Published: May 04, 2009 09:40 pm      

Black Panthers call for truth behind LaDay death

LUMBERTON — As temperatures and tempers soared in the noon-day sun, hundreds gathered at the city’s police department where the New Black Panthers questioned the circumstances of Lumberton man’s death, called for a proper investigation, and, ultimately for justice.

“We join Mrs. LaDay here today on behalf of justice for her son,” Quanell X, leader of the Houston-based Black Panthers, said during a press conference called to protest LaDay’s death.

Kevin LaDay, the 35-year-old son of Port Arthur resident Sandra LaDay, died early Thursday after a struggle with Lumberton police.

According to a statement from the Lumberton Police Department, officers were called to the area of Pine Burr in front of a nursing home about 3:31 a.m. April 30 in reference to a car in a ditch.

Two Lumberton officers discovered LaDay walking behind the DuPont Goodrich Credit Union and began to question him. The investigation turned into an altercation — one that lasted several minutes and resulted in the use of a taser.

Police have indicated LaDay ran, was apprehended a short distance away, then began fighting with the two officers.

LaDay was pronounced dead at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth after Lumberton police officers called an ambulance to the scene.

LaDay’s family believes he was beaten severely enough by the Lumberton police to cause his death.

“When police pulled up, he was on the phone with his mother. Instead of helping, they gave him a field sobriety test,” Quanell X said.

While Quanell X talked, several heated exchanges erupted from the crowd, some charging the death was the result of racial prejudice while others said they supported their city’s police, and questioned why LaDay was fleeing from the police.

“He had no guns, no weapons, but if you have four cops whooping the hell out of you, you’d run too,” Quanell X said.

The FBI, Texas Rangers and the Lumberton Police Department are investigating LaDay’s death.

Chad Williams, 28, of Silsbee said he attended the protest to show support for the LaDay family, and believed racial prejudice was behind the death.

“They should not have did that. I believe they beat him up bad,” Williams said. “If they tasered him five times, why did they have to beat him. I’ve been tasered before, and it knocks you out.”

Desi Ramsey, of Lumberton, said he supported the city’s police department and believed the Black Panthers press conference was premature.

“They need to let the investigation preclude,” Ramsey said. “They’ve got the FBI and the Texas Rangers handling it. I think they can come up with the truth.”

Ramsey said he was concerned that people were saying the residents of Lumberton were racist.

“There’s been a lot of media about how racist Lumberton is,” Ramsey said. “I don’t know of anything racist here. Is it our demographics? If so, then Port Arthur is racist because they are all black.”

Ramsey said he felt terrible for the LaDay family, but thought the Black Panthers should not have come.

“They belong in Houston, not Lumberton,” he said.

Lisa Addaway, 40, of Lumberton, attended the protest with her family: two sons, a daughter-in-law and grandbaby.

“I feel like this is going to be part of history in the making, and I’m here to show support for the police department,” she said. “I do feel sorry for the LaDay family, but don’t think this should reflect on the people of Lumberton. This just happened to be a colored man. It could have been a white man, and nobody would have thought much about it.”

While many voiced their opinions, others let signs do the talking for them.

Poster board signs stating support for the city’s police lined the street through town, and onto the department.

There, the signs of support clashed with signs of protest.

“The police killed Kevin LaDay for being black in Lumberton,” one sign read. Another sign read, “We will fight back against Lumberton’s KKK policies,”

Quanell X said LaDay’s family deserved the truth and the truth would demand justice.

“There is no way this man died of natural causes. He is dead of very suspicious circumstances,” Quanell X said.

The protest concluded with prayer in which Quanell X asked for guidance in a time of trouble and a real independent investigation.

“We do not come here for good police officers. We ask that you set your hand over the city of Lumberton,” he said.

Justice of the Peace Vi McGinnis has ordered an autopsy and toxicology in the case to determine the cause of death. Test results could take several weeks.