The Pennsylvania National Action Network is calling on the District Attorney to drop charges against 16-year-old Darrin Manning, who was stopped and frisked by Philadelphia police in violation of a 2011 consent decree. Manning is now facing trial for aggravated assault and simple assault charges. The organization argues that the police did not have reasonable suspicion to stop and frisk Manning. They plan to file a civil rights complaint with the Department of Justice to review the stop and investigate whether it met legal standards.

1. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Paula Peebles
(215) 765-6181 office
(215) 869-0166 cell
paulapeebles@yahoo.com
Pennsylvania National Action Network Calls on District Attorney to
Drop Charges Against Darrin Manning
Philadelphia Police Stop-and-Frisk Violated 2011 Consent Decree
Philadelphia, PA – January 23, 2014 – A juvenile court judge today set a March 7, 2014,
trial date for Darrin Manning, a 16-year-old student at Mathematics, Civics and Sciences
Charter School charged with, among other things, aggravated assault and simple
assault following an unconstitutional stop-and-frisk by the Philadelphia police.
“It’s a travesty of justice a straight-A student with no history of discipline problems is
now caught up in the criminal justice system,” said Paula Peebles, Chair of the
Pennsylvania State Chapter National Action Network (PA NAN). “At a time when he
should be preparing for the Keystone exams and playing varsity basketball, young
Darrin has to prepare for a criminal trial.”
“We call on District Attorney Seth Williams to drop the charges,” said Matthew Smith,
Sr., President of PA NAN. “I worked in the juvenile justice system for 25 years. The
Philadelphia police violated the consent decree entered into in 2011. The Assistant
District Attorney did not produce a scintilla of evidence police officers had a ‘reasonable
suspicion of criminal conduct and that the frisk [was] made only where there [was]
reasonable suspicion that the person stopped is armed and dangerous.’”
PA NAN will file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice. We will ask
the Justice Department to review the 75-48A form, Department Pedestrian Investigation
Report, to determine whether it states a legal ground for the stop and frisk. The
rupturing of Mr. Manning’s testicles meets the “triggering thresholds for retraining,
enhanced supervision, or discipline of officers who engage in unconstitutional stops and
frisks or who violate PPD policies or procedures governing these practices.”
Peebles added: “As a mother, I understand the pain and trauma of Ikea Coney. She did
everything right. She raised a young man who would make any mother proud. Now she
has to help him navigate the criminal justice system. PA NAN will bring the noise until
these trumped-up charges against Darrin Manning are dropped.”
About Pennsylvania State Chapter National Action Network: The Pennsylvania State
Chapter National Action Network is a nonprofit organization incorporated for the purpose of
advocating for equal education opportunities and equal justice under the law; promoting policies

2. and initiatives to reduce gun violence, racial profiling and “stop and frisk” policing; and fostering
civic engagement by hosting public forums, rallies and other nonpartisan events. For more
information, visit www.pastatenan.org.
About National Action Network: The National Action Network is the nation’s leading civil
rights and human rights organization, with chapters throughout the United States. Founded in
1991 by Reverend Al Sharpton, NAN works within the spirit and tradition of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. to promote a modern civil rights agenda that includes the fight for one standard of
justice, decency and equal opportunities for all people regardless of race, religion, nationality or
gender. For more information, visit www.nationalactionnetwork.net.