THE MOODY RIOTS
After the trial, the
officers' light sentence and the previous exposure of the "throw-down"
gun in two "highly publicized" murders by the Houston Police Department contributed to the building tension between minorities and the
police, a demonstration was mobilized in Moody Park.
African-American and Mexican-American citizens banded together to protest their treatment by the Houston Police Department. The protesters chanted, "Jose Torres dead, cops go free, that's what the rich call democracy." Working in tandem, the protesters' frustration and anger produced a volatile atmosphere that quickly escalated into one of Houston's worst riots. The riot overflowed from Moody Park into Fulton Street. The result was the damage of businesses by the breaking of storefront windows. Additionally, there was the looting of merchandise and destruction of buildings that were set on fire which caused several millions in damages.
Forty people were arrested and three people from People United Against Police Brutality were charged with instigating a riot. Most of the forty people arrested had their charges dropped. However, the three from the People United Against Police Brutality were aggressively pursued by the prosecutor. Their trials confirmed the bias of the prosecution. In addition, a juror from one of the trials told of obvious lies that were presented by government witnesses which were later disproved by the defendant's attorneys.
A national movement ensued and the prosecutor and judge were bombarded with telegrams and letters demanding the charges be dropped against the "Moody Park 3." In The Houston Post, a half-page advertisement demanding the charges be dropped against all those arrested was signed by people across the country including many lawyers and law students. Ironically, posters stating, "Free the Moody Park 3," were even placed in the windows of Mexican-American and African-American businesses that the government prosecution had labeled the victims of the riots.
During the trial, many had risked careers to testify for the defendants. Convictions did occur but were overturned in 1984. In the end, the riots and trials had produced a solidarity within the community.
African-American and Mexican-American citizens banded together to protest their treatment by the Houston Police Department. The protesters chanted, "Jose Torres dead, cops go free, that's what the rich call democracy." Working in tandem, the protesters' frustration and anger produced a volatile atmosphere that quickly escalated into one of Houston's worst riots. The riot overflowed from Moody Park into Fulton Street. The result was the damage of businesses by the breaking of storefront windows. Additionally, there was the looting of merchandise and destruction of buildings that were set on fire which caused several millions in damages.
Forty people were arrested and three people from People United Against Police Brutality were charged with instigating a riot. Most of the forty people arrested had their charges dropped. However, the three from the People United Against Police Brutality were aggressively pursued by the prosecutor. Their trials confirmed the bias of the prosecution. In addition, a juror from one of the trials told of obvious lies that were presented by government witnesses which were later disproved by the defendant's attorneys.
A national movement ensued and the prosecutor and judge were bombarded with telegrams and letters demanding the charges be dropped against the "Moody Park 3." In The Houston Post, a half-page advertisement demanding the charges be dropped against all those arrested was signed by people across the country including many lawyers and law students. Ironically, posters stating, "Free the Moody Park 3," were even placed in the windows of Mexican-American and African-American businesses that the government prosecution had labeled the victims of the riots.
During the trial, many had risked careers to testify for the defendants. Convictions did occur but were overturned in 1984. In the end, the riots and trials had produced a solidarity within the community.