On April 20th, 2020, dozens of citizens attended an electronic City Council meeting to voice their concerns about the recent arrest and beating of Urbana resident Aleyah Lewis. At that same meeting, Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin announced that Urbana Police Lieutenant Jason D Norton would be investigating the incident.
For background, a citizen’s video of the Lewis altercation was posted on social media just hours after her arrest on April 10th, and widespread criticism of the Urbana Police Department ensued. The outrage over the unchecked use of violence spurred Lt. David G Smysor, who appears to be UPD’s unofficial public relations person, to post a propaganda piece (article here) which attempts to smear Lewis and boost UPD’s image.
During the April 20th Urbana City Council meeting, multiple citizens took note of the fact that Lewis is a young black woman whereas her attackers (Urbana Police officers) were white men. The issue of race was brought up repeatedly during the meeting.
Numerous Urbana residents requested that an investigation be performed by a third party, arguing that an internal investigation would inevitably result in a cover-up. Mayor Marlin no only announced that a fellow Urbana Police Officer would be investigating the incident, but she had chosen Lt. Jason D Norton, an officer who chooses to live in an all-white town. Norton lists an address on the 100 block of McKinley Cir. In Philo, IL. According to census data, Philo is 99.1% white, and is not home to a single black person.
Unfortunate for advocates of having a diverse representation, officers with backgrounds such as Norton’s are not atypical for the Urbana Police Department. For example, David Smysor, who posted the propaganda piece on the Lewis arrest, lists and address on the 300 block of Weathering Drive in Mahoment, IL (98.18% white). Eric L Ruff, the officer who punched Lewis in the head, and kneed her in the ribs, lists an address on the 1400 block of Kimela Drive, also in Mahomet. Most Urbana Police officers do not live in Urbana, or even within 10 miles of Urbana. Nearly all of them choose to live in the all-white rural satellite towns. When these officers encounter non-white residents in the course of their police work, it would seem to be a novelty to them; a color and background of person that would be altogether alien their home town.
Many citizens who spoke at the April 20th Council meeting wanted the Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB) to review the incident. This would allow for a diverse group of people who actually live in Urbana to review how the Urbana Police Department handled the situation. Mayor Marlin, however, argued that the CPRB would not review any incident unless someone who had witnessed the incident first-hand complained. Marlin implied that witnessing an incident on video would not count.
UPDATE: Jason Norton and Chief Bryant Seraphin presented the investigation at the April 27th City Council meeting. Article here: Urbana Police Present Choreographed One-Sided Mock Trial to Justify Beating of Woman During Arrest