Temistocles Ferreira, a community leader and hip hop artist, was assaulted and handcuffed by police in New Bedford in October of 2006. After being attacked, he was refused medical attention and a phone call, nor was he ever read his Miranda rights. Temistocles was then charged with the very crimes that the officers perpetrated against him. Now he is awaiting trial for five trumped up criminal charges from the police department that attacked him.
It is not often enough that we as a society are exposed to men of color who, through creative and artistic means, are allowed to express the political and social inequities that plague our communities of color. Young black men in particular have been marginalized and when their voices dare to speak of truths, they are drowned out; only to be celebrated when the lyrical content proves to be in direct contrast to what the community actually needs to sustain and positively develop.
Tem Ferreira has proven time and time again to be a man of the people, and has used his creative voice as a vehicle to speak out for and against the social, economic and political injustices suffered by communities of color.
It is a travesty that he is now in a position of having to defend himself for protecting his constitutional rights, and the court must seriously consider the possibility that a grave mistake in judgment has been made in the case of Tem Ferreira.
The overwhelming amount of support that has been received on his behalf should speak volumes for his character and should definitely give cause to re-evaluate the so-called "facts" of the case and determine what is fair and just.
Pleases take a moment to visit the website created by those who love and believe in him, and support him in whatever way you can.
