The answer to injustice is not to silence the critic, but to end the injustice.
— Paul Robeson
ABOUT
DIAMOND
RUST
Diamond Rust is a 21 year old young woman was brutally beaten in front of her 1-year old and 2 year old children by an undercover Metro Transit Police Officer named John Graham on February 6, 2018 at approximately 3:10 p.m. in Washington, D.C. at 615 Alabama Ave, SE. The officer broke several of her teeth and right knee after slamming her on the ground while her children stood by. Ms. Rust was arrested and charged with failure to pay $2.25 bus fare.
Under tri-state regulations, known as the “WMATA Compact”, WMATA is immune from liability for any claims involving its governmental functions, including police operations. This means that Ms. Rust’s attorney cannot sue WMATA in its own name for the civil rights violations allegedly committed by Officer Graham. Ms. Rust’s legal team has launched a petition with hopes of urging Washington-area leaders to put pressure on WMATA to amend the Compact so that WMATA can be held accountable for civil rights violations committed by its officers.
Please sign YES if you believe that WMATA should be held liable when Metro Transit police officers violate federal civil rights laws.
SIGN THE PETITION
The goal of this petition is to call DMV-area leaders and residents to action so that we can collectively urge our leaders to amend the “WMATA Compact” which currently prevents DC residents like Diamond from suing WMATA for the unlawful acts of its police officers. No other city, state or municipality receives this type of “sovereign immunity.”
Our DC Council members have responded to Diamond’s case (and others) by decriminalizing fare evasion. But that does not make victims of police violence and their families whole. Victims of police brutality are often left with injuries and severe psychological trauma that have life-lasting consequences. We need the Compact amended and conversations started before more residents get hurt.
BOSS KING Music Video
To raise the profile of the case, Attorney Ford has enlisted a production company to use creative means to get the message across.
For more details regarding the case, please contact the Ford Law Pros at (202) 792-4946.
