship service that day to set up for the "party". Santa Cruz Police Department Officers and Santa Cruz County Sheriffs were invited. Among the officers that showed up to the party was Santa Cruz Police Lt. Christian LeMoss, who broke the arm of 60 year old disabled woman Donna Deiss when he arrested her on May 9th, 2008. He was a Sergeant with the department then.
christian_lemoss_santa_cruz_police_scpd_2008.jpg
Partying with a police officer who broke a 60 year old disabled woman's arm in the name of "peace" puts the community at increased risk to police violence, and it shows just how insensitive, and ultimately irrelevant, so many of these so called "social justice" organizations are in Santa Cruz.

Besides mingling with the police, the event featured: food trucks, prize drawings, bounce houses, a performance by Aerial Arts Santa Cruz, an exotic petting zoo by Pet Shop Santa Cruz, music by DJ SPARKLE, an escape room by EXIT Santa Cruz, a cake walk, Pokemon lures, and a Racial bias awareness scavenger hunt and discussion.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel interviewed Lt. Christian LeMoss for their story about the "peace party" which was published on August 28. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Lt. Christian LeMoss of the Santa Cruz Police Department said he was please to be invited.
“It’s great to mix with the community, say hello and support their cause,” LeMoss said. “Pretty good way to spend part of the afternoon.”

The Sentinel also interviewed a Santa Cruz NAACP member who said this about inviting the police to the "party":

“It’s about community building. We invited them in an effort to help everyone get along and get to know one another”.

In 2008 the Santa Cruz Police tried to blame Donna Deiss for what happened to her when Lt. Christian LeMoss broke her arm. The police said that LeMoss was trying to detain Donna Deiss when he was investigating reports of marijuana use along West Cliff Drive.

Donna Deiss said she was simply trying to enter her vehicle and had her back to LeMoss when he approached her. She didn't realize she was being arrested. She described the violent encounter with LeMoss in her own words in 2008:

"I went to my RV to put sugar in a half paper cup of lukewarm coffee. I grabbed the slanted handicap grabbar on the right side of my doorwary as the step is missing and it takes strenth to step inside as it is about three feet up. As I reached behind me to close the door, Sgt LeMoss pinched and deliberately broke my upper right arm twisting my arm behind my back and throwing me out of the RV against the car parked next to me, spilling coffee on my skin, tank top, the yellow 280 Z parked next to me and on my white Sunrader RV. He put me in handcuffs althogh I screamed my arm was brohen, but he threw me onto the blacktop and put his boot on my chest swinging his billy club and hitting me while threatening all others from helping me with his billy club. I screamed for 20 or 30 minutes before anyone would call 911 and was taken to Watsonville Hospital wher xrays claearly show a fracture of the top of the right humurus bone. After 5 days the bruises are still dark purple and I am scheduled to see an orthorpedic surgeon for surgury tommorrow."

When the Santa Cruz NAACP first started to advertise the "peace party" they said it was a fundraiser for "law enforcement agencies" and "local social justice organizations". After an article about the peace party was published on Indybay the NAACP changed the wording of the event and said they were not raising money for the police, but they admitted for the first time publicly that police officers had been invited to the party and would be there.

It appears that the police will still benefit in some way financially from the fundraiser. Garfield Park Community Community Church posted this about where the proceeds from the party will go:

"We are also putting together a free racial bias training seminar for the public in October. The police has been invited and will send some officers to the community seminar. After they attend the public presentation they may be willing to use it for themselves after the community event if it is good quality. There may be costs associated with this and we may need to raise funds for it in the future."

The statement is a form of doublespeak.

The police should be required to pay all of their own costs they incur for racial bias training and the process should be done in a way that is transparent to the public. The community should not have to throw fundraisers to raise extra funds for racial bias training for officers because local police budgets are already huge. Having community groups pay for training police is another way of expanding the police's budget surreptitiously, which is in direct opposition to the demands announced by the Black Lives Matter Movement Platform this month, which called for: "A reallocation of funds at the federal, state and local level from policing and incarceration".

The Santa Cruz NAACP seems to have conceived the idea of the "peace party" after police officers were murdered in Texas and Louisiana in July in retaliation for the police murders of two unarmed black men. Those police murders were caught on video and went viral; Alton Sterling's murder by police was recorded in Baton Rouge on July 5, and Philando Castile's murder by police was recorded in St. Paul on July 6.

Simba Kenyatta, the current President of the Santa Cruz NACCP, wrote an op-ed piece for the Santa Cruz Sentinel on July 30 which said: "the apparently reckless termination of young black lives at the hands of law enforcement in the United States, and the brutal reactions of two black men who exterminated lives of innocent law-enforcement personnel in two separate incidents should not only draw our ire but should also prompt responsible leadership everywhere to defuse the situation very wisely and urgently."

He also made this statement about the killing of unarmed black men by police: "This tragedy should not be allowed to continue because our future matters, all lives matter, blue lives matter and black lives matter!"

And the NAACP President also praised Sheriff Jim Hart in the editorial: "we wish to highlight the higher social sensitivity of the Santa Cruz County sheriff and applaud his novel tactics".

These statements from Simba Kenyatta demonstrate a clear co-option of the Black Lives Matter message.

It should be noted that the Santa Cruz NAACP, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and Garfield Park Community Church were all silent after two Santa Cruz Sheriffs shot and murdered 17 year old Cyrus Hurtado in Boulder Creek on July 9, 2015. Hurtado was suffering from a mental health episode when the Santa Cruz Sheriffs murdered him. The Santa Cruz NAACP exerted no influence over the Sheriffs Department to help improve their policies in order to prevent a murder like Cyrus Hurtado's from happening again.

It should also be noted that the Santa Cruz NAACP, the Resource Center for Nonviolence, and Garfield Park Community Church did absolutely nothing after 65 year old African American woman Sharyon Gibbs was found dead in the Santa Cruz County Jail on November 5, 2014. Sharyon Gibbs lived in Santa Cruz County for 30 years and was a Mother of four, a Grandmother of six, and a Great-Grandmother of two.

There have been six deaths since October 2012 at the Santa Cruz Main Jail, which is run by the Sheriff's Department. The family of the most recent person who died, Krista DeLuca, has filed a lawsuit against the County of Santa Cruz. Besides the County, the lawsuit lists as defendants the Sheriff's Office, Sheriff-Coroner Jim Hart, Under-Sheriff Jeremy Verinsky, Chief Deputy Jeff March, and Lieutenant Kelly Kent.

Why is Simba Kenyatta playing cheerleader for Santa Cruz Sheriff Jim Hart and the Sheriff's Department?

The Sheriffs Department is being promoted by the Santa Cruz NAACP and other local "social justice" organizations as being safer and different than other law enforcement agencies, when in fact the jail death rate is much higher than average in Santa Cruz, and there was zero accountability when Santa Cruz Sheriffs murdered Cyrus Hurtado.

Simba Kenyatta wrote in his editorial that the Santa Cruz NAACP will be "launching several bridge-building initiatives" in the future with their partners: The American Civil Liberties Union, Santa Cruz chapter, Barrios Unidos, The Resource Center For Nonviolence, Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ ), The Santa Cruz County Community Coalition to Overcome Racism, and Project Pollinate.

More info:

Sgt. LeMoss #114 Santa Cruz PD breaks arm of 60 year old disabled woman without cause
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/05/14/18499096.php

SC Police Sergeant Breaks Elderly Woman’s Arm During Arrest
http://www.cityonahillpress.com/2008/05/22/sc-police-sergeant-breaks-elderly-woman%E2%80%99s-arm-during-arrest/

NAACP throws Santa Cruz peace party, invites community, law enforcement
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/social-affairs/20160828/naacp-throws-santa-cruz-peace-party-invites-community-law-enforcement

Santa Cruz NAACP to Raise Money for Local Police
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2016/08/03/18789812.php

Simba Kenyatta Editorial
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/20160730/simba-kenyatta

The Movement for Black Lives Platform
https://policy.m4bl.org/
§Garfield Park Community Church shares a photo from the "peace party" on Facebook
by Black Lives Matter in Santa Cruz
sm_naacp_peace_party_santa_cruz_sheriff_garfield_park_church.jpg
§Facebook post about worship cancellation
by Black Lives Matter in Santa Cruz
peace_party.jpg
§The original flyer created for the "peace party"
by Black Lives Matter in Santa Cruz
naacp_peace_party_santa_cruz_police.png
§Lt. Christian LeMoss at the NAACP Peace Party
by via Facebook
sm_christian_lemoss_santa_cruz_police.jpg
Lt. Christian LeMoss (center), with Deputy Chief of Police Rick Martinez, at the NAACP Peace Party.
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by John Cohen-Colby
Lt. LeMoss harasses cop-watchers like my sister Patricia Colby and I in Downtown Santa Cruz. Later I demanded SCPD Chief Kevin Vogel fire him for his blatant harassment and misconduct unbecoming of a police officer.

I demand accountability not kisses from LeMoss for Donna Deiss and her broken arm.

https://youtu.be/tUAbBcjcpZ8
there is something fishy about this scenario, half-truths or something.

why would a policeman who broke and elderly woman's arm not be forced out, marginalized by the other policemen, if they are good? are they all bad?

this just sounds strange to me, now he's all smiling. either he is a psychopath or something isn't right with this story.
by Cop Watcher
There is no such thing as a good cop. They all lie and protect each other when any of them ever get in trouble.

The police lied about what happened to justify the breaking of Donna's arm. LeMoss said she threw a cup of coffee at him and that's why he broke her arm, but witnesses say she did not throw the coffee at him, it spilled.

Here are two more accounts of what happened:

"None of the 5+ witnesses I interviewed saw anything like Donna "throwing" anything at the cop. Their accounts (and Donna's) are that she was seized by the cop at her van, spun around, and the half-full cup went everywhere."

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/05/14/18499096.php?show_comments=1#18499518

"The Santa Cruz Police Department had issued a press release three days after the incident in which they claimed "When the officer attempted to detain Ms. Deiss she threw a cup of hot liquid onto his face. Despite being burned, the officer was able to control and eventually take Ms. Deiss into custody ." Deiss claims the officer never properly detained her, was not in uniform, did not identify himself as a police officer, and had no reason to detain her, much less grab her violently, spin her onto a parked car, cuff her, then throw her on the ground breaking her arm. The cup of coffee she had been holding in her left hand spilled everywhere including on Ms. Deiss. No marijuana was found on Ms. Deiss at the time of her arrest."

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/06/25/18511178.php
by For Clarity
1. Not one penny went to law enforcement. Also if the racial bias training that is of no cost to anyone goes well in the fall SCPD will pay for it for themselves.
2. You are misquoting Simba. Constantly and I am sure he will be greatly upset.
3. The goal of the event was to celebrate the FIRST steps in bringing about a better Santa Cruz.
4. This incident in your article was 8 years ago and we do not have the full story. Where is the report? Not saying this incident was not wrong, but you are only quoting one person who we cannot validate as being a reliable source. Maybe they are, or maybe they aren't. Many officers came on their day off to support racial justice at this event not just this one.
5. No one in any of the organizations you slandered was interviewed or even contacted. If you want to be a real reporter then interview those that you bash publicly then write this article accurately. You know? Report not distort. ;-)
6. There is no Black Lives Matter chapter in Santa Cruz. So please stop hiding behind that.
7. Some things were taken out of context in your first article and/or needed to be revised for clarity that is why they were edited on the event page?
8. If you have the stones to slander other people publicly why don't you attach your name to this article?
9. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THIS CITY? You can start by telling us who you are.
by Party All The Time
The person posting as "For Clarity" is 100% an organizer of the peace party.

It is sad they are calling into question the credibility of Donna, the victim of LeMoss's violence.

It is a re-victimization of her, as I do know she reads Indybay.

More than five witnesses came forward at the time of incident and confirmed Donna's side of the story, but apparently that isn't good enough for this organizer of the peace party.

"For Clarity" wants the police report and does not trust the words of the woman who had her arm broken by a cop.

"For Clarity" does not trust the people who are actually documenting police violence in Santa Cruz.

"For Clarity" is part of the problem.
by For Clarity
I am sure anyone who drops facts on your ridiculous posts are considered problematic in your eyes. I am not saying that this woman lied. I am saying I want to see the report and hear both sides before I cast judgement. Ya know report the whole story? Actually that would require this article being a credible source. Brutality happens, and it's awful. However this article is proof that lying happens in Santa Cruz as well.

Your insult is honestly a distraction from the other 10 points that you are dodging. But I guess why tell the truth when it conflicts with an agenda?
by For Clarity
Please don't insult whoever this author may be or make accusations about who it is. I would like to set an example that they could and should pull from. Insulting someone's integrity without proof, reason or cause publicly is never ok. I also do not condone body shaming. Not that they followed this principle when they spread misinformation about good people but still. Let's all be mature.

1 last point. The point of this party is working toward progress for people of color in our city. I think it was a tiny step in a long journey. You eat an elephant one bite at a time.
by Police Party All The Time
It's no surprise to me that an organizer of the peace party is having trouble telling the difference between fact and fiction.

I bet they know nothing about police abuse in Santa Cruz.

"For Clarity" is shrugging off what happened to Donna pretty comfortably I would say.

"For Clarity" said this: "Brutality happens, and it's awful. However this article is proof that lying happens in Santa Cruz as well."

That quote shows where the head of "For Clarity" is at.

This person seems so butt hurt that people exposed their police party for what it was.

I wonder how many ways this person profited from the police party fundraiser.

Important questions that have gone unanswered:

How much money did the police party raise?

Where will it be spent?
by For clarity
A) You don't know if I was an organizer.

B) Last I heard somewhere between $300-$450 was raised and every cent will be given to the NAACP to decide where the funds will go for racial justice. Cops are not getting a penny of funds raised. The Facebook event page addressed your lies about this three times now. No one "profited" from this event. Voters were registered and new membership received for approximately 10 people for the NAACP.

3. You exposed nothing. In fact if anyone has been exposed it is you. Your accusations are childish and borderline absurd. No one is "butt hurt" over foolish accusations.

4. Stop dodging the original post. You have been called out for intentionally spreading misinformation and not interviewing any organization you publicly bashed. I listed things in order that you have innacurately stated. You have neither addressed why you have done it, nor apologized for doing it. Answer my original points.

Also you are only making yourself look worse with the name calling. Many of these posts that have been calling you awful names by others I have confronted as being immature. How about trying to be mature yourself?

by Indybay Volunteer
Originally posted on Jun 28th, 2008:

Scan of Donna Deiss's Medical diagnosis
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/06/25/18511178.php?show_comments=1#18511820
by Larry
The Santa Mierda blogger troll posted commentary about the Peace Party. The person who writes this blog is basically just an anti homeless bigot/troll who sounds like he is a Take Back Santa Cruz member, but the connection he draws between Drury's kicking homeless people out of the church and his hosting of the Peace Party is interesting:

"Gotta give the Rev. Chris Drury of the Garfield Park Community Church (aka the “circle church”) big props for throwing a successful “peace party” last Sunday afternoon. By all accounts it was well attended and everyone I’ve talked to about this event sang it’s praises. The purpose was to try to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community......“progressive” critics (are there any other kind locally?) who were all offended that SCPD and SCSO were allowed to actually engage with people in a nice way. “Compassionate Progressive” seems to be more and more of an oxymoron locally. I’m sure they’re just mad they weren’t invited. Or maybe they’re just mad that Chris doesn’t put up with the general vagrancy and stupid levels of tolerance the last guy before him inflicted on the neighbors by running a homeless free for all at the church. I’m sure there’s some residual hurt feelings in the gluteus maximus over that."
by talltalk
why do the "good" police put up with having corrupt officers around?

don't they know it makes them all look bad?

these are all fake smiles on the faces of the police. chances are, they were there to intimidate, rather than actually care about anything.

this is a brotherhood. they cover for each other. we need citizen deputies. the police are corrupt if they refuse to clean up their own rank and file.
Christian Lemoss made over 200,000 in earnings in 2014.

??????

why is this person still a cop?
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