A Baltimore woman — and nine other mothers whose sons were killed by law enforcement — traveled to the White House this week to protest police brutality.
"The [police officers] with behavior problems who are shooting and killing our children should be removed from the force," Darlene Cain said later.
Cain's version of the events leading to the 2012 shooting of her son differs sharply from police accounts.
Dale Graham was fatally shot by police at an East Baltimore house. Police said at the time that he was holding a knife while the mother of his children and her brother lay bleeding, and that he refused orders to drop the weapon.
Graham had outstanding warrants for second-degree arson and violating a protective order prohibiting him from contacting the woman.
According to police reports, Graham made a move toward the responding officers and was shot at least twice in the upper body.
But Cain said she was told her son was unarmed and did not lunge at the officers. She did not specify who told her those details.
The White House visit was organized by Code Pink, a woman-led advocacy group. Although the mothers did not get to meet with President Obama, Cain said she called for increased police accountability and better training for officers in meetings with White House and Capitol Hill officials. She also plans to attend a national march organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton and the American Civil Liberties Union.