b'COMMUNITYHoping for Justice 30 Years After Daughters DeathBy Sheila Smith BuntingclaimsthattheGrand Junction Police Department placed no value on her daughters life to further I njusticeforBlackAmericanshasinvestigatethecase.Shedoesadmit been going on since Dr. Martin Lutherthereweresomepoliceindividuals King Jr. marched on Washington in thethat did try to help her get information 1960s and not much has changed. regarding her daughters case.Just back in 2014, the outcry of aI believe in life there will always be young black teenager, Michael Brown,injustice. The biggest injustice is more gunneddownbypoliceofficersinthan a black thing or white thing. Its a Ferguson,Mo.,sparkedafirestormheart thing, expresses Bunting.across the nation. Thiswasevidentwhenshedidnt Then in May of this year, the nationhave money or life insurance to bring gaspedinhorrorwhilewatchingaherdaughtersbodybacktoDenver blackman,GeorgeFloyd,dieasaandthecoronerofGrandJunction white police office choked the life outtold her, Push comes to shove, just of him. put her body in the trunk of your car Last year, DeVon Bailey, a 19-yearand drive it back to Denver.old black youth, was shot in the backBunting said she was so angry and while running from Colorado Springsappalled. Philisia Marie Bunting Carrelyn Marie Buntingpolice. God was gracious in my life enough And Elijah McClain, 23, died at theformetolaythatatthefootofthe hands of police who placed him in across. The Holy Spirit put his hand on chokehold.Hesufferedfrombrainmy back and told me, I got this. JustBunting said police considered her damage. stand. So I took a step back, she saidjust a runaway when she ran off. Then Gov. Jared Polis did make the effortafter the coroner told her that. she was finally categorized as a miss-to have the state re-examine the cir- The Lord did bless her through hering person.cumstances behind Elijahs death. brother who notified Arthur Porter, sonA day later after Philicia was report-And there are many others. But whatof Bishop Porter at All Nations Church,ed as missing, Bunting said she was at happenswhenablackmotherseekswhowasinstrumentalingoingtowork and seen the 12 p.m.newscast justice for the murder of her daughter?Grand Junction and bringing Philiciaswherethebodyofayounggirlwas body back to Denver. found in Grand Junction.CarrelynBuntinghitabrickwallBuntingwillalwayshavelovingWhenIsawthebodycoveredup yearsagowhenpoliceandnoonememories of her daughter through theonTV.Iinstantlyknewitwasmy else wanted to help her find out whogood and bad times. daughter.killedherdaughter,PhiliciaBunting, in 1990. Philicia was 16 at the time. ShecalledPhiliciaamoderndayIt was later found out that Philicia Thispastmonthmarkedthe30thhippie. had took a trip with three male teen-anniversary, when Philicias body wasSheaddedhowPhiliciawasostra- agers to Grand Junction. Two of the found on July 19, 1990 in the waterscized by other students while attend- young men were white and the other ofIslandAcresStateRecreationining East High School because she likedonewasbi-racial.Theyoungmen Grand Junction, Colo. differentthings,suchasBoyGeorgewere questioned but released and no and the Culture Club. arrests were made.ItsstillonthebooksofGrandI had an encounter many years agoPhilisia Marie Bunting Junctions police department as a coldPhiliciafoundcomfortinhangingwhenIwas16yearsold,Bunting(named after her Aunt)case. outwithhomelessteenagersdown- says.Iwaswithmyfatherandhe It takes time, energy andeffort totown Denver and would listen to themdrivingdownEastColfax.Inoticed continue seeking justice, said Buntingthat led to problems. a group of 4 or 5 black boys runningthink about myself or if I was going to regarding trying to find those respon- Bunting went to different organiza- after this white boy. I started yelling fordie. I just thought wrong is wrong.sible for her daughters death. tionsandchurchestoseekhelpformy father to pull over.Buntingwillprobablyneverknow She pointed out how Grand Junctionher daughter. She did get Philicia intoIthenjumpedoutofthecarandwho killed her daughter. The injustice is a rural area and not a big city with acounseling with Urban Peak. startedrunningafterthatgroupofistherebecauseofthecolorofher limited population of minorities, espe- Philicia,however,stillhadissuesboys saying, leave him alone. I didntdaughtersskinandnooneseems cially blacks. and left home on a couple of occasions. to care.1.Ricky Dillard - 6.Luther Barnes -The Choirmaster Look To The Hills2.Chicago Mass - 7.Earnest Pugh -My Soul Says Yes The Outpour Experience3.The Clark Sisters - 8.Fresh Anointing - TotallyThe Return 9.Deitrtick Haddon - 4.Micah Tyler - New Today T.i.m.e.5.Myron Butler - 10 L. Spenser Smith - My Tribute Hooked2 AUGUST 2020 BOCNEWS.com'