Group Urges Release of Slaying Suspect

A coalition of African American religious and community leaders called Monday for the release of Damian Monroe Williams, a key figure in the 1992 riots, who has been held in jail for two weeks since his arrest on suspicion of murder.

“He is innocent,” Najee Ali, director of Project Islamic H.O.P.E., said at a news conference. “They have not charged him because they don’t have enough evidence.”

Williams, 27, surrendered to police July 19 after a warrant was issued for his arrest in connection with the fatal shooting a day earlier of Grover Tinner, 43, in a house in the 1700 block of West Gage Avenue. The house, authorities said, was “used by people selling and using narcotics.”

Although he has not been charged with murder, Williams has been held without bail at Men’s Central Jail on a parole violation, according to a Corrections Department official.

A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office said the Los Angeles Police Department has not yet presented a case for filing. Police said that witnesses told them that on the night of the shooting Williams and Tinner argued at the house. As Tinner began to leave, the witnesses said, Williams shot him.

But Williams’ supporters said they find it hard to believe that he committed the crime, given an eyewitness account from the victim’s sister, Antoinette Tinner. She reportedly told authorities that Williams was at the house but did not kill her brother.

Williams’ supporters have demanded that the LAPD conduct a thorough investigation of the case.

“Anyone who’s a witness we’ll interview,” said robbery-homicide Det. Bernard Rogers. “We’re not going to leave witnesses uninterviewed.”

Police have said two other suspects, both African American males in their 20s, are wanted in connection with the Tinner slaying.

His supporters have criticized the department and the media for placing too much attention on Williams, who served four years in prison for assaulting truck driver Reginald O. Denny during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Last week, the case was transferred from 77th Street Division homicide detectives to the Robbery-Homicide Division, where investigators are interviewing witnesses to determine exactly what role Williams may have had in the slaying.

“There appears to be no question that he was in the location when the shooting occurred,” said 77th Street homicide Det. Rudy Lemos.