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, legal experts condemn false police narratives; Bronx demands justice for Eric Duprey; an Ohio community champions police reform; and more!
FEATURED STORY
USA Today: Why Do Some Police Lie? Video Contradicting Official Narrative Is ‘Common,’ Experts Say
“[Legal scholar Rachel] Moran said in addition to thoroughly reviewing available footage before making public statements, police departments need to do a better job of investigating and disciplining officers for all kinds of misconduct, including deception. She noted that while some internal affairs units are more objective than others, the percentage of investigations that end with the officer being disciplined is ‘very, very low.’”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
The Bronx community came together this past Saturday to remember Eric Duprey, who died after a police officer threw a cooler at his head while he was driving his motorcycle. The community is calling for #JusticeForEricDuprey.
Read more here.
CW: sexual assault
New York State is facing over 500 lawsuits claiming that adult inmates were sexually abused by prison officers. These lawsuits have illuminated the flaws in the current DOCCS reporting system, which only deemed 3.9% of such claims substantive in 2019.
Read more here.
Community advocates gathered outside New York City Hall last week, calling on officials to pass the How Many Stops Act, a transparency bill aimed at scrutinizing how the NYPD interacts with the public. “It is…[a] small part of accountability New Yorkers deserve,” said Councilmember Alexa Aviles.
Read more here.
MARYLAND
Two people died and 28 others were injured at a shooting outside a Baltimore housing complex on July 3. A new report reveals that police dismissed multiple warning signs that could’ve prevented the tragedy. “Officer indifference may have compromised the awareness, planning and response…prior to the large crowds arriving,” admitted police department leaders.
Read more here.
ILLINOIS
CW: sexual assault
Records reveal that between 2011 and 2023, at least 38 Chicago cops were charged with domestic battery, but only two of them faced any consequences. “The truth is that there is a deep culture of misogyny and sexual assault within the Chicago Police Department,” said Karla Altmayer, chair of the city’s task force on gender-based violence.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
Cleveland 19: Shaker Heights Reaches Compromise on Citizen-Driven Police Reform After Contentious Battle
“After a months-long and very public battle over police reform, Shaker Heights City Council approved the framework of a new agreement with the citizen group that spearheaded a ballot initiative in March….Shaker Citizens for Fair Ticketing launched their campaign with a goal of reducing police brutality, increasing public safety, and creating more transparency in police reporting.”
Read more here.
AP News: Many Big US Cities Now Answer Mental Health Crisis Calls with Civilian Teams—Not Police
“As part of a $19 million settlement this spring with [Christian] Glass’ parents, Colorado’s Clear Creek County this month joined a growing roster of U.S. communities that respond to nonviolent mental health crises with clinicians and EMTs or paramedics, instead of police….‘If someone is experiencing a mental health crisis, law enforcement is not what they need,’ said Tamara Lynn of the National De-Escalation Training Center, a private group that trains police to handle such situations.”
Read more here.
Seattle Times: Police Nearly Beat This WA Man to Death. Six Years Later, Will the Prosecution Against Him Continue?
“In a blistering brief alleging prosecutorial inconsistencies, misconduct, mismanagement and vindictiveness, lawyers for [Joseph] Zamora—the Moses Lake man who spent a month in the ICU after being beaten by police before being prosecuted and convicted of assault, then having his case dismissed for prosecutorial racial misconduct, then being charged with the same crimes all over again—are asking a Grant County judge to dismiss the case against him.”
Read more here.
WAFB: Officer Resigns Following WAFB I-TEAM Story About ‘Brave Cave’; Mayor Broome Issues New Statement
“In a statement released late Monday night, [Mayor Sharon Weson Broome] said the allegations brought to light in the report ‘deeply concern’ her and other Baton Rouge residents. ‘Over the past seven years, we have worked to build trust between our community and the police. We have made great strides, but the work continues. In light of this, Chief Paul is conducting an impartial and comprehensive investigation into the matter,’ wrote Mayor Broome.”
Read more here.
Texas Standard: In Houston, High Speed Car Chases by Police Have Killed Dozens and Injured Hundreds
“‘The numbers in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio are far, far lower. We have different types of policies in Houston,’ [reporter Andrea Ball] said. ‘Houston has a pretty loose policy in the sense that (police) can chase anyone for pretty much any reason, whereas other cities and states have some of them have more tight restrictions such as we can’t chase them for running for a traffic violation, we can’t stop them for reacting to us in a reckless manner when we started it. And Houston doesn’t have that stuff.’”
Read more here.
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