…and there was much rhyming and gnashing of teeth in West Baton Rouge Parish as the usual hustling circus descended upon Port Allen in the wake of the Josef Richardson autopsy.

Activists and family of a Josef Richardson, the 38-year-old who was fatally shot by a WBR deputy, plan to demand answers nearly a week since the shooting happened. Authorities have released few details since last Thursday. pic.twitter.com/t4tUUQX5SW

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

At least 100 have gathered at the WBR courthouse to demand answers surrounding the death of Josef Richardson who was shot in the back of the neck by a deputy last week pic.twitter.com/FlicZjT4cI

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

Attorney @BenCrumpLaw says Josef Richardson’s girlfriend — who was in the motel room when he was shot — plans to speak. pic.twitter.com/VQ9xvhRf7o

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

Benjamin Crump, so you’ll know, was Trayvon Martin’s attorney. So away we go.

Plus the all-important catch-phrase, without which this kind of circus would doubtlessly be incomplete…

“A bullet to the back of the head, what else needs to be said?!” pic.twitter.com/DPs3T8lDrO

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

Family attorney Ron Haley exhorted the crowd to call the LaLeg to create an agency that investigates police shootings. “The police can’t police the police,” he said. pic.twitter.com/wCpKuW5dzj

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

Ohhhh, boy. Here we go…

Josef Richardson’s daughter spoke through tears saying “I don’t want my dad to be an unsolved crime.” pic.twitter.com/RyvUi0mJT0

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

And now, the local NAACP chair demanding that District Attorney Ricky Ward and Sheriff Mike Cazes “come outta hiding,” as he swears to “Vote you out.”

Local NAACP prez called for the arrest of the deputy just before calling to vote out WBR sheriff Mike Cazes. “We need our sheriff outta here” one woman yelled. pic.twitter.com/CnLVIhOc69

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

The demonstration has wrapped up. @BenCrumpLaw and other attorneys representing he family of Josef Richardson vowed to return next months if they don’t receive answers.

— Youssef Rddad (@youssefrddad) July 31, 2019

So it’s a grand mess. The question is how big a mess.

Because if Crump is able to make this a national thing a la Trayvon Martin or Ferguson or Eric Garner or Alton Sterling, then who knows what can happen?

The political import of this thing even if it stays a local mess could be very interesting – because the machine which runs West Baton Rouge and Point Coupee Parishes is made up of white Democrats who depend on the support of the black community. This incident could very easily
break up that coalition, and if it does, the west side of the river across from Baton Rouge might be one less bastion of white Democrat local control amid a rapidly withering power base for that party.

Because nobody can blame any rich racist Republicans for any of this. Everyone involved is a Democrat – all the way to the governor, for whose 2015 campaign Cazes did statewide television ads.

It’s a circus, but it’s not our circus. We’re just here for the cotton candy.

UPDATE: The State Police has weighed in with a plea for restraint (lotsa luck on that)…

“The Louisiana State Police is committed to conducting a thorough, independent and impartial investigation. However, the investigative process takes time. There is no room for error when we are working to gather all of the facts. The premature release of information can in fact affect the totality of the investigation. We have full confidence in our investigative team and the integrity they bring to the investigation. We are asking for patience as we continue this process. At the conclusion of the investigation, our findings will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office.”