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NAACP march to protest death of Linwood Lambert

12/11/2015, 5:55 a.m.
The Halifax/South Boston Branch NAACP is holding a “Day of Courage 4 Justice in Virginia March” on Saturday, Dec. 12, …

The Halifax/South Boston Branch NAACP is holding a “Day of Courage 4 Justice in Virginia March” on Saturday, Dec. 12, in South Boston, located about 100 miles southwest of Richmond.

The march is being organized to protest the death of Linwood R. Lambert Jr. of Richmond who died May 4, 2013, after being Tasered repeatedly by police while in their custody, according to the NAACP branch.

In a graphic and disturbing video that first aired in November on MSNBC and provoked outrage, officers from the South Boston Police Department are shown firing 20 Taser shots at a disoriented Mr. Lambert.

Many of those shots were fired as Mr. Lambert, 46, was handcuffed and on the ground outside of a hospital where the officers initially had taken him for medical help. The video shows him being Tasered again when police then put him in the back of a police car.

Mr. Lambert was taken into custody after police responded to a 911 call about disorderly conduct at a nearby hotel.

The Lambert family has filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit in federal court.

Organizers are asking NAACP members and people across the state to join the march by meeting at 10:15 a.m. in Constitution Square at 800 Bruce St. in South Boston. Signs, placards and banners are welcomed for the 2-mile walk. NAACP branch members also are encouraged to bring their branch banners.

People planning to march are asked to notify the Rev. Kevin Chandler, president of the Halifax/South Boston NAACP, at (424) 572-7104.