Donna Dalton

The involvement of the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division in the affairs of the Columbus Police Department stretches back more than 20 years. Every instance to their intervention follows the same pattern. Local outrage leads to court cases which then lead to attorneys involved which then leads to the Justice Department stepping in. What follows next is a change in presidential administrations which leads to a change priorities, or in the case of the Trump administration outright removal of the pretense of priorities, which is then followed by half measures or consequences.

“Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories...” – Amilcar Cabral

The FBI has the vast resources of the federal government and tremendous power. Their recent investigation into the activities of the Columbus police Vice Squad seems to be deliberately focused on a single arrest, that of former Presidential Mistress and Adult Entertainer Stormy Daniels, and the attendant political ramifications and fallout.

Two months ago, on August 23rd, Columbus Police Vice Squad Detective Andrew Mitchell murdered 23 year-old mother of two Donna Dalton-Castlebury in his car with 8 bullets. Three days ago, October 23rd, her family were still demanding answers. They did so in front of Police Headquarters on Marconi along with three dozen protestors at a demonstration called by Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ).

Police have a term for murdered sex workers. The term is “Less than Dead.” This is the literal station house and locker room phrase and has also been used to describe the level of zeal when a crime is committed against sex workers. It was not suprising hearing those words echo from the bushes in Upper Arlington this morning. Viewing this latest case, and the context and the official reaction makes the echos loud.

Family and friends spoke out at a rally held for Donna Dalton exactly one week after detective Andrew Mitchell murdered her in a parking lot on August 23rd. The police attempted to control the narrative while continuing to stonewall. The rally had been called by a group on social media.