7 deputies, 3 employees charged with 2nd-degree murder after Black man smothered to death at mental hospital
Attorneys for the family of a Black Virginia man who died in law enforcement custody say video of the incident shows seven sheriffโs deputies pushing down โevery part of his bodyโ with โabsolute brutality.โ.
#EndSARS movement spreading in Houston; first-generation Nigerian Americans speak out about the violence
The violence erupted during peaceful protests that were meant to bring to light rampant abuses at the hands of police. Mayor Sylvester Turner, several community leaders and people gathered Friday night at Houstonโs city hall to remember the young lives lost during the peaceful protest in Nigeria. Peter Uwalaka and Elizabeth Opara are members of the UIU chapter in Houston and are first-generation Nigerian Americans. People tired of the violence against peaceful protest and police brutality. On Saturday, the Houston UIU Chapter will have a protest march to bring awareness to the atrocities in Nigeria.
Prosecutor: Release of secret grand jury proceedings in Breonna Taylorโs killing by police will be delayed until Friday
LOUISVILLE, Ky โ The release of secret grand jury proceedings in Breonna Taylorโs killing by police will be delayed until Friday, according to the Kentucky attorney generalโs office. The grand jury decided this month not to charge any of the police officers involved with her death; instead, one officer was charged with shooting into a neighboring home. Activists and Taylorโs family called for the grand jury file to be released. One of two Louisville police officers shot during protests last week called for law enforcement, protesters and other city residents to work together to move forward. Facing questions about the grand jury this week, Cameron acknowledged that he did not recommend homicide charges for the offices involved.
Activist Trae Tha Truth, Mayor Turner help unveil โSay Their Namesโ traveling memorial exhibit honoring Black lives lost
HOUSTON โ A traveling memorial honoring more than 200 Black Americans from Martin Luther King Jr. to George Floyd arrived in Houston on Monday. Houston rapper, activist and philanthropist Trae The Truth led the effort to bring the โSay Their Namesโ exhibit to his hometown, which was set up and unveiled Monday evening at Emancipation Park. โWhat weโre doing with things like this, weโll be able to spark a whole new wave of helping people understand why we say their names across the world,โ Trae The Truth said. The exhibition began in Portland, Oregon, on Juneteenth 2020, established by the group โSay Their Names Memorial.โ The exhibit has traveled to 25 cities so far, most recently in Dallas. The memorial will be open from Tuesday through October 13, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.For more information, go to www.saytheirnamesmemorials.com.
Officer charged in Breonna Taylor case pleads not guilty
LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ The lone Kentucky detective facing charges related to the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor pleaded not guilty Monday. The decision not to charge the officers set off protests in Louisville and across the country. On Monday, Louisville's mayor lifted the curfew put in place after people refused to end their nighttime protests. Her response comes after Democratic state Rep. Attica Scott was charged with the felony last week while participating in Louisville protests for racial justice. Many marched along Louisvilleโs streets chanting โBreonna Taylor, say her name,โ and โno justice, no peace."
Houstonians propose citizenโs board to hold HPD accountable
HOUSTON โ A group of local community leaders proposed a Houston Police Independent Citizens Investigative Board to create transparency between the community and the Houston Police Department. The board would be comprised of community members from multiple organizations and the law schools at Texas Southern University and the University of Houston. The citizens' investigative board would work to ban the use of no-knock warrants. According to the proposal, the board would be funded by the City of Houston budget not to exceed $3 million a year. Turner also appointed a Policing Reforms Task Force to review Houston Police Department policies and practices.
Gov. Greg Abbott calls for new crimes, mandatory jail time for certain offenses related to protests
Greg Abbott issued a string of new legislative proposals to raise penalties and create new crimes for offenses committed at protests. Abbottโs proposals would create felony-level offenses for causing injury or destroying property during what is deemed to be a โriot.โ Blocking hospital entrances and using lasers to target police would also be felony offenses, Abbott said. Striking an officer with something like a water bottle would lead to a mandatory minimum of six months in jail. Many protesters in Texas have been arrested on suspicion of such offenses since protests erupted in May after the death of George Floyd. DeSantis' proposal also created new crimes and enhanced penalties like Abbottโs proposal, including a mandatory six months in jail for striking an officer.
2 Louisville officers shot amid Breonna Taylor protests
Police move after a Louisville Police officer was shot, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020, in Louisville, Ky. A grand jury has indicted one officer on criminal charges six months after Breonna Taylor was fatally shot by police in Kentucky. 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. ___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 didnโt use a no-knock warrant.
'Arrest the system:โ Houston activists outraged by Kentucky grand jury decision in Breonna Taylor case
HOUSTON โ NAACP Houston Vice President James Dixon II called the โshameful decision" by the Kentucky grand jury in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor a โdeplorable misrepresentationโ of the criminal justice system. "No one is being held responsible for the death for Breonna Taylor in this indictment. โArrest the system, which refuse to arrest the killers of Breonna Taylor,โ he said. The justice system failed Breonna Taylor and, as such, failed us. Our efforts to realize justice for Breonna Taylor should be redirected to bring attention to the faulty and burdensome justice system that compromises our societyโs moral and humane fabric.
Police cancel vacations, prepare for Kentucky AGโs decision on whether or not to charge officers in Breonna Taylorโs death
LOUISVILLE, Ky. โ Louisville, Kentucky, police said Monday that they had canceled vacations and were setting up barricades in preparation for the state attorney generalโs announcement about whether he will charge officers in Breonna Taylorโs shooting death. โIt is important to note that (Cameron) has said there is no timetable for the announcement,โ the statement added. โWhen the investigation concludes and a decision is made, we will provide an update about an announcement,โ he said. Celebrities, athletes, activists and Taylorโs family have for months pushed Cameron to criminally charge the officers involved in the raid. Last week, the city of Louisville settled a lawsuit from Taylorโs family for $12 million and pledged several police reforms as part of the agreement.
In crackdown on violent protesters, Justice Dept. says federal sedition charge may be applied
Neither was a man accused of shooting and killing a demonstrator in Louisville following the death of Breonna Taylor. Demonstrations have slowed, though not necessarily because of the federal charges. Carroll accused federal authorities of using the cases to try to make the protests seem more violent and disruptive than they really were. โThere is absolutely an agenda here to blow these out of proportion, make these look more serious or more sinister than it is,โ Barnett said of the pursuit of federal charges. โThis is the Justice Department, from the top, furthering an agenda that has nothing to do with justice,โ he said.
Dallas' 1st Black female police chief to step down Nov. 10
DALLAS U. Rene Hall, the first Black woman to lead the Dallas police force, has submitted her resignation effective Nov. 10, the city announced Tuesday. Hall's resignation letter, which the city provided to The Associated Press, didn't give a reason for stepping down. She wrote that Dallas police have dealt with an unthinkable series of events since she took office in 2017. Hall said shes proud of how the department coped and implemented critical reforms." Halls resignation letter hints that she will continue police work but says shes keeping her next steps confidential.
Change is necessary: Texans post powerful video supporting Black Lives Matter
HOUSTON Players of the Houston Texans were featured in a powerful video supporting Black Lives Matter. The minute-and-a-half-long video, players start off by saying, No one should feel scared for their life simply because of the color of their skin.The players addressed recent incidents, such as the cases of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake, involving Black people who have been killed or injured at the hands of police officers. The Texans said they are committed to change by taking action and posted six actions the team will take to address police brutality against African Americans. Read the following actions below:
Debate over defunding the Houston Police Department heats up after Austin slashes budget
Many of these calls have coalesced into a โdefund the policeโ movement in cities across the country, including in Houston. โWeโre talking about making sure thereโs money in programs where itโs needed,โ said Ashton Woods, the head of Black Lives Matter Houston. Dr. James Douglas, President of the Houston NAACP, wants to see HPD spend its money differently. โJust arresting people alone is not going to reduce crime,โ he said. When we asked Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner for his thoughts, he said he believes the budget is in line with the cityโs needs.
Plan advances to allow dismantling Minneapolis Police Dept.
The Minneapolis City Council is voting Friday, June 26, 2020, on a proposal to do away with the city's police department and create a new community safety and violence prevention department. While the majority of City Council members have said they would support dismantling the police department after the death of George Floyd, the ultimate decision to amend the city charter would go before voters in November. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews File)MINNEAPOLIS โ The Minneapolis City Council on Friday unanimously advanced a proposal to change the city charter to allow the police department to be dismantled, following widespread criticism of law enforcement over the killing of George Floyd. It also comes amid a spate of recent shootings in Minnesotaโs largest city that have heightened many citizensโ concerns about talk of dismantling the department. Ten years from now, Council member Steve Fletcher predicted, everybody will be looking to emulate the Minneapolis model.
Walmart gets backlash over T-shirts with โAll Lives Matterโ and โIrish Lives Matterโ slogans
(CNN) โ Walmart is facing heat for selling T-shirts that feature variations of the "Black Lives Matter" slogan, including "All Lives Matter," "Blue Lives Matter," "Irish Lives Matter" and "Homeless Lives Matter." In a comment to CBC, Walmart Canada said it "stand[s] against any form of racism or discrimination." As of Thursday afternoon, the "All Lives Matter" T-shirts were no longer visible on the Walmart Canada website. In December, Walmart Canada apologized for making available a Christmas sweater with an apparent drug reference. T-shirts bearing โAll Lives Matter,โ โBlue Lives Matterโ and โIrish Lives Matterโ slogans are also selling on Amazon.
New taskforce to review city of Houstonโs Independent Police Oversight Board as part of reforms
HOUSTON โ A new task force on police reform, announced Wednesday by Mayor Sylvester Turner, will take a closer look at the cityโs Independent Police Oversight Board. Douglas has long pushed the city for an oversight board that initiates itโs own investigations and takes its findings to the District Attorneyโs office, which is something the board cannot do right now. โItโs a nice thing to say we have a citizensโ review board, but if they canโt do anything itโs just window dressing,โ he said. He told KPRC 2 that board members are unpaid volunteers who review about 275 cases each year. The board canโt start its own investigations, only review cases provided by HPD.
Texas Democrats urge Abbott to call special session as details emerge showing Javier Amblerโs death at the hands of sheriffโs deputies
Local and state leaders are calling for the resignation of Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody and for the deputies involved in Javier Amblerโs death to be fired. Last year, Williamson County deputies pursued Ambler in a car chase for 22 minutes, after trying to pull him over for not dimming his headlights. Williamson County sheriffโs department maintains that its deputies did nothing wrong, according to an internal affairs investigation obtained by the Statesman. Moore needs to focus on completing her 16-month-old Ambler investigation. Instead, she is trying to blame her own failures on the Williamson County Sheriff's Department,โ Chody tweeted.
Police department policies vary when it comes to releasing body camera video
โIf anyone wants to see a video they need to contact the police department,โ Acevedo said. Acevedo said at present, only family members would be able to review video, and only if they approved its release. Lovie Williams Linzer is one family member who asked to see the body cam video of her nephewโs death. โWe want to see the video and we wonโt stop.โDiffering video release policiesIn 2015, Texas adopted body camera guidelines for all law enforcement in the state, but they left the decision on whether to release the videos to each individual department. HPD remains committed to working with the family representative in such incidents and to the issue of transparency regarding body worn cameras.โ
Mayor Turner issues executive order to ban chokeholds in Houston; city council discusses defunding police
HOUSTON โ City council members discussed next yearโs city budget as protesters demanded change outside City Hall. Dozens gathered for a rally Wednesday, a day after George Floyd was laid to rest. The council members talked about the re-allocation of nearly $12 million in under-utilized funds to be redirected to city programs, as well as enhanced training for HPD. George Floyd died because of the end result.โAt the funeral of Floyd, Mayor Turner said he would sign an executive order to ban chokeholds, require officers de-escalate situations and use all options before lethal force. โGeorge Floyd was murdered in Minneapolis after chokeholds have been banned, you canโt keep ordering executive on orders on something thatโs not working,โ said Woods.
Debate swirls around โqualified immunityโ that protects police officers from lawsuits
University of Houston law professor Emily Berman said officers are granted qualified immunity if they can show their actions were done in good faith. Gamaldi argues removing qualified immunity would also leave officers vulnerable to civil liability if a law is later struck down as unconstitutional. Mills contends qualified immunity can remove a citizenโs right to have their case heard by a jury. The courts granted the officer qualified immunity and the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, ending the matter without a trial. Two bills have also been filed that would end qualified immunity in its current state.
Harris County DA dismisses nearly 800 cases against peaceful protesters arrested during police brutality marches
HOUSTON โ The Harris County District Attorney dismissed nearly 800 cases against protesters who were arrested during marches against police brutality in the past three weeks. DA Kim Ogg announced that prosecutors dismissed 796 cases after conducting a review that divided the cases into two groups โ those who sought to do harm to others and property and those arrested for simple civil disobedience. The cases dismissed were for non-violent misdemeanor offenses, mostly obstructing a highway and trespassing. Only 51 adults and one juvenile now remain charged with active cases, which include 35 misdemeanor charges and 19 felony charges. โThe only people I will be prosecuting are those who intentionally hurt others and intentionally destroy property.โ
The death of George Floyd: A timeline
People march and ride horses to protest the death of George Floyd in Houston on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP) (Hennepin County Sheriff)The first of several memorial services for George Floyd was held in Minneapolis. Thousands thronged to the Fountain of Praise church to pay their respects to George Floyd ahead of his funeral Tuesday. June 8: Judge Lina Hidalgo declares June 9 โGeorge Perry Floyd, Jr. Dayโ in Harris CountyHarris County Judge Lina Hidalgo signed a proclamation commemorating Tuesday, June 9 as โGeorge Perry Floyd, Jr. Dayโ in Harris County. June 9: Houston mayor Sylvester Turner declares June 9 โGeorge Perry Floyd, Jr. Dayโ in HoustonHouston mayor Sylvester Turner has declared June 9 โGeorge Perry Floyd, Jr. Dayโ in Houston.
In one week there were at least 8 instances of police using excessive force caught on camera
But in several cases, the country has also witnessed what appears to be excessive police force against protesters, reporters and bystanders. Video shows the officers breaking the windows of a vehicle and yanking a woman out of the car. In one 27-second video posted to Twitter, a New York Police Department vehicle plows through a crowd of protesters. And a third video shows an officer pushing a woman to the ground during protests. De Blasio has set up an independent review by the Corporation Counsel, the city's law department, and Department of Investigation commissioner.
Hereโs how you can support the fight against racial injustice without leaving your home
Color of Change is the largest online racial injustice organization. Itโs a great place to donate to help fight racial injustices. If there is any organization that has been fighting for social justice and change for years and years, itโs the ACLU. Not only does it fight for racial justice, it fights for womenโs rights, LGBTQ+ rights and so much more. This is pretty simple: The petition is asking for justice for George Floydโs death.
Report: Lizzo, John Legend and other celebrities sign open letter supporting defunding police
Big name celebrities such as Houston native Lizzo, John Legend, the Weekend and others have signed an open letter to defund the police amid George Floyd protests that are taking place across the country. The open letter is urging local governments to decrease the budgets for police departments and instead, increase the budget for health care, education and other community programs, according to Rolling Stone. The letter was initiated by co-founder of Black Lives Matter and founding member for Movement 4 Black Lives, Patrisse Cullors. The open letter is tied to the deaths of unarmed black people who were killed such as Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade as well as others. โThe COVID-19 deaths and the deaths caused by police terror are connected and consequential to each other,โ the open letter states.
WATCH: Peaceful protesters dispersed with tear gas moments before President Trump walks to church burned in riots
President Donald Trump walks in Lafayette Park to visit outside St. John's Church across from the White House Monday, June 1, 2020, in Washington. Trump walked slowly, followed by an entourage of his most senior aides, security and reporters. Trump crossed H Street and walked toward St. Johns Church, the landmark pale yellow building where every president, including Trump, has prayed. Greatest country in the world.He didnt talk about Floyd, the church or the damage it had suffered, or the peaceful protesters police had cleared. Rabbi Jack Moline, the president of Interfaith Alliance, slammed the fact that peaceful protesters near the White House were gassed and shot with rubber bullets so Trump could hold his photo op.
Magic Johnson says he still has the talk with his sons about interacting with police
His grandfather prepared his father, who prepared him, Johnson told CNN's Anderson Cooper Monday, and he's had "the talk" with his two sons about interacting with police. So if that can happen to George Floyd, it can happen to E.J. Chauvin and three other officers were fired as a result of Floyd's death, but only Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Johnson said Floyd's death illustrates why the black community has never really trusted police. Other athletes have also become vocal about George Floyd's death and the protests that followed.
Peaceful protesters dispersed with tear gas moments before President Trump walks to church burned in riots
Soon, law enforcement officers were aggressively forcing the protesters back, firing tear gas and deploying flash bangs into the crowd to disperse them from the park for seemingly no reason. Trump walked slowly, followed by an entourage of his most senior aides, security and reporters. Trump crossed H Street and walked toward St. Johns Church, the landmark pale yellow building where every president, including Trump, has prayed. Greatest country in the world.He didnt talk about Floyd, the church or the damage it had suffered, or the peaceful protesters police had cleared. Rabbi Jack Moline, the president of Interfaith Alliance, slammed the fact that peaceful protesters near the White House were gassed and shot with rubber bullets so Trump could hold his photo op.
Medical examiner lists Floydโs death a homicide, says heart stopped while police restrained him and compressed his neck
MINNEAPOLIS โ A Minneapolis medical examiner has classified George Floydโs death as a homicide, saying his heart stopped as police restrained him and compressed his neck. The medical examinerโs report also lists heart disease and hypertension as โother significant conditions,โ along with fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use. A widely seen citizen video that shows Floyd struggling with a police officer holding his knee on his neck has sparked protests nationwide. Floydโs family said Monday that its independent autopsy found Floyd died by asphyxiation, and their attorney called for charges against the police officer to be upgraded to first-degree murder.
VIDEO: White people kneel, ask forgiveness from the black community in Third Ward
HOUSTON โ Houstonians gathered Sunday at Cuney Homes in the Third Ward to pray for the family of George Floyd. During the prayer, the white people in attendance knelt down and asked for forgiveness for years of racism. The powerful moment was followed up by the black community accepting the apology and joining together in prayer. Here is the video of the prayer:
โHeart-stoppingโ: Family of George Floyd, Houston man who died in Minneapolis police custody, says firing of officers โnot enoughโ
HOUSTON โ The family of George Floyd, a black man who died in Minneapolis police custody Monday night, is mourning his death. A bystanderโs video showed him pleading and groaning that he could not breathe as the officer knelt on his neck. RELATED: Man who died in Minneapolis police custody was Houston native, former neighbor saysTerrell, who affectionately referred to Floyd as โUncle Georgeโ because of their age difference, said the violent video was โheartbreakingโ to watch. โHe was driving trucks to provide for his family.โEarlier Tuesday, four Minneapolis police officers were fired after public outrage erupted over the video and how Floyd was killed. Black Lives Matter Houston said they are protesting at Discovery Green in his honor at 2 p.m. Friday.