Welcome to the weekly update from the Campaign to End Qualified Immunity! Here, we give you a wrap-up of the latest developments and notable news as we continue our state-focused fight to abolish the unjust rule.
This week, The Root exposes racist cops on social media; a California mother campaigns for public safety; police misconduct cases reach huge payouts; and more!
FEATURED STORY
The Root: 14 Times Crooked Cops Were Caught Being Racist Fools
“When an officer is accused of police brutality, the consensus is that they had prior racial biases that led them to abuse or even kill a Black person. One would think tracking down a pattern of racial bias would take a lengthy investigation. But often times, all it takes is the exposing powerhouse no one can hide from: social media.”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
Hoping to decrease subway crime rates, New York City has bolstered police presence in its transit system. However, “the added police presence has only led to more arrests for low-level crimes like fare evasion, particularly among people of color,” some public safety advocates said.
Read more here.
ILLINOIS
Daniel Rodriguez, who was incarcerated for a murder he didn’t commit, is suing Reynaldo Guevara, the former Chicago detective who forced his false confession in 1991. The city “has already spent more than $75 million of taxpayer money paying for wrongful convictions caused by Guevara,” notes the Chicago Sun-Times.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
ABC News: Son’s Killing by Officers Forges a Mom’s Campaign to Divert the Police
“‘I can’t ever take back a phone call,’ said [Taun] Hall, referring to the 911 call she made the day her son was killed. ‘I can’t ever take back the officer shooting him…but I can take my pain to purpose and make sure this doesn’t happen to somebody else.’”
Read more here.
Los Angeles Times: L.A. County to Pay $47.6 Million Over Alleged Misconduct by Sheriff’s Deputies
“‘I would hope that the department head would take a long, hard look at [the] actions and policies of his department and the costly actions of his department before continuing to complain that this board is defunding said department,’ [Board Supervisor Holly] Mitchell said.”
Read more here.
The Root: Kansas City Police Will Settle Lawsuits Rather Than Reform the Department
“After spending millions of dollars, the city’s officers are still protected by qualified immunity and their ‘training’ has not improved the interactions people have with the police. Civil suit settlements may bring comfort but they do not bring justice without proper accountability.”
Read more here.
CBS News: Two Colorado Police Officers Charged After Train Hit Patrol Car with Handcuffed Woman Inside
“Two police officers have been charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts stemming from an incident in which they allegedly placed a handcuffed female suspect in a patrol car that was then hit by a train.”
Read more here.
WLBT 3: Jury Finds JPD Officers Not Liable in Crystalline Barnes’ Killing Despite Using Excessive Force
“Four years after her death at the hands of Jackson police, a federal jury finds the officers and city not liable in the killing of 21-year-old Crystalline Barnes. Jurors decided last month that Officers Albert Taylor and Rakasha Adams did use excessive force in that case, but said the two were entitled to qualified immunity…”
Read more here.
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