Members of the Black Ministerial Association (BMA) have spoken out against the shooting of an unarmed, mentally challenged man in front of the Circle K store at U.S. 64 and Rock Creek Parkway in Cordova.
“No man has the right to murder anyone,” said Pastor Leonard Dawson, president of the BMA and pastor of Cane Creek Baptist Church.
Shortly after the shooting, Dawson and other BMA pastors stood in front of their headquarters at 591 E. McLemore to condemn the shooting of Marvell Locke, 58, who was shot May 19 by the clerk on duty Nicholas Vitatoe, who was charged with voluntary manslaughter.
“We are asking for justice for this family,” said Pastor Walter Womack, president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). “I represent the civil rights organization of Dr. Martin Luther King. Standing in solidarity with this family is the right thing to do.”
Attorney Tim Francavilla of Francavilla Law Firm has been retained by Vitatoe as lead defense attorney. Francavilla declined to comment about the case.
Locke’s daughter, Francheskia Locke, said her father has suffered for years with mental illness and crack addiction. She said the Locke family is appalled that Vitatoe was released on his own recognizance.
“This man shot my father outside of the store,” said Francheskia Locke. “He did not pose a threat. My father has been arrested before, and they knew he had mental issues. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”
According to the police report, Vitatoe had Locke arrested for coming onto the property the week prior to the shooting. The clerk asked Locke to leave the property and called the police.
Video pulled from the store shows Vitatoe saying he was “going to (expletive) take care of this myself.”
After stepping outside the door with a pistol, Vitatoe lights a cigarette and smokes for a few seconds. He then walks out of the view of the camera and a gunshot is heard, according to police.
Vitatoe then reappears on camera walking back into the store and places a black handgun on the counter.
Vitatoe then phones his manager, Katherine James, and tells her she needs to get someone over there because he just shot Locke and police were en route.
“My father and uncle have been up to the store a number of times asking if they would clean up the parking lot for a few dollars,” said Locke. “The man has been fired from the store, but that is not enough. We want him brought to justice.”
Dr. William Young of The Healing Center said, “A Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) should have been sent to answer the call to police. …But this man just came out and shot the victim who was not posing a threat. Criminal justice needs reform, but how we treat mentally ill individuals must be revisited.”
Dawson urged members of the community to stand with the family in their push for justice. A petition drive was launched this week.
For more information on how to sign the petition, visit the Facebook page of Francheskia Locke.
Vitatoe is scheduled to make a court appearance on June 25.
