Memorial Day Prompts Memories of Raymond Zack

The Cartwright Law Firm of San Francisco will file suit against the City of Alameda today on behalf of the family of Raymond Zack, the man who died off Crown Beach last Memorial Day while firefighters and police officers watched from shore, according to a press release issued late Thursday afternoon.

An earlier claim against the city was filed by Zack's family last October.

The press release also said that "a group of concerned citizens" will reenact the incident Saturday at 4 p.m. at the spot where it occurred, near the intersection of Shoreline Drive and Willow Street. You may read more about the "memorial wade-out" here.

Other Alameda residents are planning to honor Zack's life by throwing flowers into the Bay Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, the producer of a documentary film about the incident is asking witnesses to contact him between Saturday, May 26, and next Wednesday evening, May 30, while he is visiting Alameda from the East Coast.

Jaime Longhi of Maybe Alameda Pictures, LLC, producer of Shallow Waters: The Public Death of Raymond Zack, may be reached at 917-846-6628 or 860-672-6332, or by email at 22over7@earthlink.net.

Longhi said that witnesses who don't want to be identified or filmed can be accommodated. You may see more information here.

Zack's death on May 30, 2011, led to widespread public outrage and to a report by an independent consultant to the City of Alameda and the revival of the Alameda Fire Department's water rescue program.