Nmesoma Okafor, a defensive end at Campus Magnet High School in Queens, was putting his pads on in the locker room when police hauled him out and said he matched the description of the murder suspect: tall black male in an orange sweatshirt. Okafor told the New York Daily News:"I'm thinking lifetime in prison for not doing anything. ... They grabbed me (by the arm) and pulled me out the locker room," he continued. "I knew I didn't do anything. ...The detectives came and said, 'That's him, that's him. Cuff him.' "Coaches immediately told police that Okafor couldn't have been involved in the killing of 13-year-old Kevin Miller because he was at school all day. But he was taken to the 105th Precinct police station anyway, where he was questioned for an hour and held for four more hours before being let go. Police later said they let Okafor go after five hours because his alibi checked out, and on Saturday another suspect was in custody.
It is not clear why it took five hours to clear Okafor even though his coaches immediately said they could vouch for his whereabouts. Okafor's coach, Eric Barnett, said he was angry about his player being nabbed by police. When one of the arresting officers said Okafor fit the suspect's description, Barnett asked, "Don't we all?" he asked. "Tall, black guy in an orange shirt?"
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
10-04-2009 @ 1:10AM
kdconstruc said...
I can identify with this case of mistaken identity. I am also a tall man. However, I am not a black man (nor was I at 16, when something very similar to this story, yet totally different, happened to me). Also, I was not wearing anything orange. But, "all those white guys look alike" was enough testimony to convince the jury - 6 months. Luckily, the judge was there to save the day: "He's not white, he's a Jew." Year and a day. Oh, and the case was thrown out, just in time, just a couple of years later. Yeah, sour grapes on my end, but very happy to read about this quick resolution; a mistake corrected. Mr. Okafor, be happy it happened that fast.
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10-04-2009 @ 1:53PM
irenaiosbso2002 said...
This non-"liberal" white guy says: the NPYD acted "stupidly", just like -- yes! -- the Cambridge, MA, PD did! [The President should not have "backtracked" on that one.]
10-04-2009 @ 6:23AM
Andie Wuvs Me :) said...
Young man, find an attorney in the city with a name ending in "stein" and SUE the TNYPD (THUG NYPD! These Low Lifes pull these stunts because their Union and the idiot Mayor BloomDUMB permit this. If they see a person of few means as a suspect/target, they will try to pull a fast one on them. SUE THE TNYPD and if possible, go after the THUG Cops making the arrest for Civil Rights Violation! %%% AjM33771 *** says Ricy and Lucy where are you? LOL
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10-04-2009 @ 8:07AM
steve said...
This is worth repeating. . .the only way to stop this abuse of power.
Young man, find an attorney in the city with a name ending in "stein" and SUE the TNYPD (THUG NYPD! These Low Lifes pull these stunts because their Union and the idiot Mayor BloomDUMB permit this. If they see a person of few means as a suspect/target, they will try to pull a fast one on them. SUE THE TNYPD and if possible, go after the THUG Cops making the arrest for Civil Rights Violation!
otrpu
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10-04-2009 @ 8:14AM
bluv4jes said...
This country has a Black President and you still have a Black man get shot in the back of the head by the transit police in Oakland. This country has a Black President and you still have overt racism at your jobs. Someone white can do something heinous and it is swept under the rug. The Black guy can not even be involved, but if the company wants it to stick it will stick for the Black guy. This country has a Black President and you can get yanked out of school for a "murder" you didn't commit. What if they wouldn't have caught another suspect? Would he still be in custody? This country has a Black President, but you can't ride down the street in your own neighborhood without worrying about will you be pulled over for DWB "driving while Black" for no reason. It is a trip.
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10-04-2009 @ 8:56AM
buddycro said...
Unfortunately, blacks commit most of the violent crime in america.
10-04-2009 @ 12:58PM
agranon2 said...
Your obviously a racist.
10-04-2009 @ 8:14AM
Sam Rob said...
No other race of people gets treated like this......Even Arabs after 9-11 get treated better....
If you have broze skin and hair like wool, then you fit the description for anything.... I have been pulled over, stopped while walking just b/c i have bronze skin and fit the description, only to slap those retards in the face when I show them My ID and how my mother works over them with the CIty and they quickly apologize.
So Ann Coulter, when you get bronze skin and become a man, oops already there, then you can talk about profiling. Yes, it does happen and this young man will remember this and maybe even play on his mind for the rest of his life, how we was doing everything right and still got treated like a criminal for doing nothing wrong.
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10-04-2009 @ 9:00AM
RiZZo said...
I understand everyones opinion and some people outrage, but come on people, the kid was held in the precinct not in jail and let go after some questioning and 5 hours. You talk about solving one problem when in actuallity you're part of another. This society that we live in our answer to everything is sue this one sue that one lets try to so everyone. If it was your 13 year old brother or sister you would want anyone even remotely close to fitting the description question thoroughly. Doesnt mean the profiling part of it was right but there is no grounds remotely even close to bringing a lawsuit against anyone for this. You people talk like the kid was locked in prison for 5 years, it was 5 hours and hes home now and back on the football field....LET IT GO
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10-04-2009 @ 9:43AM
Yolanda said...
It might be a little difficult for that young man to just let it go. Being handcuffed and pulled out of school is really a life altering experience. Being locked anywhere his horrible, especially for a child. Since the kid did nothing wrong I'm sure this will be on his and his peers' mind for a very long time. I pray he will continue to do the right thing and not let those inept police bring him down.
10-04-2009 @ 11:54AM
dionna said...
when it happens to you and you have authority figures there to immediately vouch for your whereabouts...then you may make remarks such as let it go ready. The sensible thing would have been to go to the school office and check attendance records..that takes a matter of minutes not 5 hours. The NYPD continues to do these things and wonders why so many Black men are angry at them and why the badge doesn't have the respect to go a long with it. It happens to other races, but usually not as publicized and usually because they are low income. The rule is true...money walks
10-04-2009 @ 12:25PM
kas2023 said...
Obviously, you do not understand everyones opinions or their outrage. If this were your child, sibling etc. I am pretty sure your comment would be different. His whereabouts were accounted for, he should NOT have been take to a "precinct" at all. Whether it be a "precinct" or a "jail", 5 hours with our "lovely" NYPD can harm and scar an adult let alone a child/teenager for life.
Unfortunately, Kevin Miller lost his life but apprehending and interrogating the wrong person, by racial profiling is totally unacceptable.
Just a suggestion, before you profess to understand put yourself in the other persons shoes.
10-04-2009 @ 2:37PM
redconvoy said...
I think when a minor is taken into custody, he has to have his parents notified. I don't see that in the article. You just don't let that go! They can sue just for those grounds!
10-04-2009 @ 9:09AM
Fred said...
It must have been him the description of him was dead on. Along with probably several 1000 other young black men in New York talk about profiling what is our country coming to. Hey I have NO proof lets take a shot in the dark and hope the DNA evidence proves our point. Sad very Sad
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10-04-2009 @ 9:41AM
outanyc said...
What is our country coming to? Sorry, but our country has had issues with racism and intolerance since it's very beginning. Remember the American
Indian, Slaves, Japanese internment camps, etc. does it ring a bell?
10-04-2009 @ 9:31AM
outanyc said...
Outrageous!
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10-04-2009 @ 10:37AM
manny said...
BUDDYCRO...
YOU SAY BLACKS COMMIT MOST OF THE VIOLENT CRIMES IN AMERICA. WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE CANNIBALS WERE CAUGHT JEFFREY D.(WHITE) THE FBI PROFILES SERIAL KILLERS AS WHITE MALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF (i believe) 25-40 (NOT QUITE SURE OF THE AGES, BUT I AM ABOUT THE RACE) MOST OF THOSE PERVERTS WHO KIDNAP AND RAPE YOUNG CHILDREN WHEN CAUGHT ARE WHITE, THOSE MOLESTING PRIESTS-WHITE. CRIME IS CRIME IS DOESN'T MATTER WHO COMMITS IT, HOW DO WE STOP IT?
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10-04-2009 @ 10:38AM
ejljr said...
bluv4jes. what's your point? Let's see you walk down the street in black neighbor and see how far you get. You'll get the crap beat out you! But, the blacks will complain because we don't accept them walking down our streets! Every black family that has moved into this nice neighbrhood does not want to be friends with the white neighbors. We've extended our hands in friendship and they sneer. Guess who gets the most visits from the cops? Why? Their kids running amoke. Domestic violence. Pit bulls running lose causing problems. Some one white can do something heinous and it's swept under the rug? Get real! You are just ignoring it and focusing on the black problem. If I use the n word I am racist! But blacks can cry all they want about discrimination! We can't. I'm not trying to take away from what happened to that young man. It was unfair. I agree. You ever stop to think how many times it happens to whites? Why? It's never publicized. But if it is a black person, oh man! Get the ACLU scums involved. I could go on and on but I won't. I feel bad for the kid. It's should not have happened. But spew all our garbage because of him!
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10-04-2009 @ 10:42AM
user887506 said...
WHO CARES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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10-04-2009 @ 1:13PM
MiKe said...
would you care if this would you then shut up how would you haved feel if they put him in jail and he didnt do a crime would you be happy or better yet what if thy did this to you and you had to go to jaill for nothing