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 Intercept spotlights the difficulties of decertifying violent police; Illinois abolishes cash bail; Alabama cops unjustly tase a high school band director; and more!
FEATURED STORY
The Intercept: Most Cops Involved In High-Profile Killings Since 2014 Kept Their Police Licenses
“While experts have described the revocation of police licenses as a ‘viable remedy’ for misconduct, it can be difficult to attain. In many states, a conviction is a prerequisite for decertification, a major obstacle given how rarely even the most notorious cops are criminally prosecuted. And the process varies wildly from state to state…. Not all states have a process for decertification, and there is no parallel process for federal law enforcement personnel.”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
Ever since Mayor Eric Adams took office last year, narcotics arrests in New York City have skyrocketed. Although city officials claim these crackdowns bolster public safety, many community advocates disagree, saying that targeting street-level crimes doesn’t address systemic issues.
Read more here.
MARYLAND
On Monday, Ivan Bates, Baltimore’s state’s attorney, released a “Do Not Call” list of individuals who, due to their untrustworthiness, prosecutors cannot contact to testify in court; the list contains the names of 60 police officers. “The few in uniform who gamble with…the integrity of my prosecutors’ cases must be identified for the sake of accountability,” said Bates.
Read more here.
ILLINOIS
Legal experts cheered after the SAFE-T Act went into effect on Monday, making Illinois the first state to abolish cash bail. “This bill… was worked on in conjunction with advocates…who have seen people who have been able to pay their way out of jail and cause harm. This effort to detain those who hold a real threat to our public rather than detain those who are simply poor is the right thing to do,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
NPR: Alabama Band Director Tased by Police for Not Stopping His Students’ Performance
“Juandalynn Givan, a lawyer for [Johnny] Mims, called the incident ‘an alarming abuse of power’ and called for the officers involved in the incident to be put on administrative leave until further investigation. She added that Mims plans to take legal action against the police department. ‘This case highlights the urgent need for police reform, training and the protection of every citizen’s rights,’ Given [sic] said.”
Read more here.
The New York Times Magazine: The Trials of Aurora: A Colorado City’s Deep Divide Over Policing
“The aftermath of [Elijah] McClain’s death must be understood as taking place in two different worlds: before and after the killing of George Floyd…which ignited a national racial-justice movement that demanded accountability….But that reckoning, as it was often called, was followed by a backlash. No one in Aurora could have foretold how McClain’s death, the officers and paramedics involved and the city itself would all be swept up in that reckoning and the reaction to it.”
Read more here.
Kansas City Star: ‘A Time Bomb’: In Kansas, Cities Allowed to Hire Police Officers with Little Vetting
“While reforms in recent years have expanded the amount of information available on police officers, Kansas places few requirements on municipalities to actually access this information—let alone factor it in when making a hiring decision. In turn, the lack of thorough background checks allows officers to keep troubling details hidden.”
Read more here.
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