No Hate Crime Charges for Seattle PD’s Beating Caught On Camera

by Julianne Hing on September 3 2010, 5:21PM

The prosecuting attorney apparently doesn’t think racial profiling precipitates hate crimes.

Topics: Criminal Justice

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Remembering the 1965 Watts Riots

by Hatty Lee on August 14 2010, 12:04PM

This week marks the 45th anniversary of a violent eruption that revealed the frustration—and fury—injustice creates inside walled-off urban ghettos.

Topics: Criminal Justice

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Oscar Grant Verdict: What’s Inside the Jury’s Ruling

by Julianne Hing on July 9 2010, 11:36AM

How could a jury all but acquit a white cop for yet another killing of a young Black man?

Topics: Criminal Justice, Oscar Grant Trial

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“The Wrong People Are in Control”

by Jamilah King on July 9 2010, 1:58AM

By now, you’ve seen the headlines recounting last night’s reaction to the involuntary manslaughter verdict in the Johannes Mehserle murder trial. The San Francisco Chronicle’s reporting that angry mobs smashed windows and looted from stores. CNN’s reporting that angry crowds…

Topics: Oscar Grant Trial

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“MY SON WAS MURDERED”—GRANT’S MOM

by Julianne Hing on July 8 2010, 11:44PM

Oscar Grant’s family insists the shooting was no accident and argues that the jury’s deliberations ended far too quickly for it to have fairly weighed the case.

Topics: Oscar Grant Trial

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Violence is Not Justice, Says Oscar Grant PSA

by Naima Ramos-Chapman on July 2 2010, 1:33PM

PSA pushes for peace should Johannes Mehserle be found not guilty of any charges in Grant’s killing.

Topics: Oscar Grant Trial

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What the Grant Jury Must Decide

by Hatty Lee on July 2 2010, 11:27AM

A handy, graphic guide breaking down the charges and what the prosecution must prove for each.

Topics: Criminal Justice, Oscar Grant Trial

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Oscar Grant Trial: The Jury’s Debate

by Julianne Hing on July 2 2010, 7:37AM

A detailed breakdown of the charges Johannes Mehserle faces and the arguments jurors will weigh in deciding his fate.

Topics: Criminal Justice, Oscar Grant Trial

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Cop in Chicago Torture Scandal Finally Nailed—for Perjury

by Juell Stewart on June 30 2010, 9:26AM

Former Chicago police commander Jon Burge was found guilty Monday of obstruction of justice and perjury—after allegedly overseeing the torture of hundreds of Black men.

Topics: Criminal Justice

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Aiyana Stanley-Jones and Our Confused, Grieving Hearts

by Akiba Solomon on May 25 2010, 12:00PM

Dueling Facebook pages reveal the conflicted emotions stirred when Detroit police shot a 7-year-old girl while investigating a 17-year-old boy’s murder.

Topics: Criminal Justice

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It’s Happening Again. What Aiyana Jones’ Death Tells Us

by Juell Stewart on May 17 2010, 6:15PM

It’s an all-too-familiar occurrence: A young person of color gets killed by the police, the community rallies around the victim’s family, and everybody wonders what can be done to prevent it from happening again. Well, it’s happening again in Detroit, where…

Topics: Police Brutality

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Seattle Cop: ‘I’ll Beat the F—-ing Mexican Piss Out of You Homey’

by Kai Wright on May 10 2010, 2:16PM

A freelance photographer’s video of Seattle police kicking a suspect in the head while hurling racial slurs surfaced last week, and is quickly drawing national attention. The video, shot on April 17, is certainly shocking. A group of officers from…

Topics: Police Brutality

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Daryl Gates: The Thin Blue Line Between Personal and Structural Racism

by Channing Kennedy on April 16 2010, 3:31PM

From the LA Times today: Daryl F. Gates, the rookie cop who rose from driver for a legendary chief to become chief himself, leading the Los Angeles Police Department during a turbulent 14-year period that found him struggling to keep…

Topics: Featured, Police

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Cop Pleads Guilty in Katrina Shootings

by Jamilah King on February 25 2010, 3:22PM

New Orleans Police Chief Warren Riley on Danziger Cover-Up Remember those brutal police shootings of unarmed civilians following Hurricane Katrina? A cop just pleaded guilty to orchestrating a cover-up: Lt. Michael Lohman’s guilty plea on Wednesday signals a huge break…

Topics: Katrina, Police Brutality

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It’s Official: Race May Be Factor in Police Shootings

by Jorge Rivas on February 25 2010, 11:32AM

The most recent national analysis from the Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that Blacks and Latinos were nearly three times as likely as whites to be searched by police—and Blacks were almost four times as likely as whites…

Topics: Criminal Justice

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Ben Jealous: Rockford Killing Highlights National Dilemma with Police Conduct

by Guest Columnist on October 2 2009, 11:03AM

by Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP. Originally published at TheGrio.com. In the five weeks since Mark Anthony Barmore was gunned down by police officers in an Illinois daycare center, answers remain elusive. By all accounts, the…

Topics: Police, Police Brutality

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Do “Sensitivity Trainings” For Cops Even Stand A Chance At Fighting Racism? [VIDEO]

by Julianne Hing on August 20 2009, 1:01PM

Liliana Segura, writing over at AlterNet, argues against the efficacy of diversity and sensitivity trainings for police in light of a rash of racist police brutality and embarrassing race foibles, namely Boston police officer Justin Barrett’s email comparing Henry…

Topics: Police, Police Brutality

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Facing Race in Oakland After Tragedy

by Guest Columnist on March 24 2009, 10:57AM

by gcolumnists Charles McDonald and Nick James Wake up, America! Conflict between Oakland’s Black community and law enforcement officials were NOT born yesterday. Hot headed tensions between our community and law enforcement officials predate the 1968 murder of Little…

Topics: Police, Police Brutality

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Al Sharpton Plans Sean Bell Protest at All-Star Game

by Jonathan Adams on June 10 2008, 8:23AM

A month after protesters blocked bridges and tunnels during rush hour, Sharpton said he wants to bring the outrage over the Sean Bell shooting to the national stage July 15. The Rev. Al Sharpton threatened Sunday to disrupt baseball’s…

Topics: Police Brutality

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Al Sharpton: Rally and Ride to Stop Police Brutality

by Jonathan Adams on May 30 2008, 10:39AM

WHAT: Rally followed by Critical Mass Ride WHEN: Friday, May 30, 2008 at 7:00 PM WHERE: Union Square Park South at 14th Street Another rally is scheduled tonight to protest the verdict in the Sean Bell shooting trial and…

Topics: Police Brutality

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