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Officer Who Killed Ma'Khia Bryant Identified as Nicholas Reardon
The Columbus, Ohio police officer who shot and killed 16-year-old Ma’Khia Bryant has been identified as Nicholas Reardon. Bryant was killed just as the nation got word of Derek Chauvin’s conviction for killing George Floyd last May. Around 4:40 p.m., a woman called 911 to report a disturbance on the southeast side of Columbus. Reardon…
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Oakland Experiments With Directing Some 911 Calls to Community Responders
Across the country, people suffering from mental health crises often find themselves confronted with an armed police officer instead of a mental health professional who is better suited to support them. Oakland City Council is set to approve a pilot program in which 911 operators can direct trained civilians to handle mental health calls. The…
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DOJ to Investigate Police Practices in Minneapolis
Less than a day after Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a civil investigation into police practices in Minneapolis. The DOJ will determine if the Minneapolis Police Department uses excessive force, engages in discriminatory conduct, and whether its treatment of people with mental health issues violates any…
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For Once, a Cop Did Not Get Away With Murder. Activists Want to Ensure It Is No Longer a Rarity
Tuesday, Black people celebrated the conviction of Derek Chauvin as jubilantly as they’d rejoice in their favorite sports team winning a championship. They know they are the underdogs. The rules are rigged against them, the opponent has outsized resources and always seems to be playing on home court, but yesterday felt like a buzzer-beater. Up…
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Black Religious Leaders Are Calling for Boycott of Home Depot Over Georgia's Anti-Voter Bill
A coalition of Black faith leaders across Georgia are calling for a boycott of Home Depot in response to the corporation’s lack of urgency to pressure Republicans in the state to reverse its anti-Democratic voter suppression laws. Leading the charge is Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, who oversees all 534 African Methodist Episcopal churches in Georgia.…
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Michigan Dad Pulls Biracial Child Out of School After Teacher, Other Student Cuts Her Hair
A Michigan father was outraged after his 7-year-old biracial daughter told him that her teacher and a classmate had cut her hair at school on two separate occasions. The girl’s father, Jimmy Hoffmeyer, told the Associated Press that his daughter, Jurnee, arrived home from Ganiard Elementary, in Mount Pleasant, on March 24, with a good…
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Anti-Protest Bill Into Law
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a very undemocratic bill into law Monday that strengthens the power of law enforcement and makes it harder for residents to protest. CNN reports that the “Combating Public Disorder Act” creates several crimes connected to protest. One is “mob intimidation” and doxxing an individual or digitally publishing someone’s private information…
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Former Home of Witness for Derrick Chauvin Defense Smeared With Pig's Blood
I guess the pig had it coming—literally. Much of America was appalled last week by the testimony of Barry Brodd, a use-of-force expert who testified on behalf of Derrick Chauvin’s defense team that the ex-cop was justified in kneeling down on George Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes and that he “was acting with…
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At Least 6 Mass Shootings Occurred This Weekend
Another bloody weekend in America has renewed calls for gun reform out of Washington, after at least six mass shootings took place over a four-day span, starting Thursday night. It started in Indianapolis, Ind., Thursday at a FedEx facility where eight people were killed in a mass shooting. Four of the victims were Sikhs. It…
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Colorado Judge Resigns After Using N-Word and Declaring 'All Lives Matter'
A Colorado judge has resigned after telling her colleagues “all lives matter” and repeatedly using the n-word, among other instances of inappropriate comments. According to the Washington Post, Colorado District Judge Natalie T. Chase agreed to step aside after a Colorado Supreme Court censured her based on a report that she had “undermined confidence in…