Officers in Newark didn't fire a single shot in all of 2020. This marks a distinct turn for a city that, just a decade ago, faced a DOJ investigation for its heavy-handed policing tactics.
Chauvin was convicted of two murder counts and one manslaughter count, but an appeal, as well as other investigations, are sure to come.
Something extraordinarily rare happened yesterday: the Chauvin verdict. It's just the 7th murder conviction for a police killing since 2005.
Police accountability is an essential part of justice reform if legislators want meaningful ways to investigate officer-involved shootings.
The video of Floyd’s death shows him losing consciousness and posing no threat to officers. The Chauvin trial brings into question the training capabilities of police departments and the choices officers make outside of their training.
Witnesses have called it murder. Derek Chauvin, the officer charged with Floyd’s death, calls it reasonable use of force. Now, his defense is arguing that Chauvin did what he was trained to do. In other words, the defense maintains that the police department trained Chauvin
The New York City Council voted on three resolutions and five bills related to public safety and police accountability. Among that package of legislation was a resolution that ends qualified immunity.
Kentucky became the 10th state to adopt Marsy's Law into its constitution on Nov. 20, 2020. The controversial "Victim's Bill of Rights" has picked up steam in state legislatures across the country.
The letter of the law is simple and clear. It requires that prosecutors prove "that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims" because of their identifiers beyond a reasonable doubt. There are no qualifying clauses or exceptions, only provisions for sentencing.
The phrase "defund the police" shows up in headlines and politicians' Twitter feeds a lot, but what does defunding the police really mean?