"*We will own up when we mess up, and if we mess up, we will be accountable,*"
said Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn before the rally.

Over 800 Milwaukee citizens rallied at the 4th District police station on Silver Spring Drive, shouting slogans such as “No Justice, No Peace” and “Fire Officer Kelly Parker” as they marched in front of the station on Saturday, March 29.

The protestors, primarily of the Hmong community, came out in support of Moua Koua, who was allegedly beaten by Officer Parker. The reports given by the police department state that the officer was absolutely in the right, as his life was threatened by Koua, who was behind the wheel and allegedly intoxicated.

"We will own up when we mess up, and if we mess up, we will be accountable," said Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn before the rally. "But I won't be a punching bag for a group of people looking to develop a constituency at the cost of a police officer, especially when the life of an officer is at risk.”

The Hmong community and their leaders, with support of the ACLU and the NAACP, decried the remarks of Chief Flynn to be premature and inappropriate. The three entities banded together with other public support and rallied to have their side of the story and concerns heard.

With a severe gash that was sutured beneath Koua’s left eye, as well as several other bruises reportedly on his body and face, many at the protest claimed that the act was police brutality “as criminal as the case of Frank Jude not long ago.”

The police report states that on the evening of Feb. 17, Officer Parker was investigating a report of a reckless driver when he attempted to get Koua out of a vehicle, who refused. Koua then started the vehicle, put it in gear and began to drive forward. Parker unholstered his weapon, moved to the driver's side and ordered Koua to get out.

Koua stopped, and Parker secured his weapon and opened the driver's side door, according to the report.

Koua refused to get out and began driving forward, dragging Parker, who then struck the defendant in the face with his police radio, pulled him from the vehicle,and wrestled Koua to the ground.

Hmong community members are not satisfied with the report. They state it would be impossible to pull out a police radio while holding your pistol and being dragged by a car at the same time. They claim he was most likely pistol whipped, contrary to the one blow that is stated in the police report; other investigations note several other bruises on the body and face.

“We are being scammed,” stated Koua’s attorney, Allan D. Eisenberg. “We have demanded the final police report, which they have denied us (the draft of the report has been reproduced and dispersed). The pictures taken at the police station immediately after the beating have yet to be released, and probably never will be because they are the proof that the report is false.”

The official account has been corroborated thus far by two witnesses on 911 recordings and the word of Officer Kelly.

Flynn said a department investigation into the use of force has not been completed. The department is also reviewing the case to ensure that policies and procedures were followed, he said.

Eisenberg has noted both a felony investigation on the conduct of the officer as well as Internal Affairs is currently looking into the case.

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