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.
