Got Justice?

At the Long Beach Civic Center’s parking structure, parked next to the parking attendant’s shed, was where I handed over the final seven dollars and fifty cents to pay for a bluish-purple payment receipt. She courteously handed me the change. Smiles were exchanged. The gate arm lifted: free to go. Receipts are generally thrown away, but I wrote something on the receipt that was received like a gift; it wasn’t something I could discard. “Blacc Mike receives justice.” The trial is finished.

Proceeding outside of the parking structure across the street from the Long Beach Police Station on Chestnut Avenue and West Broadway there was a tangible sense of relief for Ms. King, Blacc Mike’s mother. On October 25th, 2007, as I drove from West Broadway to Long Beach Boulevard to Anaheim and Anaheim to Pine Street to the 14th Street Skate Park, known as Ghetto Park at that time I thought about how the criminal justice professionals persevered to crack the case and deliver the results that affected the Long Beach community and beyond. Ms. King’s plea to her family and friends was to remain in love; do not seek revenge. Her longstanding response was clearly supernatural.

Just about two years and six months after her son was caught between a gang crossfire on 20th and Olive, Ms. King received the precious gift of justice. Ms. King was in constant contact with Deputy District Attorney John Lonergan and Detectives Scott Lasch, Daniel Mendoza and Malcolm Evans every step of the way. We need each other. Futhermore, during the impact statement, Ms. King forgave Blacc Mike’s murderers and cried in anguish for the premature loss of her son’s life. His God-given talent of skateboarding was beautifully summed up, “All he wanted to do was skateboard around the world.”

Ms. King and her brother Perm met James and I on West 14th Street and Solana Court along the curb, just past the alleyway. Underneath the rear of the PT Cruiser vehicle was a half-sheet of paper turned upside down. Ms. King walked around the back of the car to call her mother to let her know the result of the final sentencing at the Long Beach Courthouse. She was utterly shocked by what she discovered printed on the slip of paper. The message was deeply received as a sign from God. He was beside her this whole time: “Got Justice?”

Perm held up the right side of the sign and Ms. King held up the other against the salt n’ pepper street light post. They both wore white shirts that beam bright. After I took the photograph, Ms King’s arms were outstretched and knees bent during a swooping dance of praise for the sweet assurance she picked up off the street. The icing made her shout! She looked onward into the center of the lens with tender, tear-washed eyes with a new sense of living hope. As a recipient and giver of forgiveness she was free to go.