Marijuana Policy Project

GRAND RAPIDS — Grand Valley State University senior Blake Walton believes student-led protests of last week's shooting of student Derek Copp by police have not been taken seriously enough by the community.

So on Friday, Walton, 27, an Army veteran and history major, will be wearing a suit while protesting the tough drug policies he believes
led to Copp's shooting. He expected to take part in one of three protests across Michigan — two days after Copp left the hospital to recover at his Spring Arbor home near Jackson.

"I want people to take us seriously. This could have happened to any college student," Walton said.

"There's so many lives shattered because of the war on drugs ... when you put people with guns on the spot, things can and will go wrong."

About 300 people had confirmed Thursday on Facebook their attendance at Friday's 1 p.m. march in Grand Rapids, with another 700 stating they could possibly attend.

Another 80 students from the University of Michigan have confirmed they'll attend a march Friday at the Ann Arbor campus.

At Michigan State University, a smaller crowd was expected to meet at 1 p.m. outside Wells Hall.

Copp was released from the hospital on Wednesday.

"He's recovering at home and he's going to continue his recovery there," said his attorney, Frederick Dilley, adding the family wants to give Copp as much privacy as possible to recuperate.

Dilley declined to comment on the protests, but said he doubts Copp plans to participate.

"I don't know. I'm virtually certain he won't. He may in the future (but) right now, he's trying to rest up and get healthy."

Copp, a 20-year-old GVSU student, was shot in the chest by police last week during the execution of a drug-related search warrant at his off-campus apartment. Copp was not armed, and his father has said the young man was raising his arms to shield his face from authorities' flashlights when he was shot.

Dilley has said "a few tablespoons" of marijuana were found in Copp's apartment. Police have released few details on the shooting, and have not said what they found in the apartment.

Greg Hatt, a friend of Copp, said the media attention on the shooting has been overwhelming to Copp and his family. He last talked to him Tuesday.

"I think (Derek) and his family just want to get away," said Hatt, describing Copp as in good spirits. They talked about music and "normal stuff."

"He would be out (protesting) with us if he could," Hatt said. "He doesn't want to be seen as the victim or hero. He wants it to be about the issue."

Copp remains in pain from the wound, particularly when he coughs, Hatt said.

Today's protests are being organized by members of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) at the universities.

"People are human beings and we make mistakes," GVSU student Walton said of both Copp and the unidentified Ottawa County sheriff's deputy who shot him.

Agreeing was Micah Daigle, associate director for Washington D.C.-based SSDP.

"The message isn't anti-police. We understand that both Derek's life and the police officer's life have been significantly affected by this incident.

"It is very difficult to wage war on your own people," he said. "We're calling for an end of the war on drugs. That's what we're protesting and what we see as the primary cause of what happened to Derek."