Family and Community Remember David Silva, Victim of Alleged Police Beating

May 17, 2013
8:59 AM

As major developments are expected to be shared later today about the May 8 alleged police beating death of 33-year-old Bakersfield father David Silva, the Los Angeles Times covered a Thursday morning vigil for Silva (video link here) at the Kern County Superior Court building:

About a dozen people gathered in front of the Kern County Superior Court building Thursday morning to protest the death of David Sal Silva, the man who died less than hour after he was beaten by Kern County sheriff’s deputies last week.

Standing near Kern County’s replica Liberty Bell, some protesters wore masks and others held signs as their ranks slowly grew. Someone turned on a Bob Marley song mid-morning.

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The Times piece also talked with Silva’s brother Chris, who said, “I was just living in my own selfish bubble. But since my brother died I’ve been doing my research and this has got to stop.” According to the story, “Chris Silva said he should be home with his family—his brother’s funeral is later in the day. But he felt he needed to be at the vigil. His biggest fear, he said, is that justice would not be served.”

On May 11, a local Bakersfield station filed a report of a vigil for Silva, where Silva’s father Sal spoke to the media, as well as Chris.

Here is what Sal Silva said: “I can’t believe my son is gone. It doesn’t make any sense to me that it takes eight people to subdue a guy that’s passed out.”

He also added, “I hope the officers that were involved in this realize that he was a man that had a family that loved him. He had four beautiful kids. You know what it’s not even about him. This could happen to anybody, somebody else’s son.”

Chris Silva said, “I’m not here to make accusations. I’m not here to make anyone feel bad. I’m not here to do anything negative. I’m sure here to say my brother meant something to me and he meant a lot to a lot of people.”

He also said these very powerful words, from one brother to another, “One of my biggest regrets in his entire life and in this entire situation is not telling him that I love him and this is what this is for, my ability to say I love you David. I love you more than anything in this life.”