By Brittney DeZwaan A Denver suburb’s decision to pay $15 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the family of Elijah McClain acknowledged the role police officers had in his death after they handcuffed and placed him in a chokehold. Three officers were indicted on murder charges in September. But two Aurora paramedics also were…
The Verdict on Derek Chauvin: A New Ending to a Familiar Tale
By Airielle Lowe Derek Chauvin’s first words defending his treatment of George Floyd came not facing the jury that convicted him of murder, but at the neighborhood intersection in Minneapolis where he’d kept his knee on Floyd’s neck until he passed out and later died. “We’ve got to control this guy because he’s a sizable…
Would increased police training save black lives?
By Ravyn Hardwick George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was seen by millions in video footage gasping, “I can’t breathe” while a white police officer kneeled on his neck until he died. In death, he joined a growing litany of names: Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Philando Castille, Eric Garner, and Tamir Rice, just…
‘Defund the Police’ Doesn’t Mean Dystopia in America
By Jaylen Williams Calls to defund the police after the death of George Floyd got a lot of attention in the 2020 election season, with each presidential candidate accusing the other of seeking to slash the budget for law enforcement. But what does the call to “defund” even mean and does either outgoing President Trump…