Family and friends we need your help. If James Archibald has impacted your life in anyway please take the time to read part of his story, donate, and share with others...
When James first expressed his desire to be a police officer, we thought that was part of every little boys’ dreams. After all, a new trajectory emerged as young James participated and topped in extra-curricular sport activities. So one day he wanted to be a footballer, then a baseballer, then a basketball player. He earned a football scholarship to Minnesota State College, where he was majoring in criminal justice. However, when his stepmother, a term that James never uses, as she is simply “mom”, was struck with breast cancer, and sister-in law- Laurilyn was battling the same disease, Jimmy returned home to Miami. Thinking that probably medical science was the direction to go, he completed the EMT Program and focused on the paramedic component. However, Jimmy still desired to be in the criminal justice system. In addition to family support, he had backing of childhood friends who are law enforcement officers; he joined the Police Academy. Jimmy completed the program on schedule and was finally at professional contentment.
Just a few months later, the Miami Police department honored James for excellence in life-saving efforts. A year later, he married the woman of his dreams – Lakiya Rogers and simultaneously became “dad” to his step-daughter, (a term that he never uses), Keemori – his pride and joy. James proudly worked long hours as a police officer to support his family. By this time, James was now an active member of two churches while working long hours as a police officer. So many Sundays, James, Lakiya, and Mori would be in church from 8:30- 11AM and 11-2PM.
Jimmy learned the discipline of hard work from his immediate and extended immigrant family as they capitalize on the chance to earn the American dream. So it was not by accident that Jimmy worked long hard shifts as an officer. He was doing the right thing, when corrupt undercover officers and FBI confidential informants trapped him and offered him cash payments. “Cash payment” for off duty is legal; we learnt that “officers prefer cash payments since overtime payment in the department is delayed for a month.” Hence, the reason we see police officers at places like Winn Dixie and Whole Foods.
The Real Story of Jimmy’s Predicament
The fractured relationship between law enforcement officers and community is well known. However, law enforcement officers are crucial forces especially in major cities like Miami, which implies that the group should not be stereotyped as being all criminals. The federal government wants to identify and hold officers accountable for noncompliance to their professional oath. But their approach is despicable. They use officers who are caught in a crime, and bargain with them to make a guilty plea in exchange for lesser sentencing. In Jim’s case, the report was that the FBI “wanted an army”; the criteria for selection was grounded on any cop’s potential for criminal activity which in turn based on criminal history. Jimmy has no criminal history; Jimmy was targeted for entrapment because his senior officer said, “he was always working, so he needs the money.” She offered James the “opportunity to make extra money”, and James having no reason to think otherwise, innocently walked right into the deception from whence he became “family.” The same senior officer noticed Jimmy’s apathy and threatened to make him “disappear” if he uttered a word, so his only recourse was to “comply” for fear of his life. Jimmy’s lack of interest and doubt of his loyalty to the corrupt FBI operation was expressed in a conversation between the FBI Confidential Informant and the senior officer in statements such as: “…it would be easy for him to float in the Biscayne Bay.” To which the United States Government stated in court, “We shut the operation down when we heard the threats to Archibald.” They noticed Jimmy’s reluctance to “hang out” with “this family” as he declined opportunities to “break bread” with them. From the videos shown in court, “it was clear to a blind man” that Jimmy was averse to being in the company of the “drug dealers”; Jimmy lied to “the family” about having an off-duty shift. That was when Jimmy was told that “the big Boss wants to meet him at the restaurant” to reassure him of his family’s safety. When he got there, an austere Hispanic-looking man ordered him to put his phone back in the car and to advance to another awaiting vehicle. Jimmy was unarmed and vulnerable. By then, he had seen everyone, and they also knew him and his family and whereabouts, but the United States Government contended that Jimmy should have told those drug dealers “I’m out” while in flashy car, while looking at their security outside, and while the Hispanic-looking man was sitting right behind him in the car.
Our son, brother, husband, dad, grandson, nephew, cousin, Music minister, god-father, a young hardworking rookie who could add to the sustainability of the profession of law enforcement, was charged with five counts and deemed guilty on two out of five counts. This is the crime; this is injustice; it is bigotry to say the least covered up by using a black prosecutor to mask the “Egyptian against Egyptian” curse in Isaiah 19:2. Ten o’clock that night after the verdict, Jimmy spoke calmly reminding us: “God is in Control” and “we know the God we serve.” Out of continued respect, he turned to the judge and said, “Thank you, your honor.”
Stage 2 – TheFight4JamesA continues
We solicit your kind assistance to continue the fight for Jimmy’s life. The real James Archibald is in good spirits. He continues to keeps us focused on the authentic issues; for he knows that this situation is temporary because “we know the God we serve.” On September 6, 2019 James was sentenced to serve 10 years in a federal prison. We need all the prayers available, the positive thoughts, and the well wishes. Those divine attributes will definitely satisfy the spiritual portion and while those efforts are excellent, more is required to pay the exorbitant representation costs to continue the fight. We ask you for your donations to assist us in this fight. Many of our young people of color are institutionalized in prison because they have no /or inadequate support.
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When James first expressed his desire to be a police officer, we thought that was part of every little boys’ dreams. After all, a new trajectory emerged as young James participated and topped in extra-curricular sport activities. So one day he wanted to be a footballer, then a baseballer, then a basketball player. He earned a football scholarship to Minnesota State College, where he was majoring in criminal justice. However, when his stepmother, a term that James never uses, as she is simply “mom”, was struck with breast cancer, and sister-in law- Laurilyn was battling the same disease, Jimmy returned home to Miami. Thinking that probably medical science was the direction to go, he completed the EMT Program and focused on the paramedic component. However, Jimmy still desired to be in the criminal justice system. In addition to family support, he had backing of childhood friends who are law enforcement officers; he joined the Police Academy. Jimmy completed the program on schedule and was finally at professional contentment.
Just a few months later, the Miami Police department honored James for excellence in life-saving efforts. A year later, he married the woman of his dreams – Lakiya Rogers and simultaneously became “dad” to his step-daughter, (a term that he never uses), Keemori – his pride and joy. James proudly worked long hours as a police officer to support his family. By this time, James was now an active member of two churches while working long hours as a police officer. So many Sundays, James, Lakiya, and Mori would be in church from 8:30- 11AM and 11-2PM.
Jimmy learned the discipline of hard work from his immediate and extended immigrant family as they capitalize on the chance to earn the American dream. So it was not by accident that Jimmy worked long hard shifts as an officer. He was doing the right thing, when corrupt undercover officers and FBI confidential informants trapped him and offered him cash payments. “Cash payment” for off duty is legal; we learnt that “officers prefer cash payments since overtime payment in the department is delayed for a month.” Hence, the reason we see police officers at places like Winn Dixie and Whole Foods.
The Real Story of Jimmy’s Predicament
The fractured relationship between law enforcement officers and community is well known. However, law enforcement officers are crucial forces especially in major cities like Miami, which implies that the group should not be stereotyped as being all criminals. The federal government wants to identify and hold officers accountable for noncompliance to their professional oath. But their approach is despicable. They use officers who are caught in a crime, and bargain with them to make a guilty plea in exchange for lesser sentencing. In Jim’s case, the report was that the FBI “wanted an army”; the criteria for selection was grounded on any cop’s potential for criminal activity which in turn based on criminal history. Jimmy has no criminal history; Jimmy was targeted for entrapment because his senior officer said, “he was always working, so he needs the money.” She offered James the “opportunity to make extra money”, and James having no reason to think otherwise, innocently walked right into the deception from whence he became “family.” The same senior officer noticed Jimmy’s apathy and threatened to make him “disappear” if he uttered a word, so his only recourse was to “comply” for fear of his life. Jimmy’s lack of interest and doubt of his loyalty to the corrupt FBI operation was expressed in a conversation between the FBI Confidential Informant and the senior officer in statements such as: “…it would be easy for him to float in the Biscayne Bay.” To which the United States Government stated in court, “We shut the operation down when we heard the threats to Archibald.” They noticed Jimmy’s reluctance to “hang out” with “this family” as he declined opportunities to “break bread” with them. From the videos shown in court, “it was clear to a blind man” that Jimmy was averse to being in the company of the “drug dealers”; Jimmy lied to “the family” about having an off-duty shift. That was when Jimmy was told that “the big Boss wants to meet him at the restaurant” to reassure him of his family’s safety. When he got there, an austere Hispanic-looking man ordered him to put his phone back in the car and to advance to another awaiting vehicle. Jimmy was unarmed and vulnerable. By then, he had seen everyone, and they also knew him and his family and whereabouts, but the United States Government contended that Jimmy should have told those drug dealers “I’m out” while in flashy car, while looking at their security outside, and while the Hispanic-looking man was sitting right behind him in the car.
Our son, brother, husband, dad, grandson, nephew, cousin, Music minister, god-father, a young hardworking rookie who could add to the sustainability of the profession of law enforcement, was charged with five counts and deemed guilty on two out of five counts. This is the crime; this is injustice; it is bigotry to say the least covered up by using a black prosecutor to mask the “Egyptian against Egyptian” curse in Isaiah 19:2. Ten o’clock that night after the verdict, Jimmy spoke calmly reminding us: “God is in Control” and “we know the God we serve.” Out of continued respect, he turned to the judge and said, “Thank you, your honor.”
Stage 2 – TheFight4JamesA continues
We solicit your kind assistance to continue the fight for Jimmy’s life. The real James Archibald is in good spirits. He continues to keeps us focused on the authentic issues; for he knows that this situation is temporary because “we know the God we serve.” On September 6, 2019 James was sentenced to serve 10 years in a federal prison. We need all the prayers available, the positive thoughts, and the well wishes. Those divine attributes will definitely satisfy the spiritual portion and while those efforts are excellent, more is required to pay the exorbitant representation costs to continue the fight. We ask you for your donations to assist us in this fight. Many of our young people of color are institutionalized in prison because they have no /or inadequate support.
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