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, Alabama residents demand justice for Otis French Jr.; data reveals racial disparities in Ohio police’s use of force; a rogue Arizona cop faces accountability for killing a man in a wheelchair; and more!
FEATURED STORY
FOX 10: Protesters Calling for Justice in Bay Minette After Officer-involved Shooting
“‘We’re going to continue to hold them accountable for the truth. We’re going to continue to hold them accountable for transparency. And we’re going to continue to hold them accountable and make them understand, they will say his name!’ [Otis French Jr.’s sister] said.”
Read more here.
NEW YORK
Eric Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, is pushing for police transparency, calling on the authorities to release records she and her legal team say “are crucial to understanding the circumstances that led to her son’s death—and the city’s response in the aftermath.”
Read more here.
“There is no reason for a resident that hasn’t committed a crime to be treated like a criminal.” A viral video showing NYPD detective Kendo Kinsey needlessly striking 19-year-old Tamani Crum during her boyfriend’s arrest has prompted accusations of police brutality and calls for accountability—and an investigation into the rogue officer’s violent actions.
Read more here.
Public safety activists are demanding transparency after bodycam footage of the fatal police shooting of 25-year-old Rameek Smith in the Bronx last May failed to line up with the NYPD’s claim of what happened. Among other issues, the footage “doesn’t depict officers finding the victim’s weapon that they said was found at the scene.”
Read more here.
VERMONT
36-year-old Michael Mills, who was shot in the head by an officer following a police pursuit last month, has died as a result of his injuries. “An investigation into whether the shooting was justified is ongoing,” WCAX reports.
Read more here.
MARYLAND
“Community oversight of law enforcement is the most effective way to deter negative police behavior and the dehumanization of Black and Brown people,” writes the ACLU of Maryland’s Yanet Amanuel in a recent op-ed, “because it gives the community the power to hold accountable those who harm its members.” However, she notes, Maryland’s recent attempts to implement such public safety measures have been less than ideal.
Read more here.
ADDITIONAL NEWS
10 WBNS: Data on Columbus Division of Police Use of Force, Deadly Shootings Shows Racial Disparity
“According to data involving fatal police shootings compiled by the Washington Post, the Columbus Division of Police shot 39 people since 2015. Twenty-four of those—or 61%—were Black. According to the latest U.S. Census data, the city’s Black population is roughly 29%.”
Read more here.
Columbus Dispatch: Killing of Donovan Lewis: We All Pay When Police Snuff Out Unarmed People
“How in the world can police work be carried out effectively in communities where large sectors of residents are mistrustful of the police? People who distrust the police aren’t likely to call on the police in time of need or cooperate with the police when asked to do so. We all lose under these conditions.”
Read more here.
The Washington Post: Teenager Shot by Police in Prince William County Dies
“‘It’s another example of unnecessary police brutality,’ said the lawyer, Joshua Wilson. ‘I don’t believe there was an immediate threat to the police officers, yet they still felt the necessity to shoot into a vehicle that was backing up into an area that had no exit.’”
Read more here.
NBC News: A former Arizona Officer Was Indicted After Fatally Shooting a Man in a Wheelchair
“A former Arizona police officer who fatally shot a man in a motorized wheelchair last year was indicted for manslaughter….Ryan Remington, 32, was accused of ‘recklessly’ causing the death of Richard Lee Richards, 61, in the Nov. 30 shooting outside a Tucson Lowe’s, according to a copy of the indictment obtained by NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson.”
Read more here.
Spread the word for accountability—submit a letter to the editor to your local newspaper.
Stay atop of new state QI updates by signing up for our email list here