"Unknown black male"

On Friday, Feb. 8, Antwan Cole lay mortally wounded near a bus stop in Athens. He had been shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting. A person living across the street heard the gunfire and dialed 911. Paramedics listed the 19-year-old as "Antwan Doe" and transported him to UCLA-Harbor Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:24 a.m. Feb. 9. He was listed as an "unknown black male" by the Los Angeles County coroner.

Cole lived with his grandmother. According to a coroner's report, an unspecified "law enforcement agency" notified her of his death within a few hours. But Everlean Cole, 67, said she never got that notification. It wasn't until two days later that she learned from a relative that her grandson was killed. The relative had been told by a neighbor, who called the coroner's office.

Now the family wants officials to improve the way they notify loved ones.

On March 18, family members held a news conference with civil-rights leaders to urge the L.A. Police Commission to address the issue. They say the coroner acted too slowly, that police never contacted them with news of Cole's death, and that agencies need to communicate better.

"Murder, violence, is harsh enough, is painful enough." said activist Earl Ofari Hutchinson, speaking at the family's news conference outside Parker Center. "The tragedy is even worse when next of kin, family members don't know what happened. When there's no notification."

Coroner officials acknowledged their handling of the case was slow but also said that Cole was difficult to identify because their investigators had none of his clothing or personal effects. He also had never been arrested. They said situations are rare and that his case does not indicate a wider problem. Sheriff's detectives who are investigating Cole's death said they left the notification to the coroner.

Antwan Cole was attending L.A. Trade Tech College. Family members said that on the Monday after Cole's death, they waited at the college and at a Unocal facility where he worked as a security guard to see if he would show up. When he didn't, Cole's grandmother filed a missing-person's report. Everlean Cole's neighbor, Gwen Williams, 53, later called the coroner, who told her of the killing. Williams in turn informed the family.

Family members said they drove to the coroner's office to identify the body on Monday but were told it already had been identified through fingerprints. They were referred to detectives investigating the case.

According to a time line of events issued by the coroner's office, Antwan's body was transported to the Forensic Science Center for fingerprinting on Sunday. His name was not listed in any of the local criminal databases or in the FBI's database. Many, if not most, homicide victims have criminal records, which contain fingerprints that aid in identifying them. Cole "was about doing the right thing and being a good kid," said his aunt Demetra Willis.

The state Department of Justice did identify Cole later on Sunday, but not through a criminal record. He had been fingerprinted for his security guard identification card, said Craig Harvey, the department's chief investigator and chief of operations. "Had he worked at McDonald's, we would have been back to square one," Harvey said.

Andrea Cole, 21, one of Antwan's sisters, said she could not understand why notification was such a problem. "He had a cellphone, his school badge, his security guard badge," she said. "What's the point of having emergency numbers in a cellphone if they're not going to be used?"

The coroner's office did not receive the cellphone with Antwan Cole's body, Harvey said. He said that if he had known that there had been a problem notifying the grandmother, he would have had the law enforcement agency try to reach Cole's mother. The coroner is legally responsible for notification, he said, but law enforcement agencies often make that first contact with family because it allows them to begin their investigation right away.

Anthony Hernandez, director of the coroner's office, said the office was looking into the case and "back-tracking to try and clarify who specifically made the notification."

The family and friends say blame is not the point. 

"We just want unity in all the agencies," said Williams, Everlean Cole's neighbor. 

Above, Eddie Jones, president of the L.A. Civil Rights Assn. speaks with Cole's family and friends at the news conference. Below, Demetra Willis and Everlean Cole praying.

Comments

[Neisha]

I personnally didn't know Antwan, but I'm so saddened to hear about what happened to him. I just wanted to let the family know that my cousin Donald Stephens was an innocet victim of a drive by shooting on May 2nd of 2007. The shooting actually took place in broad daylight and the detectives working the case never notified any family.. My cousin had his cell phone on him too and his car was also registered in his name... The killer has not been caught yet either, but i know he will have pay for what he has done some day.. However, I know that it is hard and each day you will ask yourself why? May the love of those around you, and Antwans loving and warm spirit help you through the days ahead. I also thank you for standing up for UNITY within all the agencies and i will keep you in my prayers.

[Shanon from Dallas, Texas]

This is my first time to visit this blog. I took the link from CNN's story on Jill Levoy. Thank you for putting a human face to these sensless murders. I extend my condolences to Antwan's family. I hope that you get the change that you are seeking from officials. I will remember him.

[maria e. cerda]

I work with Antwan's sister Andrea Cole. This is a tight knit, God fearing family. I totally agree with Andrea's comment about emergency numbers on the cell phone. I recently inserted an ICE (in case of emergency) number on my cell and if anything ever happens to me on the street, I pray someone will have the common sense to use it. I did this after reading an article in a magazine stating that police officers and fire fighters are being advised to check a victim's cell phone numbers for an ICE.
I am saddened by the loss of such a fine young man who had his entire future ahead of him. I pray that the perpetrators are caught before they do this again.

[in loving memories]

Antwan was my friend we went 2 school 2gether.. i nearly thought i was having a heart attact when i learned of his death... my heart was broke..... not only that i lost my best friend 2weeks later right b4 or friends weeding it makes no sense.. senseless crime and violence,, but they well get wat they have coming..,. killing innocent people they should be a shame of there self how would they like it if it was ther family or friends,,,, all my love prayers and thoughts goes out to antwan's family and friends...... and how do u name some 1 antwan doe and say he had no identification on him so he could not reach family sooner sounds fishy 2 me,,,,, dont it... We miss you ANTWAN i see u later

[This is a travesty!!]

My condolences to the family and God bless!

How is it that those in charge did not take the time to notify the family, the grandmother and others who cared for him, that this young man had been killed!?
This is exactly the kind of "kick the ball game" that riles so many of us who want to put our trust in those responsible for doing the right think.
This is not a game; not notifying the family who was worried sick about their loved one is not a game! I hope they sue your sorry negligent behinds because nothing could be more hurtful! There is no excuse that will appease and certainly none that will satisfy.
YOU WERE WRONG AND YOU NEED TO BE TAUGHT A VALUABLE LESSON ABOUT HOW TO DEAL WITH AND HANDLE HUMAN BEINGS.

[Mark]

I took a coroners class at college and had the opportunity to meet some of the deputies and staff that work there.
They are always quite dilligent about correctly identifying a body. Keep in mind that there are many corpses being processed at the coroners office and sometimes, one slips through the cracks.

Besides that, this story should not be about the delay in notifying the family, BUT THE SENSLESS SLAUGHTER OF A FINE YOUNG MAN.

We should begin to look at these shootings as no longer "gang related" but of street terror. The sooner society accepts it for what it is, gives law enforcement the tools and support it needs and the people hold their elected officials accountable for their actions, then the sooner this scrouge will be solved.

[alex]

My sister Jeny was killed in a traffic accident with a drunk driver on a Sunday morning and dispite having full identification & car registration with her, were not notified of her death. We did not find out until Wednesday afternoon (4 days later) when we received a letter from the impound yard about her car. We had reported her missing to the Carson sheriff, which was unless. Her body was actually at Kasier hospital, just a few miles from her home. My sister had two children at home who did not know what happen. Fortunately good friends and relatives stepped in to help. It would have been even more tragic if my sister had survived a few hours and then died alone.

[A Mother]

This is a nightmare. The pain of having a loved one missing and later finding out that he is dead and had been laying in the morgue unidentified would be almost unbearable. And that he was killed in such a senseless and cowardly way. How did they list him as Antwan Doe if they did not have any of his property with him? How did they know his first name? The ball got dropped more than once.

Family I am so sorry for your lose and for the added trauma you have had to endure.

[windu]

My sincerest condolences to Antwan's family and friends. His murder plus the murder of Clifton Hibbert Jr (a Northridge student) on Friday make four college students, who happened to be black males, killed during the past year. Michael Lynn Presley II ( a Northridge student) and Aric Lexing (who had just gotten his masters in criminal justice) were killed in July. College students being murdered in the streets of LA. Not the thugs. Not the gangsters. Not dropouts. Not slackers. College students. Think about this. Consider whether your own reaction is the same as the reaction you had when you heard about the two white girls from Auburn and UNC that were murdered (as reported daily in the national media). What is a black male college student's life worth to you? To America? What are you prepared to do?

[blacknews]

I think it is very sad that the Grand Mother was not informed in a timely fashion however at this point any news conference on finding her grand childes killers.
Jarobie Anderson
http://www.blacknews4us.com/