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, Jayland Walker’s brutal treatment raises questions about police use of force; leaked records expose a rogue Baltimore cop’s misconduct; Colorado continues to uphold constitutional rights; and more!
FEATURED STORY
CNN: Why Did Ohio Officers Handcuff Jayland Walker After Shooting Him Dozens of Times?
“The police decision to handcuff Walker after he had been shot was an ‘added insult to a terrible loss,’ Walker family attorney Bobby DiCello told CNN Saturday. Walker’s family ‘can’t fathom these so-called reasons for safety when they know that Jayland suffered so much injury and lethal force.’”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
An investigation by New York’s Commission to Combat Police Corruption has revealed a startling lack of accountability within the nation’s largest police force. For example, when addressing misconduct, “the discipline meted out by the NYPD was insufficient in 38 out of 338 cases—or just over 11%—that were concluded between October 2018 and September 2019.”
Read more here.
Despite the “labyrinthine set of laws” that shield rogue cops from accountability, “reforms are still worth pursuing,” writes The New York Times’ Mara Gay, as the NYPD yet again faces federal scrutiny over serious corruption allegations.
Read more here.
MARYLAND
Following the death of Freddie Gray, the Baltimore Police Department presented new recruit Luke Shelley to the public as the face of good policing. Turns out, that wasn’t true: leaked records reveal that Officer Shelley has faced “allegations that include harassment, negligence, misconduct, theft, and racial profiling” over the past five years.
Read more here.
A district judge has sentenced former Baltimore Police Sergeant Keith Allen Gladstone to 21 months in federal prison. The corrupt cop admitted planting evidence at a crime scene, to cover up for an officer who ran over the arrestee, known in court documents as D.S. “As a result of his actions, Gladstone conspired to deprive D.S. of his liberty without the due process of law.”
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
The Washington Post: Another US Appeals Court Upholds Right to Record Police
“A three-judge panel from the [10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver] said that ‘[Abade] Irizarry’s right to film the police falls squarely within the First Amendment’s core purposes to protect free and robust discussion of public affairs, hold government officials accountable, and check abuse of power.’”
Read more here.
Hartford Courant: Hundreds March in Support of Connecticut Man Paralyzed in Police Custody, ‘Helping to Fight for What’s Right’
“‘I’m a mom of two Black small children. I don’t want this happening to them,’ said Twoni Wright, who joined the march. She said her children, both boys, are 9 and 6 years old. ‘You got to be the change you want to see,’ she said.”
Read more here.
VICE News: The Cop Who Shot and Killed Tamir Rice Had a New Job—for 2 Days
“‘While it’s all well and good that [Timothy] Loehmann will not be inflicting a reign of terror with a badge and a gun upon Tioga Borough residents and visitors, borough officials must be held accountable for their demonstrably, atrociously poor judgment and ineptitude,’ [Rice family lawyer Subodh] Chandra said Thursday.”
Read more here.
Austin-American Statesman: Watch Uvalde School Shooting Video Obtained by Statesman Showing Police Response
CW: disturbing video
“A 77-minute video recording…along with body camera footage from one of the responding officers…shows in excruciating detail dozens of sworn officers…talking, making cellphone calls, sending texts and looking at floor plans, but not entering or attempting to enter the classrooms.”
Read more here.
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