All articles tagged with #racial injustice
The Netflix documentary 'The Perfect Neighbor' examines the tragic death of Ajike Owens, a Black mother shot by her white neighbor in Florida, highlighting how police bodycam footage reveals the escalation of conflicts and questions the impact of stand your ground laws, which disproportionately affect people of color and can escalate violence. The film aims to shed light on systemic issues and advocate for change.
The craniums of 19 Black individuals, taken from Charity Hospital in 1872 and shipped to Germany for racist scientific research, have been returned to New Orleans and will be memorialized in a jazz funeral to honor their lives and confront a dark chapter in history.
Susan Smith, who was convicted of murdering her two young sons in 1994 by rolling her car into a South Carolina lake, was denied parole after a hearing where her ex-husband and others opposed her release. The case, which involved Smith falsely accusing a Black man of carjacking, sparked national outrage and highlighted racial injustices. Smith's actions and the subsequent media frenzy continue to resonate, with her parole chances deemed unlikely due to her disciplinary record and the emotional impact on the victims' family.
Many Black Americans find irony in Donald Trump's condemnation of the criminal justice system following his conviction in a New York trial, given his past support for the wrongful convictions of the Central Park Five. Civil rights advocates highlight the contrast between Trump's treatment and the systemic injustices faced by Black and Latino communities, while also emphasizing the broader implications for electoral justice and democracy.
Black leaders criticize Donald Trump for decrying his criminal conviction as unjust, highlighting the irony given his past support for the wrongful convictions of the Central Park Five. They argue that Trump’s recent conviction underscores systemic racial injustices and call for a focus on electing leaders who protect democracy.
A Florida deputy, Eddie Duran, was fired after an internal investigation deemed his use of deadly force against Black Air Force airman Roger Fortson "not objectively reasonable." Fortson was shot six times in his apartment after Duran responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance, which turned out to be a mistake. The incident has sparked widespread outcry and calls for further justice.
Four years after George Floyd's death, corporate America's commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are under scrutiny amid growing conservative backlash. While some companies are rethinking their DEI initiatives due to legal challenges and political pressure, many continue to support these efforts, albeit less vocally. The focus is shifting towards "inclusion" to create fair opportunities for all, as companies navigate the evolving legal and social landscape.
On the fourth anniversary of George Floyd's murder, his family and Democratic lawmakers renewed calls for Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, aimed at police accountability and reform. The bill, which previously passed the House but stalled in the Senate, seeks to prevent unnecessary deaths and ensure equal protection under the law. Floyd's family remains committed to activism despite skepticism about the bill's passage.
Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers, part of a group known as "The Goon Squad," were sentenced in state court to 15 to 45 years in prison for the torture of two Black men. The officers raided a home without a warrant, subjected the men to racist vitriol, used Tasers, beat them, and shot one in the mouth. The sentences will run concurrently with their federal sentences. The torture, which took place in January 2023, led to federal and state charges, and the victims have filed a $400 million federal lawsuit. The case has prompted updates to law enforcement policies and calls for further reform.
Six former Mississippi law enforcement officers, all white, were sentenced to decades in prison for the racially motivated torture, sexual assault, and shooting of two Black men in 2023, as well as their subsequent cover-up. The officers, known as the "Goon Squad," pleaded guilty to state charges including aggravated assault, home invasion, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy. They also faced federal charges and will serve concurrent federal and state sentences. The officers broke into a home without a warrant, arrested the men without cause, and subjected them to brutal treatment, including racial slurs, sexual assault, and tasering. The incident sparked outrage and a $400 million federal lawsuit.
The two remaining survivors of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, both 109 years old, attended a hearing at the Oklahoma supreme court seeking reparative justice for the atrocity. The case calls for the return of land and property destroyed or stolen during the massacre. The survivors' lawyer emphasized the urgency of the moment, while the defendants argued that the survivors lacked standing to bring the case. The justices have reserved their ruling, and the outcome will be closely watched as a significant litigation effort seeking amends for historic injustices.
The killers of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man chased and killed in Georgia in 2020, are seeking to overturn their hate crime convictions. Their attorneys argue that evidence of past racist comments didn't prove a racist intent to harm and that Arbery was not killed on a public street as required for federal hate crime conviction. Prosecutors maintain that the men's actions were racially motivated and that there is sufficient evidence to support the guilty verdicts. The judges have not indicated when they will rule on the appeal.
The sentencing of six White law enforcement officers, known as the "Goon Squad," who tortured two Black men in Mississippi has sparked reflection on the state of racial injustice. The survivors' haunting trauma, perpetrators' courtroom apologies, and the question of how to push toward a more just future have gripped the community. The case has also raised broader questions about police use of force, especially against people of color. While some see the stiff sentences as a step toward justice, others are calling for further investigations and actions to address systemic issues.
Opal Lee, known as the "grandmother of Juneteenth," is reclaiming the land where her childhood home was burned by a racist mob in 1939. After years of wondering about her family's land, Habitat for Humanity gave it to her and is working to build her a new home. Lee's own nonprofit fundraised for the project, and with donations from a construction company and a bank, the home is becoming a reality. The target date for her to move in is June 19, marking both Juneteenth and 85 years since her family was driven out of their home.
Former Colorado paramedic Peter Cichuniec was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain, a case that sparked protests over racial injustice. Cichuniec was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and second-degree assault for injecting McClain with a fatal dose of ketamine. The incident led to policy changes, including a ban on police chokeholds and limitations on ketamine use by paramedics during arrests in Colorado. The case also prompted a probe into racially biased policing and excessive force by Aurora police, resulting in a consent decree to reform the practices of its police and fire departments.