A predominantly black audience lent their signatures and their voices Tuesday to the Baton Rouge NAACP’s call for an independent review of the Police Department amid recent  allegations of brutality. More than 200 people filled Elm Grove Baptist Church on North 38th Street where Metro Councilmen Ulysses “Bones” Addison and Byron Sharper pledged to bring an end to “injustice.” Sharper said the city-parish has paid out more than $5 million in lawsuits against police officers accused of using excessive force. “That’s your money going toward lawsuits instead of helping the community,” he said. “We definitely have a problem in this city.” Each person in attendance was given two copies of a letter — one for themselves and one for a friend — addressed to Mayor-President Kip Holden and two stamped envelopes. The letter calls for the establishment of a citizens oversight board to “investigate allegations of police misconduct and recommend actions to the chief or sheriff.” Asanté also called for volunteers to get 20 signatures each on a petition, calling local government to action in regard to the shooting death of black businessman George Temple III during a traffic stop and the alleged beating of a 21-year-old Southern University student, Aaron Davis,  also during a traffic stop. Temple was killed last month by a white bystander as he fought with a white police officer after being ticketed during a funeral procession. A The officer, 32-year-old Brian Harrison, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.more

• Pictured above: George Temple II, center, poses in a 2005 Christmas photo with his sisters Tiffany Temple, left, and Candace Temple. He was shot dead in a parking lot after a scuffle with a Baton Rouge police officer. [more]