374 replies to this topic

[cw68]

Did the NAACP contribute anything worthwhile to this matter?

Deep pockets for the parents should anything be remiss in the investigation.

[D's TK]

Because too many people here want this to be a sinister conspiracy when it isn't.

Agreed. I can understand, in the very beginning, that some might have felt that the authorities judged too hastily the cause, that some might feel that it could have been due to race, etc. I live in Natoma Station...I was worried...I have kids that attend FHS and knew of Andre....I cried several times for the loss of this young man, even though I don't know his family personally...it all hits close to home for me. But I would find it very difficult to argue that the coroner is wrong and that all the law enforcement officials are wrong and that the evidence in the case is wrong. It seems to me that once the coroner came to a conclusion, folks would let it go and just remember this young man in their prayers and keep his family in their thoughts during a very difficult time.

Folsom500, how are you related to this? If the parents aren't convinced by what the coroner concluded was the cause of death, why would they say they have accepted it? I guess the question actually would be WHY do you claim that they don't believe what happened? It seems to me that, unless you had some info that would shed further light on this, you are just posting comments that keep people in an uproar.

[Steve Heard]

* from 1882 to 1951
http://www.geocities...ers-detail.html

Approximately 250 deaths per year in the United States are attributed to the dangerous sexual paraphilia of autoerotic asphyxia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm....p;dopt=Abstract

I know there are many deaths each year from autoerotic asphyxiation. This was the first I've heard of, or anyone else I know have heard of, including the cops, in which it was a young black male in a tree.

Most of us are familiar with the history of lynching, however, so that came to mind first.

[D's TK]

My husband is a mental health professional, working with children and teens for over 14 years now, so we have heard of just about everything, including "the choking game." Relatively speaking, the number of young people who die each year as a result of playing this game is miniscule (however, even ONE child is too many) in relation to the size of our country's population. What really scares me, is the number of kids out there doing this, and just by the grace of God, not dying - but continuing to feel invincible...and continuing to do it. We can only imagine the numbers. I hope that everyone in our community who has kids, or knows anyone who does, would talk to them about this very dangerous behavior just like they would about smoking and drugs and the like. It's an uncomfortable thing to discuss, but well worth it, if it stops even one child from doing it. I suspect that the children in our community who know of this case, have gotten a very big wake-up call. I hope no parent in our community ever has to go through anything this tragic, ever again.

[Duke]

...
Most of us are familiar with the history of lynching, however, so that came to mind first.
...

And that conclusion was premature and inaccurate.

[Steve Heard]

And that conclusion was premature and inaccurate.

Of course it was. No one is arguing that. It's just the first thing that came to mind based on our knowledge.

[New Girl]

Of course it was. No one is arguing that. It's just the first thing that came to mind based on our knowledge.

I know I am incredibly naive but it was not at all what came to my mind. When I heard the rumours I was truely shocked and horrified. We have all taken different paths to reach this point in time and our interpretation of events is clouded by our past experiences. This is the value of frankly exchanging differing points of view and helping others to see events through someone elses eyes.

I am still mortified that I live in a world where some automatically think that an event was racially motived - but I am the person who did not realise her daughters boyfriend was black until it was pointed out to me.

Andre was a very loved member of this comunity who obviously touched many hearts. He is a credit to his parents - I hope they can find some peace and gain solace from the fact they raised a child who affected so many people in such a positve way.

[Barb J]

I know I am incredibly naive but it was not at all what came to my mind. When I heard the rumours I was truely shocked and horrified. We have all taken different paths to reach this point in time and our interpretation of events is clouded by our past experiences. This is the value of frankly exchanging differing points of view and helping others to see events through someone elses eyes.

I agree, lynching was NOT the first thing that came to my mind when I heard about this. I actually figured it was a suicide. Maybe because I am relatively young (ok, 34) and not african american, lynching is so far out of my realm of thought!

Until I came to the boards that day, a lynching & Mexican Gangs coming to Folsom on light rail weren't even possible reasons for this horrible event! So glad it turned out to be neither!

Barb

[DrifeterDude13]

As a friend of Andre's I can't even begin to describe my anger at almost every single word on the 23 pages of forums regarding his death. I've stood firm on not blowing up, on holding myself back from lashing out at any innocent opinion-givers, but all I can say without causing more drama between everyone is please... please.. TRY to stop. Don't stop thinking, son't stop wondering, don't stop remembering. But stop talking. Stop arguing. Stop being bitter.
I'm not saying this as one of those "his family would appreciate if people didn't talk about it"
I'm saying it because Andre would not want a bunch of old people sitting on a website talking about someone lynching him, or him trying to get his jollies off by choking himself in a public park, or whatever else everyone is saying... yeah, we don't know how it happened. We never will. Cops and coroner say autoerotic asphyxiation. Every one of Andre's friends including myself, don't THINK, but KNOW Andre would'nt have done it. Noone will ever know except him.
People have said it before me, but please, please listen... His friends want Andre to rest in peace. Unfortunately, he's probably looking down on us and wondering why everyone just HAS to talk about the saddest aspect of him, his tragic death. Everyone always says "He was so nice, always happy" when a friend dies. This is not the same. Andre really the person on this planet who deserved this the least. I'm still wondering why it had to be him that was taken from us, of all the hundreds of people i know, why Andre.

Please... remember Andre. Let hm rest in peace.
Miss ya bro, keep skating up there.

[Barb J]

Drifeter Dude: Point taken - I completely understand where you are coming from and would most likely feel the same way were I in your shoes. No more posts from me on this subject.

Barb

[folsom500]

Posted with permission of writer: so justice does work here in folsom...

Finally, after a five month wait, the results of the Citizen's Complaint filed against the officer involved in the Andre Anderson death, and the officer's negative participation on this forum and one other forum, and his statements have been received.

The Chief of Police of the Folsom Police Department responded.
The response was brief and lacked some of the details we had hoped for. However, the Chief’s response states, in part, “The circumstances you reported were thoroughly investigated. Allegations of misconduct were sustained (confirmed) resulting in the direction of corrective action”.

Unfortunately those of us involved in the Citizen's Complaint may never know what "Corrective Action" the Police Department actually does. But I feel vidicated from the personal attacks I received from this officer on line. Through the investigation in Internal Affairs, the Captain's Office, and finally the Police Chief himself, all of our complaints were found to be of merit and truthful, and corrective action regarding the police officer will be taken.

Rest peacefully, Andre.

[Leslie_R]

Posted with permission of writer: so justice does work here in folsom...

Finally, after a five month wait, the results of the Citizen's Complaint filed against the officer involved in the Andre Anderson death, and the officer's negative participation on this forum and one other forum, and his statements have been received.

The Chief of Police of the Folsom Police Department responded.
The response was brief and lacked some of the details we had hoped for. However, the Chief’s response states, in part, “The circumstances you reported were thoroughly investigated. Allegations of misconduct were sustained (confirmed) resulting in the direction of corrective action”.

Unfortunately those of us involved in the Citizen's Complaint may never know what "Corrective Action" the Police Department actually does. But I feel vidicated from the personal attacks I received from this officer on line. Through the investigation in Internal Affairs, the Captain's Office, and finally the Police Chief himself, all of our complaints were found to be of merit and truthful, and corrective action regarding the police officer will be taken.

Rest peacefully, Andre.

I know for a fact that very few individuals even knew that a Citizen's Complaint had been filed against a Folsom Police Officer following the death of Andre Anderson and the officer's subsequent postings on both Folsom Forums.

The lead officer in Internal Affairs did a full investigation and spoke with citizens and witnesses. Even though it took five months to bring the investigation to fruition, all sections of the complaint were found to be true and with merit. Unfortuantely the full extent of the "Corrective Action" taken by the Police Dept. is not yet known, however, it does appear that justice has been served.

Let this serve as an example that the voice of just a few citizens can have an affect when they are courageous enough to stand up and call for an accounting of an officer's behavior and actions.

[Chirp47]

I know for a fact that very few individuals even knew that a Citizen's Complaint had been filed against a Folsom Police Officer following the death of Andre Anderson and the officer's subsequent postings on both Folsom Forums.

The lead officer in Internal Affairs did a full investigation and spoke with citizens and witnesses. Even though it took five months to bring the investigation to fruition, all sections of the complaint were found to be true and with merit. Unfortuantely the full extent of the "Corrective Action" taken by the Police Dept. is not yet known, however, it does appear that justice has been served.

Let this serve as an example that the voice of just a few citizens can have an affect when they are courageous enough to stand up and call for an accounting of an officer's behavior and actions.

How does a citizen file a Complaint? Is there a statute of limitations? The Folsom PD must have been on a roll that week, because I have a complaint from a few days earlier that week.

[jafount]

Curious. What was the nature of the complaint?

[EDF]

Curious. What was the nature of the complaint?

Yea.. I'm curious too what the cop did... I didn't want to go back and read all of the posts here, but maybe someone can divulge his handle....