The protest, held at the Quincy-Stanley Playground where Bodden was killed, was organized by the "Call For Justice" coalition of family members, friends, and activists.

Signs at the protest demanded, "Stop Police Brutality" and "Murder is Murder, Put the police on trial." Other signs said, "Bad cops are not rotten apples, the system is a rotten tree" and asked, "Who is protecting us from you?"

The coalition is demanding the police apologize to Ricky Bodden's family, that the officer who shot Bodden be prosecuted, and a civilian review board be established. Dana Gallop, a nephew of Ricky Bodden, explained at the vigil that it was important that we "come together in unity to stop this from happening." He also encouraged participants to sign a petition demanding Ricky be painted into the Quincy Street mural near the park.

Deven Gallop, a high school student and nephew of Bodden, explained how the vigil was built. "I passed out flyers at my high school. Other students were interested and said I'll see you there."

Flyers were also distributed in the neighborhood of the shooting and at nearby bus and subway stops. Gallop commented on the fact that his uncle was shot in the back of the neck, "If a person is running away from you, you're not in danger."

According to the police, Officer Kyle Wilcox saw Bodden and a friend, June Gonzalez, in the park. He suspected they had marijuana. When he approached them he discovered it was a cigarette. Wilcox demanded they submit to a search. The two refused and started running. In mid-flight, according to Wilcox, Bodden pulled a gun out of his jacket pocket and pointed it at him. A .45-caliber handgun was found near Bodden's body.

Gonzalez, who was trailing close behind Bodden, said he never saw a gun. He only saw it, he explained to the Boston Globe, when Wilcox recovered the gun and showed it to him.

Speaking from their lawyer's office last month, Carol Bodden, Ricky's sister, explained, "I don't see how he could have done what the cops say he did. If he was turning to shoot at the officer, why was he shot in the back of the neck?"

Stephen Hrones, the attorney for the family, said that when the marijuana joint Wilcox thought he saw turned out to be a cigarette, he lacked grounds for detaining or searching Bodden or Gonzalez, and both men were within their legal rights to walk, or run away.

"To get justice you must demand it," Terry Marshall, a leader of the coalition and of a local anti–police brutality organization, told the rally. Adding, "You get justice when people come out in the streets." Another speaker pointed out that it was the anniversary of the police shooting of Amadou Diallo. In New York, on Feb., 4, 1999, police fired 41 bullets at Diallo, killing him in the doorway of his apartment building.

A flyer at the vigil was distributed inviting people to the next Call For Justice meeting.

Ted Leonard is a meat packer in Boston.
 
 
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