June 11, marked the third anniversary of Rodney Mitchell’s murder at the hands of Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. Rodney’s family and friends held a vigil on Thursday and on Saturday rallied with ANSWER Coalition, Newtown Nation and other justice-seeking families in Fred Atkins Park, across from the site of his death.
The Rodney Mitchell case has become well-known in Sarasota and Manatee counties due to the clear nature of its police brutality as well as the determined campaign for justice led by Rodney’s mother, Natasha Clemons.
On the night of June 11, 2012, Mitchell and his 16-year-old cousin were driving on U.S. 301 near MLK Jr. Way when Sarasota Deputy Adam Shaw pulled over Mitchell for an alleged seat belt violation. When Shaw observed that Mitchell had his seat belt on, instead of letting him go, he began to aggressively question Mitchell. Another deputy, Sergeant Troy Sasse, also arrived on the scene, further escalating the illegal stop.
Even though Mitchell was unarmed and hadn’t violated any laws, both deputies drew their guns and pointed them at Mitchell and his cousin. After a brief exchange with Rodney, Troy and Sasse each fired two rounds into the Jeep Liberty. One bullet hit Mitchell’s left hand, which had been raised to show the cops he meant no trouble, and lodged into his left temple. The vehicle then careened across U.S. 301 and crashed into a Sunoco gas station.
Shaw and Sasse claimed that Mitchell attempted to hit them with the SUV. However, the testimony of Mitchell’s cousin and a second witness, as well as an independent crime scene investigation, contradicts the deputies’ story. Mitchell was not a threat.
The self-investigation by the Sheriff’s Department that followed left out key evidence, such as the testimony of the second witness. Based on this investigation, Earl Moreland, then District Attorney for the 12th Judicial Circuit, chose not to prosecute the deputies. Like local prosecutors around the country, Moreland had formed close relationships with local law enforcement after working with them for decades.
On the third anniversary of Rodney Mitchell’s death, it’s important to remember who he was as a person and what he did with his life. Liberation spoke with Mitchell’s mother, Natasha Clemons, about Mitchell’s dreams, his character and his accomplishments.
Rodney Mitchell was born March 21, 1989 in Sarasota, Florida and grew up in nearby Palmetto. Throughout his elementary, middle and high school years he was both intelligent and a gifted athlete, playing football and basketball. Mitchell’s mother nurtured a profound sense of duty, respect and discipline in the young man.
“His best qualities were, he was very, very, very obedient and respectful. He respected authority figures, he respected children. He just loved people. Rodney was the type of kid that I didn’t have any problems out of him. He did what I asked of him. He was never a troubled kid. Never disrespectful. Ever,” said Clemons.
“I was a single parent with two children, and I had to teach my children that we were a team,” said Clemons. “I had to work so I could support my children. So the older he got, the more he became responsible for family duties and for his sister, Brandy. Brandy ran track and field. She needed shoes and he would purchase the shoes for her, take her to practice and pick her up. He taught her how to drive. He was basically like a dad to Brandy. He was awesome.
“I taught him to always be respectful. You don’t do what others do to you, you do the total opposite. That means remain calm, be respectful and do as you’re told. I made sure I told him how important it was to make good grades in school, because your grades and your education are something nobody can take away from you. Also, the first and foremost aspect that I taught my children was to believe in God, because faith is going to take you a long way, as well. You should believe in God and trust God and allow God to direct your path, and everything else will fall into place. And that’s exactly what he did,” said Clemons.
Almost everyone who talks about Mitchell mentions his bright smile and warm personality. His kind-hearted, outgoing nature made people gravitate towards him.
“He was very lovable, very encouraging and inspiring. He would always have encouraging words. Whenever you would see Rodney, he was smiling. His smile
brightened up the entire world. His smile would make you forget about anything that happened that day or that entire year,” said Clemons. “He was very respectful to women, to authority figures. He wouldn’t do anything to cause any harm. He always wanted to help, help, help. That’s what he strived to do, to make others happy.”
Mitchell’s love for people and children showed through his work in the community. A special passion of his was caring for children and people with disabilities. He wanted to become a teacher and give back to his community, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Education at Eastern New Mexico State University (ENMU).
“He just loved children, and worked at the Girls and Boys Club in Palmetto and Bradenton,” said Clemons. “He would become role models for these children. A lot of those children didn’t have father figures in their life so Rodney would become a mentor for the children. Because he knew how it felt not to have a father figure in his life, so he wanted to try to make it so that those children who he mentored felt that they had someone they could depend on and look up to.”
While at ENMU, Mitchell became a star cornerback, setting numerous records. He was the university’s first All-America pick in years, earning First Team Daktronics All-Super Region honors. Mitchell also received the Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-Super Region Four First-Team Defense award, and made
the ENMU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Mitchell was able to accomplish all this while being an exceptional and proud father to his son, Channing Mitchell. After graduating in December 2010, Mitchell returned to Manatee County to raise Channing and pursue his teaching career.
“We were living in Bradenton across from the movie theater,” said Clemons. “He told me, ‘Mom, they’re building a school across the street and I’ll be applying there.’ And at the time, it was just trees. I was like, ‘How do you know?’ He was like, ‘Yes, it is. That’s what I’m going to do.'”
All that was cut short when Sarasota County deputies Adam Shaw and Troy Sasse murdered Mitchell in 2012.
Since then, Clemons has devoted her life to getting justice for her son. While struggling for justice in society, Clemons must also fight an internal battle to cope with her traumatic loss. Her faith allows her to keep going.
“I can’t begin to tell you how my life has changed. I mean, at times I have meltdowns. It’s not like I wake up in the morning and say, ‘Okay, I’m going to have one today, be ready!’ It just happens and it happens anywhere. I try to control them, but it depends on what’s going on. Anything that reminds me ofRodney––if football is happening, or a certain song or I see a young gentleman with dreadlocks. It’s like a PTSD effect,” said Clemons. “Yet I pray and ask God to strengthen me. You know Rodney is no longer here on earth but his spirit yet surrounds you.”
Clemons and others have established the Rodney Mitchell Foundation, whose objective is to get answers and ensure that justice is served. Clemons has also become a passionate advocate for others who have lost loved ones.
“My goal is spend each and every day of my life is to continue to help save other lives. And also to get these cops off of the streets,” said Clemons. “My number one goal is to get a law enforced that police cannot investigate themselves. Not only that: when they kill someone, they don’t need to be paid for that. They need to have someone else investigate and they can no longer work until that investigation is over. An outside agency. Because they all work together. It’s a cult—that’s exactly what it is. And I feel bad for them, because when God gets ahold of them, they’re all going down.”
The civil trial will be held in November in federal court in Tampa. ANSWER Coalition and others will remain in the streets from Sarasota to Tampa, demanding “Justice for Rodney Mitchell!”
