2. A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM
1,217 deadly police shootings 2010-2012;
313 African Americans in 2012 alone
Inconsistent reports
“Undetermined” 71%
Of African American boys/men ages 15-19:
Killed at a rate of 31.17 per million
Whites? 1.47 per million
African American teens 21 x more likely to be killed
41 young teens (under 15) killed 1980-2012; 8 were white.
3. Ratio: White/Black Officers
The 22 cities in the US with more than 600,000 people: In
every case, whites are overrepresented on the police force
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
srv/special/national/police-staffing/
4. From the start…
Profiling in Pontiac
on Thanksgiving:
http://www.cnet.co
m/news/two-phone-
standoff-after-cop-
stops-man-for-
walking-with-hand-
in-pockets/
6. Eric Garner: 43, NYC
Killed July 17; No Indictment
Possibly selling loose
untaxable cigarettes
7. John Crawford III: 22, Ohio
Killed August 5; No Indictment
Shopping at
Walmart,
AirSoft BB
Gun
8. Michael Brown: 18, Ferguson
Killed August 19; No Indictement
Jay Walking
Theft of small cigars
Shove store staff member.
9. Kajieme Powell: 25, St. Louis
August 19; No Indictment
Walking with steak knife;
Likely suicidal
About 20 Seconds
after police arrive
Police statement does
not match video
10. Tamir Rice, 12; Cleveland
November 22; Pending Indictment?
At part with his air soft gun
Under 2 seconds
11. Milton Hall: 49, Saginaw, MI
Killed August 2012; No Indictment
Surrounded by 8 police officers who eventually
shot off 46 rounds, hitting Hall 14 times
14. Eugene Robinson:
“There are two justice systems in this country: one
for black Americans and one for everybody else.”
Commissioner Charles Ramsey:
As simple as this: Comes down “to just treating
people with respect”
Al Sharpton:
Policing: “The biggest civil rights issue of our
time”
“We need to stop sending only police to solve a multi-
pronged problem. We need jobs, better housing, and
youth programs. But the only thing we ever get is police.”
Notas do Editor
2010-2012
Statistics vary but consistently show a huge over representation of African American deaths at the hands of police- records not kept well – no mandatory reporting- sort of a weird honor system. Most of US police departments do not file fatal police shooting reports at all. Don’t list circumstances- or state “undetermined” (77% of those listed as such were black)
The further a dot is from the equality line, the greater the imbalance. (see graphs in the article)
Reasons for high white to black ratio police staff in many cases?
Larger cities- police forces are more diverse for the most part, - but more blacks are living outside cities now- and the diversity of the police has not changed quickly enough to match the growing diversity in surrounding cities- such as
Furguson, which was ¾ white 25 years ago- now it is 2/3 black.
Recession- been more lax on civil rights issues when recruiting police- cuts to recruiting programs
African Americans = 13.1%
40% of the prison population
2.8 - 5.5 times more likely to
be arrested for drug offenses
Even though whites use of sell drugs at about the same rate
Receive longer sentences
Racial profiling allows for more leeway – the new jim crow
These statistics are relevant because these are the situations that are often escalated into fatal cases.
Who’s doing the killing?
Mostly white officers- as they dominate police forces everywhere.
Average of about ninety-six police homicides a year in which a white officer kills a black person.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=g-xHqf1BVE4
Six kids
Illegal choke hold; all on video- no indictment last night- protests in NYC.
Oh- the person who videotaped the whole thing- he was indicted.
Walmart: Airsoft BB gun
about 5 seconds; less than 2 minutes after entering the store:
911 customer- Ronald Richie: "I’m in a Wal-Mart. There’s a guy in here with an assault rifle. He’s loading it, and he’s pointing it at people.” Mother of two had heart attack
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/9/25/no_charges_in_ohio_police_killing
2 kids-
Police- said told him to drop it- but didn’t have it second time they shot; father; x girlfriend on phone with him- says “it’s not real.”
Whole surveillance:
http://www.whio.com/videos/news/surveillance-video-john-crawford-iii-at-walmart/vCtDmK/
Sept 25: No Indictment
90 seconds according to Police
Nov 24: No indictment
Jay Walking
Theft of small cigars
Shove store staff member.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/08/21/they-just-killed-him-new-video-betrays-police-depiction-fatal-shooting
About 20 Seconds
Second video- with black blocked sides- 50-1:40. (630 is total)
Police statement- first video- 6-58 Does not match up
Under 2 seconds
Dispatch: “pointing it at people” Not “toy,” not “kid”
6:55:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/video-shows-tamir-rice-12-shot-dead-cleveland-police-article-1.2025132?utm_content=bufferdad0e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=NYDailyNewsTw
Tamir- multiple people in gazebo- reaching for gun- dispatcher/police versions, 3 commands?
Milton Hall, 49; Saginaw, MI
(homeless shot 46 times, knife)
No charges filed
Police want apology from NFL, Fox news, Gulliani
PEW research poll:
70% AA say blacks treated less fairly by police, while only
37% of whites believe they are treated less fairly.
Obama- 236 million in training, cameras
Didn’t help Armand Bennet (New Orleans, aug 11)- officer took off camera five minutes before pulling him over and shooting him in the head.
Or Eric Garner, etc.
Many cases- police instigate/escalate the situation rather than diffuse or even investigate.
Kajieme- clearly suicidal- they can’t recognize this?
People say it’s not like the movies and things happen fast-
I guess I hold my police at a high standard. They should be better trained than that. Perhaps Police do not look at AA as equals- if they find it so easy to dismiss any other factors other than the fact that they need to be brought down first and dealt with later. When watching Eric Garner state repeatedly that he can’t breath, it is clear that none of the police around value him in any way.
Why I chose- really didn’t think much about Furguson- assumed their would be a trial- why such anger so soon? Of course they will indict- but they knew the courts would not- how did they know this and I just assumed the courts would be fair? - they knew because of Experience/History. I should have, too.
Ongoing cumulative stress this must put on the individuals, the parents, the community. Constant worry; constant fear; constant invalidation. I can’t imagine it.
http://www.upworthy.com/this-might-be-jon-stewarts-best-rant-ever-because-ferguson