Jane Anderson

Times Herald-Record

NEWBURGH – There was a theme of unity for the city and a majority of support for Councilman-at-Large Omari Shakur at Monday's City Council meeting, the first one since a video was leaked featuring a confrontation between Shakur and city police.

The 99-person capacity at City Hall was filled by the time the 7 p.m. meeting began. A few city police officers stood at the front door, refusing entry to a crowd of about 50 people who grew louder as the meeting progressed. Schnekwa McNeil called out Mayor Torrance Harvey for not moving the meeting's venue to the city recreation center to allow for a bigger crowd. Harvey said there was not enough time to reschedule the location.

McNeil said the large crowd should have been expected, after Newburgh city police unions last Friday accused Shakur of making threats and using “abusive” and vulgar language toward a police detective and another officer during an incident on Feb. 18. Body-camera video was leaked Friday of the confrontation.

Monday's meeting followed the regular agenda, which included a video created by Pastor Michael Flowers and Revival Town urging people to participate in the 2020 Census. After that presentation, and another one on Community Development Block Grants for the city, public comments were allowed.

“When those who are supposed to serve and protect you fail you, you're gonna need God on your side,” said Anthony Slade, pastor of Holy Temple UHCA in the city. He then prayed over the council, asking for help to “govern their decisions, that they'll honor the citizens of this city.”

“Elected officials have a voice,” said city business owner Michele Basch. “That voice was shattered. That voice was destroyed.”

Resident Tom Roberts said he was disappointed with Shakur's behavior. “I hope you understand how you hurt the city, and damaged the credibility of the council.”

As more speakers lined up to the microphone, the crowd outside City Hall could be heard chanting, “Omari! Omari!”

“I got here at five to 7, and I wanted to see what was going to happen with what went on between Omari Shakur and the officers,” said Carrie Robinson, elder of the Life Restoration Church in the city. “We were denied access.”

More speakers appeared to support Shakur than oppose him.

“He (Shakur) represents us and speaks for us,” said Paul Sanders, who attended the meeting with his school-age daughters. He later criticized the Feb. 18 incident as an effort to unseat Shakur. “Now we got somebody up there to speak for us, and they're trying to kill him off.”

“I feel Mr. Shakur was being harassed,” said Michael Briggs, a retired firefighter for the city of Newburgh. “You don't understand what it is to be a black man approached by a police officer in an aggressive manner. If it were any of the other councilmen, they would have been treated differently.”

Fanett Tallegrand urged everyone to give the councilman a second chance, saying that the public sees councilmembers at the meetings but what sets Shakur apart is that he is active in the community. “We want you to understand that he's a human being and makes mistakes,” she said.

Shakur's mother, Lillie Howard, who serves on the city's Police Community Relations Board, defended her son.

“There's good police here, and there are bad, nasty police here, too,” she told the Council. “You don't know what's going with the police. They call us (expletive).“

“Please don't use that language,” the mayor implored her.

Gabrielle Hill called Shakur her brother and said, “You can do 99 things right, but people will only remember you for one thing you've done. Everyone deserves respect. I believe we can get past this …and work together to form something our kids can be proud of.”

Each of the councilmembers had a chance to comment after the public-comment portion of the meeting. Shakur reiterated an apology he'd made in a statement Saturday, and insisted there was more to the incident that was not included in the leaked video.

Mayor Harvey and Shakur both said there was an independent investigation into the incident. Harvey added that he felt the police in the video showed “a great deal of patience and deference.” Harvey said he is working on creating an ordinance that, in the future, could make misconduct by a member of the City Council punishable by a fine or a misdemeanor charge.