‘We will fight for him,’ Rev. Jackson says as Jelani Day’s family calls for answers

Tuesday’s march for Jelani Day organized by the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition had hundreds of individuals marching and rallying in La Salle-Peru calling for answers into investigation of the Illinois State University graduate student’s death.

Whether spoken from Jackson, Rainbow Push National Spokesman Jonathan Jackson, Day’s mother Carmen Bolden-Day or from many others in support, the message was similar.

Something doesn’t add up, they said.

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 23

Nearly 500 people gathered at Plain and Water streets in Peru on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, to listen to the Rev. Jesse Jackson speak during the march for Jelani Day. (Scott Anderson)

The event began about 11:40 a.m. as Jackson spoke to a group of supporters gathered outside of the Peru Police Department. Jackson and his group called for a further investigation into the case.

“The facts and the truth will set us free,” Jackson said to a crowd. “Somebody knows what happened in this situation. He didn’t go into the river and drown himself, that’s absurd.”

Day’s body was found Sept. 4 in the Illinois River near the Route 251 bridge.

The group called for action from Illinois State’s Attorney Kwame Raoul and the FBI. Group members also said they strongly disapproved of the La Salle County Coroner’s Office autopsy report stating Day’s death was a result of drowning.

“We stand with students that want to have a sense of safety, security and closure,” Jonathan Jackson said. “The family simply wants justice and they deserve answers.”

Jonathan Jackson said the organization and the Day family want to see the investigation picked up at a higher level, similar to the George Floyd case in Minnesota. The Peru Police Department, La Salle Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, La Salle County Sheriff’s Office and Illinois State Police are working together to solve the case.

“He was technically found in the Illinois River, which is state property,” Jonathan Jackson said. “The Illinois State agency found Mr. Day and we want them to step forward and lead the investigation. It’s been over 59 days, it’s been a week since we’ve heard back from the Attorney General and we’re here demanding answers.”

Peru Police Chief Bob Pyszka, whose department is among others in the investigation, said plans are to continue to investigate the death “regardless of the ruling of the death as drowning.”

“We are going to continue to be a part of the multi-jurisdictional task force and try to figure out exactly what occurred to Mr. Day,” the police chief said. “I know the men and women of the Peru Police Department are doing everything possible to ascertain what exactly happened to Jelani Day.”

After group members spoke at the Peru Police Department, they prepared to depart from their caravan of cars to march through La Salle-Peru and visit locations of significance in the case. As the caravan traveled throughout the area, many residents appeared in their front yards or porches to clap in support for and give thumbs up to the marchers.

The route took the supporters into a wooded area, located near the Illinois Valley YMCA, where Day’s car was discovered. The family and the Jackson group stopped the caravan to hold a private prayer before departing across the Route 351 bridge in La Salle to get a look at where Day’s clothes were discovered.

Pyszka said he worked closely with organizers to plan the route and the family requested specific stops.

“Everything went according to plan, that was planned up to the march from Water Street to the YMCA,” Pyszka said. “My department along with Spring Valley and La Salle County Sherriff’s Department assisted along the route to make sure the people made it from Water Street to the YMCA safely.”

When Day’s family privately emerged to view the area, many supporters parked alongside Route 351 and shut down one lane of traffic as they began to assemble to speak.

“Jelani knew nothing about Peru, nothing at all,” Day’s cousin said while speaking on Route 351. “The fact that you guys are all here means so much and we want to keep marching for justice. No justice, no peace.”

The group continued to voice its support as the family finished viewing the waterfront area. The caravan then changed directions and made its way to Water Street in Peru – the site where Jelani’s body was discovered.

“Jelani will live as long as we remember him,” Rev. Jackson said. “Keep fighting for him until eternity. We will fight for him and those who killed him will pay their dues in somebody’s hell.”

After gathering on Water Street, the group then marched to the Illinois Valley YMCA in Peru. Supporters continued to speak in unison “Justice for Jelani,” “No justice, no peace” among others as they made their way to the YMCA parking lot.

Organizers said they wanted to take the march past all the aforementioned sites for the supporters to “see for themselves” how the reports of Day’s items don’t match the story, family members said.

“You’ve seen the evidence for yourself now,” Jonathan Jackson said. “This is more information that has been divulged in the last 24 hours, than the Day family has received in the last two months.”

Jackson called for the police departments to “take the cover off” and show them what is known evidence instead of operating behind closed doors.

“We wanted to hear from the Bloomington Police Chief on where he led this investigation,” Jackson said. “This case is older than Gabby Petito and we’ve heard nothing about it. We want our Illinois Attorney General. It’s time for him to come out of Springfield.”

The supporters at Tuesday’s march came from all over as Illinois Valley locals and individuals from as far away as Texas made the trip to demand answers, including students from Illinois State University.

“We need justice,” Lincoln College student Zay Acres said. “They are saying two different things. First they say something about him killing himself and then they say he drowned. Then they found his body, it was mutilated. It doesn’t make sense at all.”

Buses from local colleges made the trip Tuesday.

“I think it’s the lack of answers, how long it took and things not adding up,” Terrence Tat Taylor of Decatur said. “This isn’t a new story, especially in the Black community, where someone missing comes up dead. It’s more so, why did it take so long and where’s the rest of the information. Make it make sense.”

While many of the marchers came from out of town, some Illinois Valley residents showed up to show their support in the group’s search for answers.

“I wanted to support this family,” said Sandy Cruz of Peru. “It isn’t fair what happened. I don’t care what color you are. He deserves answers and I want to show my support for our town.”

Cruz said she initially was disappointed to see a lack of local faces in the crowd until the showing continued to grow throughout the afternoon.

The case also hit home for members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity that Jelani belonged to. Two former fraternity members from the Chicago area, Eric Johnson and Oscar Norman, said they believe they have a responsibility to come and support their fraternity brother.

“We just want answers like ‘What happened?’” Norman said.

“He was pursuing a medical career, to be a doctor,” Johnson said. “There’s no way he drowned himself or suicide.”

One anonymous fraternity brother also offered a reward of $20,000 for information that could lead the family to finding out what happened to Jelani Day.

When organizers closed their speeches at the YMCA, they said their fight doesn’t stop here and they’d continue to demand answers from the Attorney General and the FBI as they continue their fight for “justice for Jelani.”

The public is asked to assist investigators with any tips by calling 815-433-2161.