Racial Profiling Led To 4 Brothers’ Arrest, Newark Activists Allege

NEWARK, NJ — Earlier this year, Newark activists took to the streets to demand that Justin Rodwell be released from jail. Now, they’re looking for the dismissal of all charges against the Essex County resident, who has been accused of assaulting a police officer during a controversial encounter in 2021.

On Monday, the Newark chapter of the NAACP and local advocacy group People’s Organization for Progress (POP) announced that they’re jointly calling for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office to immediately dismiss the charges against the Rodwell/Spivey family.

Rodwell was arrested along with his three brothers – Branden Rodwell, Jaykil Rodwell and Jasper Spivey – after an incident on Fabyan Place and Cypress Street in June 2021. Police have claimed that the officers were "attacked" while trying to stop a man suspected of gun possession. But supporters of the brothers claim that they were victims of police harassment and racial profiling. Read More: 'Mob Assault' Or 'False Narrative?' 4 Arrested In Newark

While his brothers were eventually released to await their trials, Rodwell remained imprisoned for more than a year at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark. Meanwhile, advocates have held repeated protests to demand Rodwell’s release.

He was finally let out of prison last summer – after spending more than a year behind bars.

• See related article: 1 Year In Jail, No Trial: 'Free Justin Rodwell,' Newark Advocates Say
• See related article: Newark Activists Cheer Release Of Justin Rodwell After Year In Jail

Prosecutors have previously maintained that there was no racial profiling and that Rodwell’s case was moving forward “in the normal course.”

But local advocates and family members aren’t giving up the fight to clear their names.

“My family and I are grateful to have Justin home, and to know that my sons are no longer facing prison time,” said their mother, Monique Rodwell. “However, my sons should have never been racially profiled and assaulted by the police officers and the family should also have not been harassed just to keep us quiet.”

“As a family, we have endured tremendous hardship and our lives have changed forever,” Rodwell added. “The officers and officials responsible should be held accountable.”

Attorney Cynthia Hardaway said the family plans to pursue every legal remedy at their disposal.

“This incident is not isolated, and is a prime example of how Black people are treated like second-class citizens by the legal system with no accountability for the officers who engaged in blatant racial profiling and unlawful detention,” Hardaway alleged.

“The officers involved should be criminally charged with racial profiling and held accountable for their actions which resulted in the violation of the Rodwell/Spivey brothers’ civil rights,” Hardaway added.

Other advocates who have rallied in support of the Rodwell/Spivey brothers include Rick Robinson, chair of the New Jersey State Conference NAACP Criminal Justice Committee.

“The Newark NAACP is tired of Black men and women being treated unfairly by our law enforcement agencies, which often leads to the ruining of their individual lives and their family’s lives as well,” Robinson said.

“All charges need to be dropped immediately against these four young men,” he added.

Former U.S. Senate candidate Lawrence Hamm, a founder of the Newark-based POP, also called for prosecutors to immediately drop all charges against the siblings.

“We believe them to be innocent of the charges that have been brought against them,” Hamm said. “Further, we believe them to be victims of racial profiling.”

“The Rodwell/Spivey brothers and their family have suffered enough,” he said. “The POP believes the best way to proceed forward in this matter is to drop all charges and bring this tragic episode to an end.”

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