No Justice For Sister Jeanneie

Last July Jeanneie Muhammad was assaulted by a hand-gun brandishing White man after a minor traffic incident. In early March 2020, just before COVID-19 was declared a national emergency , the  courts  found her attacker NOT GUILTY on all counts  except one. On Wednesday Aug.5 he received two years probation. 

On July 16 , 2019, an African American Muslim woman, Mrs. Jeanneie Muhammad was assaulted by a  hand-gun brandishing White man, Jeffrey Calhoun, after a minor traffic incident   on Sanders Road and Colvin Avenue in North Buffalo. Her keys were snatched out of her car, he tried to take her purse and a struggle ensued. Mrs. Muhammad was thrown to the ground and Calhoun  drew a  hand gun on her and residents who had come  to her aid. Fortunately the incident  was video taped  by Precious Santiaga,  and posted . Sister Jeannie suffered damage to her knee and a concussion. 

On that date   supporters also brought  into focus what they saw as a clear  double standard in the way  Buffalo police treated a  “White man with a gun” vs “a Black or Brown man with a gun.”

When the police finally did arrive, he (Calhoun)  approached  them  to surrender. He  reached into his waist and   pulled the gun out  and laid it on the police car as  the cops  ignored   screams from onlookers  of” he’s got a gun!”

“So many of our people have been shot for less,” declared Bro. Dahveed Muhammad, Minister of Mosque No. 23 here in  Buffalo. 

“We’ve been shot down for having  toy guns and no guns at all.”

 It was a harrowing, traumatic, painful  experience for the soft spoken, respected young African American Muslim mother and  wife  of Dahveed .  , 

The trial itself created additional trauma. 

In  early March just before COVID-19 was declared a national emergency in the united States –   a jury had found Calhoun, 63,   NOT GUILTY  of unlawful imprisonment and menacing, both as hate crimes; unlawful imprisonment; and impersonating an officer. He was also found not guilty of misdemeanor assault.

He was only charged with  misdemeanor menacing.

How does she feel about  the outcome?

“I feel terrible because I went through something that really affects me to this day,” she reflected. “I’m still suffering.”

 Even though  it’s been a little  over a year since she was assaulted.

She said that her knee is still swollen and she suffers with anxiety and sleeplessness.  

“I’m not ok. I’m not 100%,” she admits.

She credits her belief and strong faith in God with being able to persevere. 

Calhoun, her attacker, was scheduled for “sentencing” on Wednesday, August 5, where he faced up to a year in jail.

The final outcome; He did  not receive jail time, he received two years probation, one month with an ankle bracelet and his pistol permit was revoked during his probation.

Two  years probation for dehumanizing an innocent unarmed   Black woman, wife and mother, wrestling her to the ground, impersonating  a police officer, holding her against her will,  pulling a gun and according to Sis. Jeanneie, he also used a racial slur (the “n” word) to refer  to her.  

Before the sentencing, Sister Jeanne was allowed to read her victims impact statement to the courts.

“Do I feel that I received  justice?” she asked rhetorically. “No.”

“I just go with God…with  Allah, ”she concluded.