MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE11/1/24
Loved Ones and Supporters to Testify at City Council Meeting in Call for Justice and Accountability #JusticeForWaylon
Who: Family and friends of Waylon John; Johanna Holy Elkface; Johanna’s attorney, Sandra Freeman; representatives from Water Protector Legal Collective; supporters from the Denver community
What: Denver City Council Meeting with Public Testimony from Family and Supporters of Waylon John
When: 11/4/24 at 5 p.m. for the General Public Comment Session, Regular City Council Meeting starts at 3:30 p.m.
Where: Denver City Hall, 1437 Bannock St., Cathay Reynolds City Council Chamber RM 450, Denver, Colorado 80202
For virtual option, please register at: zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3GN7Zv99SluXrlm4UC8NLQ#/registration
Password: Denver
We are asking supporters and allies to attend in support of Johanna, Waylon’s family, and loved ones seeking #JusticeForWaylon.
Contact: Nizhoni Begay, WPLC Communicationscommunications@waterprotectorlegal.org
DENVER, CO – The family and loved ones of Waylon John will gather to mark one year since his tragic in-custody death. The community is invited to join them in a city council meeting where his family, including his mother, will offer testimony to demand transparency, accountability, and meaningful change in the custody of the Denver Sheriff’s Department in the Denver Jail.
Waylon John’s in-custody death on November 7, 2023 left a void in his family and sparked deep concern across the community about policing and custodial procedures. His family, supported by Law Office of Sandra C. Freeman, LLC and WPLC, will use this one-year mark to renew calls for accountability and justice.
The city council meeting will serve as a critical forum for voices to be heard, stories to be shared, and the demand for systemic change to be advanced. Members of the public are encouraged to attend to show their support and solidarity.
Quotes:
"Waylon John’s mother, Johanna Holy Elkface said, 'Waylon’s life was taken too soon from his son, his mother, family and friends and it wasn’t time for him to go. We miss him every single day and November 7 marks a year of his passing.'”
"Summer Blaze Aubrey, Staff Attorney at WPLC, said, 'Waylon John’s death is not only tragic in the deepest sense, leaving a whole in a family and community that will forever be felt, it is also an example of the pattern of egregious police, departmental, and medical misconduct that includes complacency of dozens of individuals. Waylon is not here today because no one held his life as valuable or sacred, rather they saw his life as disposable and then worked together to hide their criminal conduct.'"
Background:
On November 7, 2023, Waylon John died while in the custody of the Denver Sheriff’s Department in the Denver Jail. Waylon passed after suffering injuries by Denver Police Department and Denver Sheriff’s Department, and receiving inadequate medical attention by Denver Health and Hospital Authority EMTs on November 3 while being apprehended. The incident has raised significant questions about the circumstances of his death, and the family is seeking answers, accountability, and changes to prevent future tragedies. This gathering will amplify community voices and reinforce a call for policies that prioritize safety and human dignity.
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