With Great Power Comes Responsibilities
On 6 March 2015 Todd Strader, son of Geraldine Strader, stood up
and spoke to Judge Bill Klapper. He repeated the same questions he had posed
just three months earlier on 19 Dec 2014 to Assistant District Prosecutor Shawn
Boyd. He spoke for the family, for the community, for the friends of 79 year
old Geraldine Strader. The unanswered questions are still nagging at all and
Shawn Boyd and the District Attorney's office must know by now, that this group
of educators, lawyers, entrepreneurs and the blue color working class and the
unemployed voters are willing to fill another courtroom to get answers. We
still want to know! But this time, we want the truth, not the hemming and
hawing that has obviously worked for other victims and their families while trying to get through the Wyandotte County judicial
system; not the blatant misstatements and quotes that are
issued out as a final case dismissal to those without resources. These
seekers of truth want real answers because underneath this truth, we
believe an inevitable change is waiting.
What family and friends are living
with is what seemingly appears to be a
disregard for life for an underlying purpose.
with is what seemingly appears to be a
disregard for life for an underlying purpose.
Todd Strader's Questions Are Our Questions?
"I often ask myself and others how can one’s death not align with their life and their works on this earth? Then I catch myself and ask the real questions, How can one who doesn't have a valid drivers license kill my mother? How can one in possession of a stolen car not be charged? How can one who fails to yield to police not be charged with eluding? How can one who is seen speeding by police seconds before killing my mother not be charged with driving too fast for conditions? How does a convicted felon obtain a gun? How can one that entered my mom's designated lane to kill her not be charged with failure to maintain lane? How can one have the audacity to plea to 41 months for recklessly taking a life? "
Why was it so important to the
State to minimize the charges?
State to minimize the charges?
What Role Did Others Play
What family and friends are living with is what seemingly appears
to be a disregard for life for an underlying purpose. Todd's question
gives us pause. Hmmmm? It's not just about the crimes
committed by Brazeal, but logical minds flirt with deeper meanings. What
roles did others at the scene play? What conflicting information has been
disseminated between the family's first encounter with Men in Blue in the
Trauma room to the Dec 19 meeting with the Shawn Boyd at the District
Attorney's office? Why is it that the family and reporters were initially given
one story with confidence, but were fed perpetual blatant versions of the story
just weeks later. Changes that continued up to 29 January 2015.
Joshua Brazeal admitted guilt to the 5 crimes committed, two of
which were dropped (one a felon) as part of an aggressive his plea deal. Out of
about 10 violations the Judge only received three final charges by the District
Attorney's office, yielding Brazeal 78 months to concentrate on his efforts to
changing his life from a criminal to an asset to the community. Lenient or not
Brazeal has to live up to his responsibilities to serve time in exchange for
his actions. And the Strader Family and friends will pray and encourage him for
his success. We bid him well - that he will leave the Kansas Correctional
Facility as a renewed man with purpose.
But what about the others involved?
What appears to be a disregard of justice by the District
Attorney's office cannot be swept under the architecture of 710 N. 7th St.
Why did Shawn Boyd accept Brazeal's inaccurate account of the
incident at the Court Plea? If Boyd had done the most cursory of reading (even
reviewed the police report) he would have known that there was no stop sign on
38th and Haskell going north/south as Brazeal had boldly stated in front of the
Judge, in front of Boyd who was entering the charges.
acceptable by the District Attorney's office?
A thorough District Attorney would have known the car used
at the scene was stolen. A District Attorney would have known the car's owners
had made a stolen vehicle claims, with a proper police report number filed. ( I
have a copy, why didn't the District Attorney?) He would have had it in his
file as evidence of correction when Brazeal falsely made these claims in front
of the Judge on 29th of January. Why is a disregard of truth to the Court
acceptable by the District Attorney's office? This is epidemic and must be
addressed.
As Todd gives us permission to question, we ask for the truth. Not
the changing truths as have been issued to the family from conversations
with the Police Dept and the District Attoreny's office, but the actual events
that happened that fatal day. We are asking for transparency, not answers to
appease. Transparency is what Wyandotte County citizens and those across the
nation are requesting. Transparency, responsibility and accountability
especially from those who have the power to protect and serve. This is vital to
protecting innocent citizens.
And, in this case knowing what exactly happened from the initial
Kansas City Kansas Police pursuit of Officer T. Bennett on 18th and Central
Avenue to the fatal crash on 38th and Haskell is vital to properly assessing
responsibility and accountability. It may even answer some of Todd's
questions.
We want to know all the officers who played a role, not just a
few. There was a city-wide effort to catch Joshua Brazeal. So we want to
know why was there an even wider net cast in the effort to reduce his
criminal's charges? Why was it so important to the State to minimize the
charges? And, why was it so important to accept the most ridiculous leniency in a plea agreement? Who
was really being protected?.
Kathleen Strader
justice4strader@gmail.com
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