Source: gofundme / GoFundMe
Funeral arrangements for Jawan Dallas have been announced, but the GoFundMe set up to help pay for his homegoing service has been extremely slow to gain traction.
Dallas died on July 2 in Mobile, Alabama from injuries sustained during an altercation with police, who tased him multiple times during his arrest.
The family of Dallas, along with their attorneys announced funeral arrangements for the 36-year-old on Thursday, as well as a press conference in front of City Hall before the funeral.
According to the press release, funeral services will be held on Thursday, July 20 at Greater Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. The press conference will take place two hours before the funeral to announce the filing of a lawsuit against the City of Mobile and the officers involved in Dallas’ death.
National religious and civil rights leader Bishop William Barber will be giving the eulogy. He will also be accompanied by the family’s legal team including nationally renowned civil rights attorneys Harry Daniels, John Burris, Ben Crump and Lee Merritt, who will all give remarks.
Jawan Dallas died on July 2 following an encounter that the police claim stemmed from the 36-year-old attempting to burglarize a motor home in the city of Mobile.
Dallas, who was unarmed, was allegedly mistaken for a burglary suspect by police, according to family lawyers.
Attorneys representing Dallas’ family say not only was he denied the medical attention he repeatedly requested after being tased, but he also wasn’t even remotely involved in the alleged burglary.
“According to an eye-witness statement, Dallas was in his car roughly 100 yards from the alleged scene on June 2 when Mobile police responded to a 911 call reporting an alleged burglary at the Plantation Mobile Home Park around 9:45 PM,” a press release emailed to NewsOne said in part. “Startled by police, Dallas exited his vehicle and was immediately tased by officers.”
The Mobile police narrative claims “Dallas attempted to grab the Taser from the officer,” AL.com reported. “After a brief struggle over the weapon, the officer regained control and again tased the suspect.”
Lawyers are demanding that the Mobile Police Department release any and all bodycam footage from the deadly encounter to set the record straight.
“Jawan Dallas wasn’t even near the scene but these officers decided that he was a suspect and tased him until he died,” civil rights attorney Harry Daniels said in a statement. “This isn’t speculation. This is an eye-witness statement and if the Mobile Police Department wants to dispute they need to release the body cam video.”
The mother of Jawan, Christine Dallas has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses, but the donations haven’t been rolling in like one would assume. Since it was created on July 5, it had only 28 donations, totaling $1,775, a long way from the family’s $20,000 goal.
“Jawan was an innocent bystander. Although there was a burglary nearby, Jawan was not involved in any criminal activity,” the GoFundMe page reads. “He was tased multiple times by Mobile Police Department. Witnesses state Jawan fell to the ground after the first tasing, grabbed his chest and complained of chest pains, but officers tased him again until he stopped moving. This tragedy has had a huge impact on the family and has caused financial strain. Jawan’s family needs support for burial expenses due to Jawan’s unexpected and untimely death.”
If you would like to help the family of Jawan Dallas and support their GoFundMe, click here.
SEE ALSO:
Alabama Police Tased Unarmed Black Man ‘Until He Died,’ Lawyers Say
Video Shows California Cop Brutally Slam Unarmed Black Woman On Ground And Kneel On Her Neck
