and i m gonna address theunited states of america. gary: there s no doubt that night. it was a textbook procedure. i had no choice. i was forced to take a life. i was a white cop whoshot a black 16-year-old. (protestors chanting) natacha: i would like toaddress all law enforcement across the country and around the world. honor the oath. (dramatic music) gary: the other officerskept repeating: he did the right thing.he had no choice. it was a good shoot. reporter: the death ofphillip pannell brought rage the streets of normallypeaceful teaneck, new jersey. m2: this was middle-classmodel city, american. alison: we live in teaneck.this doesn t happen in teaneck. w2: it wasn t the utopia ithought it was for many people. (dramatic music) thelma: we enduredthis pain for 30 years, now we re back here again. crowd: yeah, (music) natacha: on my honor,i will never betray my integrity forthe public trust. m3: the fact of the matter isphillip pannell was executed. m4: i don t care how
why did this policeofficer feel it necessary to fire his gunand kill this boy? john holl: there s a lot ofquestions that are unclear and i don t want to prejudgethat at this point. we were told by by witnesses, that phillip had hishands raised in surrender, when he was shot. was that true or not true? we weren t getting anyconfirmation from law enforcement aboutthis one way or another. john holl: we havereceived information to thateffect but all of this will bepresented to the grand jury. police were saying that philliphad a gun in his possession. we haven t seen that gun. john holl: no, we do not. no, we do not. we do know that mr. pannellwas shot, only a single time,
william broughton: icontacted the policeheadquarters to to see what s going on. as soon as ispoke to them, they were kindof under siege, you know,people were at the front door, (music) john holl: i got acall from dennis calo, who was the firstassistant prosecutor in my office and he saidboss, you better get up here, we have a situation. reporter: and angeryfriends of phillip pannell, in front of police calling theshooting cold-blooded murder. a brick hurled fromthe crowd crashed through a police car window. officers retreatedbehind the police tape and two units were removed. reporter2: phillip ssister natacha came here to the scene inshock and disbelief it was almost beyondher comprehension. natacha: it wasa bad dream. i was thinking itwas a bad dream. people were milling around the police station because there was really a, a lack
i got a shot so my sister won t get sick. way to go, big bro! so while we re here. flu shot, as well? let s do it. when you need to talk vaccinations, our pharmacists are here our pharmacists are here community leadersgathered near police headquarters thismorning in teaneck are trying to figureout exactly what happened yesterday toyoung phillip pannell, who was shot andkilled by police. they were two versions tothe shooting, they say. one by the youth who witnessedit and the others by police. thelma: therewas no reason for that cop to shoothim in his back. it was no reason. he was already blocked in. i still didn tunderstand all of this. it was just- i wasjust in a shock. it was a- i just couldn tbelieve what had happened. - justice.- i want justice. justice! i want justice because theycan, they can kill all the black kids too.these parents about to realize.
we was coming from thepark and then these two cops rolled upwith their guns, already out of theirhostler and was, like,everybody get against the wall, reporter: one of thekids, phillip pannell ran, the two cops chasedhim across the street. when pannell allegedlyjumped these bushes. why did phil run? he- he wasscared, obvious. jennifer: two cops arebehind him. they had their pistols out.they didn t say halt, or nothing. they just was running and theguy went to jump over the fence and they shot himin his left leg. he was begging, don t shoot,don t shoot. the young man who was shotwas begging? yes, don t shoot. he was already shot, already. reporter: did he have hishands up? like, you just. witness: he had his hands upand they said, he said he was, he had his back to themand they shot him in his back. reporter: the victimwas begging for his life and the policeofficer shot him anyway? yes, yes.yes. jennifer: and that swhen the second cop shot him in the back andhe fell to the ground. be