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Mistrial for Baltimore Officer Could Spell Trouble for Prosecutors Seeking Justice for Freddie Gray
On Wednesday, Judge Barry Williams declared a mistrial in the criminal case against Baltimore Police Officer William Porter. Porter was the first officer to face trial out of a total of six police officers who are charged in the death of Freddie Gray. Gray died from a broken neck and spinal cord injury while in police…
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Justice Scalia Questions Whether Blacks Ought to Be at Top-Tier Universities
On Wednesday, in Fisher v. University of Texas—a case about a white woman who believes she was denied admission to the University of Texas because less-qualified blacks were admitted instead via affirmative action—Antonin Scalia, a U.S. Supreme Court justice, challenged the attorneys defending the University of Texas by openly questioning whether blacks who are admitted to…
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In Chicago, Another Federal Investigation of Police, but Will It Really Matter?
On Monday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced a new Department of Justice investigation into the practices of the Chicago Police Department. This comes in the wake of newly released statements from Chicago police regarding the shooting death of Laquan McDonald by Chicago Officer Jason Van Dyke that seriously contradict what can plainly be seen in…
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The Laquan McDonald Aftermath: More Heads Need to Roll in Chicago
On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel fired Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy amid continued unrest stemming from the release of video footage that chronicled the killing of Laquan McDonald at the hands of Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. McCarthy’s termination was a move that was, presumably, executed to help stabilize a situation that continues to…
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3 Reasons Why It’s Dumb to Say That Black Mizzou Students Should Have Gone to HBCUs
In the wake of recent events at the University of Missouri, a troubling trend has emerged on social media. A number of black folks have decided that now is an appropriate time to openly question the college choices of the black students who enrolled at Mizzou, as well as other blacks who attend predominantly white…
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If You Think They Don’t Want You on the Jury, You May Be Right
The issue of black participation on trial juries is one with multiple layers of complexity. As a civil rights trial attorney and former criminal prosecutor, I am always disappointed to see the myriad ways in which many in our community attempt to avoid their civic duty of participating in the criminal-justice system as jurors. Even…
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Are Cops in Classrooms a Danger to Our Kids?
The #AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh in Columbia, S.C., raises critical issues regarding school safety and the presence of law enforcement in the classroom. Beyond the initial shock over the school resource officer’s handling of the situation are legitimate questions about whether he should have been there in the first place and, moreover, how police in a school should…
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The Absurdity of Blaming #BlackLivesMatter for Killing Cops
Sometimes, arguing with ignorant folk—or those who intentionally choose not to “get it”—can be frustrating, if not downright exhausting. Reading the remarks from Harris County, Texas, Sheriff Ron Hickman in the wake of the death of county Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth might leave most confused. While we may all agree that what appears to have…
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Why We Can’t Afford to Dodge Jury Duty
I recently concluded a trial on a civil rights case. Without discussing the details, it was a case that was in the New England area, where I found myself daily in a courthouse with hardly a sign of another person of color anywhere. One or two marshals, but no judges, no law clerks, no custodians…
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What #SamDubose Tells Us About Policing in 2015
The horrifying video footage of Sam Dubose being shot and killed by now-former University of Cincinnati Police Officer Ray Tensing is the latest example of an innocent, unarmed black man meeting his demise from the bullet of a cop’s gun. The recurrence of these killings has become painfully routine. What was once jarring and shocking…
