The Rev. Jesse Jackson addressed the community at Kingdom Authority Church, 518 N. Court St., Aug. 30. Jackson called for healing in the police shooting death of Mark Anthony Barmore Aug. 24 in the church's basement daycare center. (Photo by Nels Akerlund)

By Doug Halberstadt

Staff Writer

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is scheduled to return to Rockford today (Wednesday, Sept. 2) to speak to students at area schools. His plans also include spending all day Sept. 3 in town.

Thursday, Sept. 3, the internationally-recognized civil rights leader and peace activist will attend the funeral of Mark Barmore, the 23-year-old Rockford man who was shot and killed by two Rockford police officers Monday, Aug. 24.

Last Sunday, Aug. 30, Jackson addressed an overflow crowd at Kingdom Authority Church. Following his address, he invited members of the media to accompany him into the basement of the building where the shooting occurred.

He graphically described and recreated the witnesses’ accounts of what took place. Jackson pointed to the door where Barmore was said to have come out with his hands up and his head down. Jackson then said the police shot him and continued to shoot him while he lay face down on the floor. “He was shot here, on the ground, on the floor, according to eye witnesses,” Jackson proclaimed.

Jackson also told the gathering that he had gone to the funeral home earlier in the day and examined Barmore’s body. He described four gunshot wounds. He said one was a non-lethal superficial wound to the cheek and neck area, and the other three were entry wounds in Barmore’s back. He also said there were no exit wounds visible.

Jesse Jackson leaves City Hall Aug. 30. (Photo by Doug Halberstadt)

Jackson’s message to the large crowd was that we must seek justice, and we deserve better as citizens of this country. He is calling for the United States Department of Justice to become involved. “This is a classic civil rights case,” Jackson declared.

He also called for the citizens of Rockford to: “Seek an economic common ground and not a battleground. This isn’t about black and white, this is about right and wrong.”

Jackson wrapped up his Sunday visit to Rockford with a private meeting with Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey (I) and Rockford Police Chief Chet Epperson. Following the hour-long meeting, Jackson emerged and said: “It was a very fruitful meeting. Our request is a very basic one, that there must be a full, thorough, complete investigation; it should be a federal investigation.”

Mayor Morrissey concluded the post-meeting press conference by stating, “Our main concern is that we have a credible, accurate and honest and open investigation.”

From the September 2-8, 2009 issue