The Green Party of New Jersey is supporting the call for an expanded March for Justice on Wednesday, May 19, 1999, the anniversary of Malcolm X's birthday. This is expected to be the largest nonviolent demonstration against police brutality ever held in New Jersey.

The May 19 event will be a follow-up to a march held last Saturday, May 1, in Orange. There, approximately 350 people marched to demand justice for Earl Faison and all victims of police brutality. Mr. Faison died under suspicious circumstances while in police custody about one hour after being arrested as a "suspect" in the shooting death of Officer Joyce Carnegie of the Orange Police Department. Another individual has since been charged with her murder.

The U.S. Justice Department is currently investigating the death of Mr. Faison, which has been labeled accidental by authorities. Another "suspect," Terrence Everett, has since been cleared of involvement in the death of Officer Carnegie, but complains that he was subjected to brutal treatment after being arrested, including being spat upon and hit with the butt of a pistol.

Starting at the Orange police station where Mr. Faison died, the May 1 march moved through residential and commercial neighborhoods to the city's central business district. There, the growing assemblage heard condemnations of police brutality from Congressman Donald Payne, Assemblyman William Payne, attorney and activist King Downing, Ras Baraka, members of the Faison family, and several others, including several women who related stories of how they have been victimized by police. Community activist Larry Hamm presented a program of specific reforms for dealing with police brutality. Joseph Fortunato, Vice Chair of the Green Party of New Jersey, asserted that, while the Green Party arose from the environmental and peace movements, it stands with people everywhere and from whatever background in the nonviolent struggle for social justice.