Friday, February 1, 2008

Scream for Help: Vernetta Cockerham-Ellerbee

Vernetta Cockerham-Ellerbee’s husband made good on threats to kill her family when he stabbed to death her teenage daughter Candice in 2002. Cockerham-Ellerbe had begged police to lock him up. In a lawsuit, she’s asking them to pay for failing to protect her.

Watch "Promise of Protection" here.

I want to know what makes men think this is okay. And I want comments. Comments, I say! 'Cause I don't get it.

And I don't want weak ass answers about "Oh, well that's not me." Nah, homey. I want you to claim it for you, your brother, your father, your cousin, your best friend and your worst enemy. What is it in our culture, our society, in particular our men of color (black and Latino) that makes this shit okay?

COMMENTS DEMANDED!

6 comments:

Pamela said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Pamela said...

The problem here is that the police did NOT even try to protect her. Richard Ellerbee had 5 arrest warrants against him and also Vernetta had a continuous Domestic Violence Protective order in place for 6 months! One week before the murder she reported that he broke into her home, stole her family heirlooms and left a note in place of it stating "I will Kill You, You Will Die! The day before she screamed up and down and the police said they would arrest tonight, so rest easy we will get him.....and they deny telling her that in their depositions. We are reaching out to the Nation for help and support to make this NC Landmark Case mean something. Visit www.promiseofprotection.com and send it to everyone you know>

Kismet Nuñez said...

Pamela,

So true. It is frustrating on so many levels because here was a woman who'd gotten it together to leave--a DANGEROUS thing to do in domestic violence situations--and then the police drop the ball. Squander their chance. F$ck up. But what do you do when the people you are supposed to turn to for protection turn out to be at best, incompetent and at worst, willfully disdainful of your situation....?

This is why community alternatives to violence are so important....

Pamela said...

Sorry, didn't realize I had 2 identical posts on here, so I just deleted one of them. I am the paralegal who has been working on this case since the beginning. I speak with Vernetta at least 3 time or more per day. I sent you and email, (kismetfour@gmail.com) Please read it. I would like to speak with you about the real truth here and would like for you to contact me at the email address or telephone number I provided to you. As you can see, I have become an advocate against domestic violence. We are currently making a documentary about this case and will be interviewed live on a national talk show on Feb. 21. Need to speak to you about what I can and cannot say.

Anonymous said...

i am a domestic Violence advocate working withing the state of n.c, i live in the Raleigh area and would like for you to pass on this information about what other victims and survivors of domestic violence are planning. we as a collective will be doing an awareness march to Washington DC this October 5th 6th and 7th of 2009 to let the government know that we as domestic victims and survivors will no longer tolerate being ignored, brushed off and that the system has failed us many times. I see on the news every day a case of domestic violence but yet the courts and law enforcement seem to ignore the fact that men are out there in the world killing innocent children and women because they feel we do not deserve to live because we chose to escape the abuse. please pass on this information to the victims and survivors in your article. below is our press release for the march


Domestic violence HEALING Coalition

From: Carissa Daniels, media relations spokeswoman; Contact Email: cyberadvocate07@gmail.com,

Additional contact: Joleen Louie; Email: Joleen271@yahoo.com,


Women from across the United States are invited to become part of a force for change in Washington DC this fall by participating in a Domestic Violence Awareness March.

The march on Washington DC this October 5-7m 2009 has several goals:

To make our voices heard about the ongoing violence, and the change that is needed to stop the epidemic of abuse;

To talk to lawmakers including President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden (one of the authors of the violence against women act) and begin the process of legislating changes in the laws, enabling safety for victims (both adult and child victims) to become paramount.




Both survived abusive relationships. Both have teen daughters.

Carissa holds a national talent award for a monologue she wrote to educate the public about domestic violence. She competes in communication skills based competitions, taking advantage of her strengths to educate the public about the epidemic of domestic violence.

Joleen does all she can to support Carissa in her quest for the crown, and most importantly, the opportunities that come to an elite few.

The march represents their first step in moving their fight from the cyberworld to the real world. They are also working on getting nonprofit status for a new organization, the Domestic Violence HEALING Coalition, They know the subject well… They have lived it.



Our Online Support Forum

http://www.cafemom.com/group/dvs_powerofbeingfree

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=452866246

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=452650448

smendez said...

I READ MS COCKERHAM'S STORY AND IT TOUCHED ME IN MANY WAYS. I'M IN A SAME SITUATION WITH MY EX-HUSBAND. I'M BEING FALSELY ACCUSED OF A FELONY THAT I DIDN'T COMMIT. POLICE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME WHEN I NEEDED THEM THE MOST. AND MY EX SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO PUT ME IN JAIL OR HE WAS GOING TO KILL ME. I NEED HELP AND ADVICE OF WHAT TO DO. CASE HAS BEEN PENDING SINCE 06/07 AND HE CONTINUED TO HARRASS ME. I'M SCARED FOR THE FACT OF NO ONE HAS EVER WANTED TO LISTENING TO MY STORY. HELP!!!