by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Raymond Robair died nearly five years ago. It appeared for years that the officers who arrived on the scene tried to help him. Now, some are wondering if they made the entire story up.
Officers Melvin Williams and Matthew Dean Moore stated that while they were patrolling the streets, they saw a man who was "stumbling and holding his upper chest area." They then said that Robair collapsed and that they drove him to the hospital, where he died. A pair of broken ribs punctured his spleen and liver, and the officers were cleared by an internal police investigation, partially substantiated by the coroner's report.
The greater problem though is that there are several residents in the area who dispute the account of the police officers. Several witnesses say they saw the officers punch and kick Robair. Also, an independent autopsy requested by the family ruled the death a homicide.
