Criminal Justice
-
Two Black Men Who Spent Nearly 18 Years in a Michigan Prison for a Crime They Didn't Commit File $160 Million Lawsuit
It’s not always easy being a writer whose main focus is documenting racism and racial injustice in America. It’s a job that consistently requires the covering of sad and often infuriating stories. Among the hardest stories to cover are those that involve Black people spending years and even decades in prison for crimes they didn’t…
-
Claim Notices Filed by Victims of Kyle Rittenhouse Allege Negligence on Behalf of Kenosha Police and Sheriff’s Department, Seek $20 Million in Damages
Separate claim notices filed by both a victim of Kyle Rittenhouse and the family of another could potentially put the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department on the hook for up to $20 million in damages. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the claims were filed by the parents of Anthony Huber,…
-
'I Feel Like I'm Finna Die': Why Everyone in Alabama's Prison System Has a Death Sentence [Updated]
For a portion of his 22 years, Bernard Jemison has been incarcerated at Kilby Correctional Facility, a maximum-security penitentiary located just outside of Montgomery, Ala. According to Alabama Department of Corrections documents reviewed by The Root, in September, 1031 men were housed in a prison designed to hold 440 men, an occupancy rate of 234…
-
Philadelphia to Pay $9.8 Million to Black Man Exonerated After 28 Years in Prison for Murder. Apparently, This is Happening a Lot in Philly
It appears that for years and even decades the Philadelphia criminal justice system has shown a pattern of locking up Black men for crimes they didn’t commit based on the work of corrupt police officers and conviction-happy courts that never really consider that a Black defendant might be getting railroaded despite a glaring lack of…
-
Virginia Judge Rules Portraits of White Judges Prevents Black Defendant From Receiving a Fair Trial
A judge in Virginia’s Fairfax County has ruled that the portraits of white judges in the courtroom prevent Black defendants from receiving a fair trial. According to the Washington Post, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard issued an opinion on Monday saying that the portraits of the mostly white judges that have presided over…
-
White Supremacists Plotted to Attack Power Plants, FBI Says
A group led by a teenage white supremacist plotted to attack multiple power plants across the country and write the words “teenage white supremacist” really drives home the feeling that we’re living in the darkest timeline. According to the Associated Press, an accidentally unsealed affidavit revealed allegations from the FBI that a teenager based in…