Press Conference to Re-Open case of Nicholas Heyward Jr. killed by NYPD, Brian George, in 1994

Joshua Lopez stands in front of 350 Jay St. this afternoon where the office of DA, Ken Thompson is located. Joshua Lopez was part of a group standing to find justice in the case of Nicholas Heyward Jr., a 13 year old who was shot and killed by NYPD, Brian George in the stairwell at the Wycoff houses in Brooklyn in 1994. Joshua’s Uncle was breaking up a fight between an undercover cop, who never identified himself, and a person Joshua’s Uncle knew, when he was shot by the undercover cop in 2011. On September 27, 1994, Nicholas Heyward, Jr., at 13-years old, was shot and killed by a New York City housing cop in the housing complex where he lived with his mother, father and younger brother. Nicholas Jr. and his friends were playing a game of cops and robbers in the stairwell of the Gowanus Houses, using plastic toy guns with bright orange-colored handles and tips. When Brian George came upon Nicholas on the 14th floor stairwell, Nicholas dropped his toy gun, saying “We’re only playing, we’re only playing,” but George shot Nicholas in the stomach.

Hertencia Petersen, the Aunt of 28 yr old Akai Gurley, who was also killed by NYPD in the Pink houses in Nov. 20 of 2014 by a ricocheted bullet fired by Peter Liang, who is currently waiting sentencing on April 14th, who didn’t even render CPR to Gurley. Petersen spoke on behalf of Nicholas Heyward Sr who’s been trying to find justice for his son for over 20 years. “It shouldn’t be so hard to get accountability for taking an innocent life”, said Petersen, “We want justice, 22 years is too long. Enough is enough”.

Holding a flier with the picture of the former D.A., Charles Hynes reading, INDICT CHARLES HYNES FOR YEARS OF CORRUPTION & COVER UP AS Bk’s DA, Nicholas Heyward Sr. spoke next with his support team. #JusticeforNicholasHeywardJr. Brian George was a rookie cop at the time of the killing of Nicholas Heyward Jr. on Sept 27 1994. “The fact is that it was a coverup in that case. There was actually no proper investigation done by Brooklyn D.A. Charles Hynes. I ACCUSE FORMER DA CHARLES HYNES OF A COVER UP. I’ve been fighting for the last 22 years to get the case opened up and reinvestigated. CHARLES HYNES SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED HIMSELF NOT ONLY FOR THE COVER UP BUT, ON THE MANY OTHER CASES IN BROOKLYN , NY.”

Nicholas Heyward Sr. has been meeting with the new D.A. Ken Thompson, who’s willing to re open the case of is son and do a new investigation and also on other cover ups while Charles Hynes was the DA. Heyward Sr., holding up an deposition that was done on Brian George in 1997, George stated he was Not on a 911 call as was stated by DA Charles Hynes at the time. George said that the incident did Not happen in a split second like Charles Hynes stated. “Charles Hynes is lying and covering up things himself”, said Heyward. “George gunned down an innocent child and had no charges brought against him”. “NYPD was claiming there were no witnesses at the scene, which is another lie, the children were there and witnessed their friend being gunned down. How can they state that there were no witnesses? One of the children on the scene said that George asked, ‘what are you all doing here?’ My son answered, after dropping the toy gun, ‘We’re only playing,”

Attorney and friend of Heyward, Roger Wareham, holding up a replica of the toy gun Nicholas Heyward Jr was playing with over 20 years ago in 1994 in the stairwell of the Wycoff houses when he was shot and killed by NYPD Brian George trying to illustrate the fact that this obvious toy could never be mistaken for a real gun, like NYPD claimed. During the investigation, the NYPD brought in guns that looked Nothing like this gun, the same toy gun Nicholas Heyward Jr. was playing with. NYPD brought in plastic toy guns that looked closer to what a real gun would look like, and NOT the toy gun the children were playing with. Wareham pointed out that the stairwell in the case of Nicholas Heyward Jr was not dimly lit and that George could clearly see the toy gun was not real. “Even if Nicholas Jr had not dropped this toy gun, George could clearly see that this was no threat to him”. When former DA Hynes closed the case,, he didn’t show this gun, he showed more realistic looking plastic guns. “This is the gun and Hynes had it in is possession and we don’t know where it is now”. “The Police Depts records are no where to be found, the DA’s RECORDS ARE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND. They’re starting from scratch with what ever it is that we presented to them”. “THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO OPEN THE CASE”, Wareham said holding and referring to the obvious fake toy gun in his hand.

Retired NYPD Detective, Graham Weatherspoon states, “Upon examining the records in the case of Nicholas Heyward Jr. I found that there was no case #. You cannot file material if you don’t have something to refer it to. It would normally have a case #, NONE OF THE DOCUMENTS I SAW HAD A CASE #. IT’S VERY OBVIOUS THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING ON FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. WE’RE NOT SURPRISED THAT THEY”RE SAYING THEY CAN’T FIND IT”. The New DA, Ken Thompson, is committed to search for these documents. “Charles Hynes came into this office off the back of a dead man. It’s important that we vote in every election”. “THE D.A.’S JOB IS TO ADVOCATE IN ALL CASES FOR THE VICTIM, REGARDLESS OF WHO THE SUSPECT OR THE PERPETRATOR IS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THAT VICTIM IS DECEASED. SOMEONE HAS TO SPEAK FOR THE VICTIM.” “We’re thankful to God that D.A. Ken Thompson is in this position to assist the people of Kings County.” “IT’S VERY SUSPECT THAT THERE IS NO CASE # ASSIGNED. You really have to ask yourself, How and why?”

Shannon Jones of WHY ACCOUNTABILITY formed after the choke hold death of Eric Garner “Is sustained indignation to police terror taking place in the city of NY and across the United States. WHY stands in support of Nicholas Heyward Sr. in the death of his son, Nicholas Nequan Heyward Jr. “WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY TODAY AND WE WILL PURSUE THIS CASE THE SAME WAY WE SUPPORTED THE CASE OF AKAI GURLEY”.

“Look at this picture”, said Travis Morales of Stop Mass Incarceration, “of this 13 year old child. A Child who was gunned down 21 years ago. WHY THE HELL TO WE HAVE TO BE OUT HERE TODAY 21 YEARS LATER DEMANDING JUSTICE. WHY WASN’T BRIAN GEORGE INDICTED?” Please be on the look out for more info on the case of Nicholas Heyward Jr. during the re- opening of his case by the new D.A. Ken Thompson

Press Conference to Re-Open case of Nicholas Heyward Jr. killed by NYPD, Brian George, in 1994

Author: Cat April Watters

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