Dayton's Fraternal Order of Police President Lt. Randy Beane said officers are livid that a man involved in the 1974 killing of a police officer and a civil rights leader would be asked to speak at the Southwest Priority Board's annual black history program.
Twenty-eight off-duty police officers picketed in front of the Dayton Cultural and RTA Transit Center on Tuesday night as about 100 people entered to hear Derek Farmer speak. The police carried signs saying, "Why glorify a cop killer."
Farmer was convicted on two counts of aggravated murder and served 18 years in prison. In 1999, he became the first convicted murderer in Ohio history to be sworn in as a lawyer.
"To have this man speak in our city as a motivational speaker is a blatant slap in the face of all men and women who wear the uniform," Beane said. "He shouldn't even be out of prison."
Though Farmer, who practices law in Columbus, has delivered motivational speeches around the country, he said this marked the first time he spoke in Dayton.
Farmer was invited to share a message and heal old wounds, said Georgia Wortham, chair of the priority board.
"He was a young man when this happened. We have jails full of kids. He has gotten the message and turned his life around," Wortham said. "We need to try and let our young folks turn around."
Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin said she was disappointed that a group of predominantly white police officers protested at a black history event.
"It lets me know that we have a lot of work ahead to move toward understanding and forgiveness," McLin said. "I charge us all to embrace our diversity."
Farmer had no complaints about the picketers outside.
"People have the right to protest. I am the lawyer who would protect their First Amendment rights," he said.
Contact Joanne Smith at (937) 225-2362.
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