Lawyer wants federal probe of why Mississippi police waited months to tell a mom her son was killed
A civil rights attorney says he will ask the U.S. Justice Department to investigate why authorities in Jackson, Mississippi, waited months to tell a woman that her son had been struck and killed by a police SUV driven by an off-duty officer.
HBCU president lauds students, officer for stopping Jacksonville killer before racist store attack
The president of the historically Black institution in Jacksonville, Florida, says a campus security officer tipped off by observant students likely stopped the killer who fatally shot three people at a nearby Dollar General Store from carrying out his racist attack at Edward Waters University.
Lawsuits filed by ex-volleyball player and former football player against Northwestern University
The hazing scandal at Northwestern University has widened to include a volleyball player who has become the first female athlete to sue the university over allegations she was retaliated against for reporting mistreatment and a new lawsuit by former Northwestern quarterback Lloyd Yates.
Tyre Nichols’ family sues Memphis police over beating, death
The family of Tyre Nichols, who died after a brutal beating by five Memphis police officers, sued the officers and the city of Memphis, blaming them for his death and accusing officials of allowing a special unit’s aggressive tactics to go unchecked despite warning signs.
Attorney threatens to sue Gov. DeSantis over Florida’s rejection of African American studies course
Leading chants of “Black history is American history,” prominent civil-rights attorney Ben Crump on Wednesday threatened to sue Gov. Ron DeSantis over the state’s rejection of an African American studies course.
Attorneys liken Tyre Nichols' arrest to Rodney King beating
Attorneys for the family of a Black motorist who died after a violent encounter with Memphis police say officers beat Tyre Nichols for three minutes in a “savage” encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.
Attorneys Ben Crump, Bob Hilliard hired by family of teen who fell to his death from Orlando thrill ride
Attorneys Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard have been hired on retainer to represent the family of Tyre Sampson, 14, who fell to his death Thursday night from the Orlando Free Fall at ICON Park, according to a news release.
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Floyd family, leaders hold prayer service on eve of trial
Bystander video of the confrontation is expected to be a key exhibit at trial, with opening statements set for Monday, March 29, 2021. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)MINNEAPOLIS – National civil rights leaders appeared alongside several family members of George Floyd at a prayer service Sunday night, hours before opening statements were set to begin in the murder trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in his death. Several dozen attendees congregated in the benches at Greater Friendship Missionary Church, where preachers led worship, a choir sang and members of George Floyd's family were joined by the Rev. The speakers called for justice in George Floyd's death, mirroring the words spoken by leaders during a protest earlier Sunday in downtown Minneapolis. George Floyd, who was Black, was declared dead on May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes while George Floyd was handcuffed and pleading that he couldn’t breathe.
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Lawsuit alleges racial profiling in cellphone confrontation
Keyon Harrold and his son were allegedly racially profiled in an Arlo hotel in Manhattan by Miya Ponsetto in December 2020. Ponsetto wrongly accused Keyon Harrold Jr. of stealing her phone and physically attacking him. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK – The family of a Black teenager who was falsely accused of stealing a woman's cellphone in a New York City hotel last December filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the woman and the hotel engaged in racial profiling. A video of Ponsetto’s confrontation with the then-14-year-old was recorded and posted online by his father, jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold. Ad“Defendants treated Plaintiffs differently from other guests and invitees in a place of public accommodation because of their race,” the lawsuit states.
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In Louisville, Breonna Taylor’s family honors her legacy
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On the one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death, the slain Black woman's family continued their call for justice as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in downtown Louisville on Saturday. In a tweet Saturday, President Joe Biden called Taylor's death “a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America." Police had a no-knock warrant but said they knocked and announced their presence before entering Taylor’s apartment, a claim some witnesses have disputed. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, tweeted a statement in support of Taylor's family, including her mother, Tamika Palmer. “Today we remember Breonna Taylor, her tragic and unnecessary loss and the immense work we have ahead of us,” he said.
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Floyd family agrees to $27M settlement amidst ex-cop's trial
Floyd family attorney Ben Crump called it the largest pretrial settlement ever for a civil rights claim, and thanked city leaders for “showing you care about George Floyd.”“It’s going to be a long journey to justice. “This makes a statement that George Floyd deserved better than what we witnessed on May 25, 2020, that George Floyd’s life mattered, and that by extension, Black lives matter.”Ad“Even though my brother is not here, he's here with me in my heart,” Philonise Floyd said. “I just want you to know how deeply we are with you,” she said to Floyd's family members. Floyd’s family filed the federal civil rights lawsuit in July against the city, Chauvin and three other fired officers charged in his death. AdIt wasn't immediately clear how the settlement might affect the trial or the jury now being seated to hear it.
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Activists seek laws after officer cleared in Blake shooting
A police officer shot Blake in the back multiple times after responding to a domestic dispute on Aug. 23, 2020. On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, a Wisconsin prosecutor declined to file criminal charges against the officer who shot Blake. After the Aug. 23 shooting that left Blake paralyzed, the decision on whether to charge Rusten Sheskey came down to a familiar question: Was the Kenosha officer justified in using force to protect himself? Those included requiring body cameras and dashcams, a standard protocol for independent investigations and an easy-to-access database of disciplinary actions. The city had planned to acquire body cameras in 2022, but after Blake's shooting, that timetable was sped up to put the cameras in use this year.
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Homeowner sues over HOA’s order to remove BLM flag
Some homeowners express their views through the flag that flies on their homes, so Mickel didn’t understand why he got a letter from his homeowners association more than a month ago telling him to remove his Black Lives Matter flag. You’ll find plenty of flags in the neighborhood: Blue Lives Matter, Trump, LGBTQ, college teams and seasonal. Crump says it is evident that Mickel was harassed and discriminated against for supporting Black Lives Matter. “The first day that he put up his Black Lives Matter flag, he was met with retaliation from the homeowners association,” Crump said. A letter would have been sent had he flown a Blue Lives Matter flag off of his house.
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2 Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor protests
He says the officers were shot after investigating reports of gunfire at an intersection where there was a large crowd. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home during a narcotics investigation. State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said that while the officers had a no-knock warrant, the investigation showed they announced themselves before entering. But Cameron, who is the state's first Black attorney general, said the officers acted in self-defense after Taylor's boyfriend fired at them. ___This story has been updated to clarify that, according to the investigation, officers did not execute the warrant as a no-knock warrant, not that they didn’t use a no-knock warrant.
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Police reforms in Breonna Taylor case praised, scrutinized
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother, in white beside Attorney Ben Crump, left, speak in Louisville, Ky., after settlement was announced. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A settlement between the family of Breonna Taylor and the city of Louisville could bring wide-ranging reforms to how police officers live and work, changes that would represent a rare outcome in a police misconduct lawsuit. And a legal expert noted that even the most wide-ranging of reforms won't succeed if the people entrusted with implementing them aren't onboard. The city of Louisville passed a new law earlier this year, named after Taylor, that bans the use of no-knock warrants. Tamika Mallory is among numerous activists in Louisville who say police reforms will be meaningless if the officers involved in Taylor's death aren't charged.
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Absent details, police shooting narratives seek to distract
Authorities have been reluctant to release even the most basic information about the incident or details about the white officer who shot Blake seven times in the back. They shot my son seven times seven times, like he didnt matter, Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr., said. In 2014, for example, a union spokesman rushed to the scene where a white Chicago officer fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. As for the shooting itself, authorities, citing the need to protect the integrity of the investigation, have raised far more questions than they've answered. Instead, he said a knife was found after the shooting on the drivers side floorboard of the SUV.
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Wisconsin police shooting sparks national outrage
Tony Evers and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden immediately condemned the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who was hospitalized in serious condition. The shooting happened around 5 p.m. Sunday and was captured from across the street on cellphone video that was posted online. During the shooting, a Black woman can be seen screaming in the street and jumping up and down. Wisconsin GOP members also decried the violent protests, echoing the law-and-order theme that President Donald Trump has been using in his reelection campaign. That man just literally grabbed him by his shirt and looked the other way and was just shooting him.
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Lawyer plans civil lawsuit against Glynn County police over death of Ahmaud Arbery
GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. The attorneys involved in three cases that have drawn national attention spoke Wednesday as they push for justice for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Arbery, 25, was shot to death while running in Glynn County. The lawyer representing his family said a civil lawsuit will be filed against the county in the next 10 days. We think Glynn County [police] shares accountability for Ahmaud Arberys death in encouraging neighbors to rely on vigilante justice, said Lee Merritt, the Arbery family attorney. None of the officers have been arrested in the Taylor case and the four officers in Floyds death have been charged.
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Floyd family sues Minneapolis officers charged in his death
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump wears a face mask with the words "Where's the love?" after announcing Wednesday, July 15, 2020 in Minneapolis the filing of a civil lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and the officers involved in the death of George Floyd. Floyd died at the hands of police during an arrest on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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Floyd family to announce lawsuit against Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS Attorneys for George Floyd's family plan to announce a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Minneapolis and the police officers who are charged in his death. Attorney Ben Crump planned a late-morning news conference in Minneapolis to detail the lawsuit. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Floyd's death also sparked calls to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a new public safety department. According to documents in state probate court, Floyd is survived by 11 known heirs, including five children and six siblings.
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Protests turn subdued after new charges in Floyd case
The most serious new charge Wednesday was an accusation of second-degree murder against Derek Chauvin, who was caught on video pressing his knee to Floyds neck. The three other officers at the scene were charged for the first time with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Protests were still big, but largely peaceful in California, where NBA stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson marched with protesters in Oakland. The new second-degree murder charge alleges that Chauvin caused Floyds death without intent while committing another felony, namely third-degree assault. The protests have also taken root overseas, including in Athens, London, Helsinki, Rotterdam and Bogota, among other cities.