4 Chosen

by Eileen Rivera

There are pivotal dates in the history of every organization. For the New Jersey State Police, April 23, 1998 was the date their unraveling began. It was the date when the organization was placed under a microscope and the public did not like what it saw. It was on this date that four friends, driving to a basketball clinic in North Carolina, found themselves pulled over by two state troopers. Without apparent provocation, 13 shots were fired into the van, ending four dreams of professional basketball playing.

The incident resulted in criminal charges and a federal lawsuit filed against the troopers. The term “racial profiling” became part of our everyday speech because of this case. Up until then, racial profiling was practiced but not spoken about.  In our post-9/11 world, the discussion is front and central. The ACLU even has guidelines and videos they share on their website for any situation, whether it’s a traffic stop or law enforcement officer asking about your immigration status.

Danny Reyes, Rayshawn Brown, Jarmaine Grant, and Keshon Moore eventually won their lawsuit and were given a financial settlement. However, their suit wasn’t about the money: their lawsuit was about proving to the world that they weren’t ghetto kids looking for trouble.

All four have gone on to become a part of the civil rights movement and have given back to their communities through basketball clinics and speaking at schools and youth organizations. They recently completed a documentary chronicling their experiences and have started a non-profit named Jersey 4 to continue and expand their work with children and youth.

Four young men’s lives were turned upside down, their dreams dashed; they have moved on to help others try to achieve theirs. In helping others, they seem to have found a new dream for themselves.

Copy Editor, Eileen Rivera.

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those
of the author and should not be understood to be shared by Being Latino, Inc.

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