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Atlanta 'Cop City' activists say they're confident of getting 70K signatures. But big hurdles remain
Read full article: Atlanta 'Cop City' activists say they're confident of getting 70K signatures. But big hurdles remainHundreds of canvassers have spread out across Atlanta in hopes of convincing more than 70,000 residents to sign onto a petition that activists believe is their best chance to halt the planned construction of a huge police and firefighter training center.
Officers won’t face any charges in Rayshard Brooks shooting
Read full article: Officers won’t face any charges in Rayshard Brooks shootingA specially appointed prosecutor said he will not pursue charges against the two white Atlanta police officers who clashed with Rayshard Brooks during a June 2020 encounter that ended with the 27-year-old Black man’s fatal shooting.
One Black juror, 11 whites to hear trial over Arbery slaying
Read full article: One Black juror, 11 whites to hear trial over Arbery slayingThe judge in the trial of three white men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery has declined to override decisions in jury selection that left just one Black juror on the final panel of 12.
In trial over Arbery death, racial reckoning looms large
Read full article: In trial over Arbery death, racial reckoning looms largeAs three white men prepare to stand trial in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, many in the slain Black man’s Georgia hometown see the case as a reckoning for the local justice system.
In surprise, Atlanta Mayor Bottoms won't seek a second term
Read full article: In surprise, Atlanta Mayor Bottoms won't seek a second termAtlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms confirmed Friday that she will not seek a second term, an election-year surprise that marks a sharp turnabout for the city’s second Black woman executive.
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms not seeking reelection
Read full article: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms not seeking reelectionAtlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has announced she will not seek a second term, an election-year surprise that marks a sharp turnabout for the city’s second Black woman executive.
Collaboration with police divides social workers across US
Read full article: Collaboration with police divides social workers across USAyers said collaboration between police and social workers risks perpetuating the systemic racism she has seen in the social work field. "Putting social workers in to heal all the wounds as a Band-Aid is just going to blow up in everyone's face," she said. Social workers contribute to the criminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, said Julia Lyon, a Pennsylvania social worker and member of Social Service Workers United. “Otherwise, social workers are just going to be police without guns.”But advocates of collaboration between social workers and police point to how ingrained law enforcement is into American society as evidence of the need for acting within that framework. AdInstead of perpetuating what they see as punishment-based approaches, opponents of police and social workers recommend more investment in community-based intervention.
The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performers
Read full article: The joy of music returns for Grammy winners, performersBeyonce, left, and Megan Thee Stallion accept the award for best rap song for "Savage" at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sunday, March 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish made history at the Grammy Awards. Just as joyously, dozens of creators largely sidelined for a year due to the pandemic got to make music again. 's topical “I Can't Breathe” won song of the year and Megan Thee Stallion was named best new artist. ___This story has been corrected to show the ceremony was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, not Staples Center.
Investigating Trump a big early move for Atlanta's new DA
Read full article: Investigating Trump a big early move for Atlanta's new DAThat includes the Jan. 2 phone call in which Trump was recorded asking Georgia’s secretary of state to overturn his defeat. Prosecuting Trump would likely prove a career-defining move for Willis — and one fraught with risk, said Atlanta attorney Robert James, a former district attorney in neighboring DeKalb County. But fellow lawyers who have faced her in court say she's a skilled litigator who isn't afraid of tough cases. AdIt's uncertain whether Willis will seek charges against Trump or anyone else in relation to the election. That's because citizens empaneled to hear such cases often find it difficult to be impartial about famous defendants, he said.
Police chief's past sows doubts in wake of Taylor's death
Read full article: Police chief's past sows doubts in wake of Taylor's deathFILE - In this Jan. 4, 2018, file photo, Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields speaks at a press conference in Atlanta. Louisville city leaders praised Shields, who has been hired to oversee their struggling department in the wake of Breonna Taylor's death, but some critics questioned if she was the right choice after a rocky departure from her previous job. The panel included two Black city council members who have been instrumental in police reforms since Taylor was fatally shot by city officers in March. David McAtee was killed during early protests of Taylor’s death. Shields, who is white, will be the fourth person to lead the police force since Taylor’s death.
'Only in America': Warnock's rise from poverty to US senator
Read full article: 'Only in America': Warnock's rise from poverty to US senatorRaphael Warnock's roots showed little promise of a future that led to the U.S. Senate. He grew up in Savannah in the Kayton Homes public housing project, the second youngest of 12 children. “Only in America is my story even possible,” Warnock told the cheering drive-in crowd Sunday. Warnock was arrested at the Georgia state Capitol in 2014 while protesting the refusal of state Republicans to expand Medicaid. Warnock recalled the Washington arrest during his speech Sunday in Savannah, as he looked ahead to his next trip to Capitol Hill.
Senate race thrusts 'Black America's church' into spotlight
Read full article: Senate race thrusts 'Black America's church' into spotlightIt took a high-stakes Senate race and a Trump-era cultural debate to thrust Ebenezer Baptist Church into the center of the current political debate. “The Republican attack is not just against Warnock, it’s against the Black church and the Black religious experience,” said the Rev. ”It’s bigger than any individual.”Loeffler has responded, saying in a tweet last month that she isn't attacking the Black church. Since before the abolition of slavery, the Black church has played a role in brokering congregants' relationship to political power. It’s not uncommon for politicians, most often Democrats, to campaign from Black church pulpits.
George Floyd’s brother rallies voters on Election Day
Read full article: George Floyd’s brother rallies voters on Election DayTerrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, waits to speak at a Get Out the Vote Rally outside the Brooklyn Museum, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
George Floyd’s brother rallies voters on Election Day
Read full article: George Floyd’s brother rallies voters on Election DayTerrence Floyd, brother of George Floyd, waits to speak at a Get Out the Vote Rally outside the Brooklyn Museum, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)NEW YORK – The murmurs spread quickly among the poll workers late Tuesday morning at a Brooklyn neighborhood station: George Floyd’s brother was present. A few came up to Terrence Floyd, whose brother George died at the hands of Minneapolis police, sparking protests for racial justice across the nation. A 42-year-old school bus driver in New York, Terrence is normally a quiet man, deeply attached to his three children. “My administration is fully committed that, for George and his family, justice will be served,” Trump said in remarks from the White House Rose Garden.
Were they a threat? Police shootings reignite legal debate
Read full article: Were they a threat? Police shootings reignite legal debateWisconsin authorities are investigating those questions as they weigh charges against the officer in a case that has reignited national protests over racial injustice. Authorities have not identified the officer or officers who shot Pellerin or said where or how many times he was shot. A union attorney said in the moments leading up to the shooting, officers saw Blake holding a knife and made multiple requests for him to drop it but he was uncooperative. After police tried twice unsuccessfully to use a stun gun on Blake, officer Rusten Sheskey shot him at close range while holding onto his shirt, authorities said. Yet, the tactics used by the officer who shot Blake are highly questionable, said Seth Stoughton, another former officer.
At D.C. march, families decry 'two systems of justice'
Read full article: At D.C. march, families decry 'two systems of justice'Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech. Sixty-five years later (after Tills murder), we still struggle for justice demilitarizing the police, dismantling mass incarceration, and declaring as determinately as we can that Black lives matter, King said. As peaceful protests turned to arson and theft, naysayers of the Black Lives Matter movement issued calls for law and order.The Rev. Theres a white system and a black system -- the black system aint doing so well.No justice, no peace! he proclaimed. Some participants headed toward Black Lives Matter Plaza, right outside of the White House, which was renamed from Pennsylvania Avenue during protests in June.
Police largely silent as outrage builds over Blake shooting
Read full article: Police largely silent as outrage builds over Blake shootingBut the near-silence from the Kenosha department and state authorities is at odds with what an increasing number of American police forces are doing in the wake of high-profile shootings with the potential to cause unrest. Investigators havent explained why police drew guns on Blake and why the officer opened fire. Blake survived but is paralyzed, and it would take a miracle for him to walk again, family attorney Ben Crump said Tuesday. Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said Wednesday that his department has few details about the Blake shooting because another agency the Wisconsin Department of Justice is investigating, as required by state law. The New York Police Department sends a top official to the scene of every shooting by an officer and holds a news conference within hours.
Black National Convention puts spotlight on police brutality
Read full article: Black National Convention puts spotlight on police brutalityBlack Lives Matter activists are holding a virtual Black National Convention Friday, Aug. 28, to adopt a political agenda calling for slavery reparations, universal basic income, environmental justice and legislation that entirely re-imagines criminal justice reforms. Anyone who is watching, who is both enraged or looking for action, will find a space" in the Black National Convention, Byrd said. The Black National Convention was originally planned to take place in-person in Detroit, the nations Blackest major city. Fridays convention is expected to be the largest gathering of Black activists and artists, albeit virtual, since the historic 1972 National Black Political Convention in Gary, Indiana, which concluded with the introduction of a national Black agenda. The Black National Convention broadcast begins after the D.C. march has concluded.
Father says Black Wisconsin man shot by police is paralyzed
Read full article: Father says Black Wisconsin man shot by police is paralyzed(AP Photo/David Goldman)KENOSHA, Wis. The father of a Black man who was shot, apparently in the back, by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, says his son was left paralyzed from the waist down. The man who said he made the cellphone video, 22-year-old Raysean White, said he saw Blake scuffling with three officers and heard them yell, Drop the knife! White said he left the window for a few minutes, and when he came back, saw three officers wrestling with Blake. That man just literally grabbed him by his shirt and looked the other way and was just shooting him. The city is about 67% white, 11.5% Black and 17.6% Hispanic, according to 2019 Census data.
Former officer who shot Rayshard Brooks sues over firing
Read full article: Former officer who shot Rayshard Brooks sues over firingIn this booking photo made available Thursday, June 18, 2020 by the Fulton County, Ga., Sheriff's Office, shows Atlanta Police Officer Garrett Rolfe. Rolfe, who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in the back after the fleeing man pointed a stun gun in his direction, was charged with felony murder and 10 other charges. Rolfe was fired after the shooting. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Former officer who shot Rayshard Brooks sues over firing
Read full article: Former officer who shot Rayshard Brooks sues over firingIn this booking photo made available Thursday, June 18, 2020 by the Fulton County, Ga., Sheriff's Office, shows Atlanta Police Officer Garrett Rolfe. Rolfe, who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in the back after the fleeing man pointed a stun gun in his direction, was charged with felony murder and 10 other charges. (Fulton County Sheriff's Office via AP)ATLANTA – The former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks is suing the mayor and interim police chief, saying his firing violated his constitutional rights and the city code. Garrett Rolfe was fired June 13, the day after he fatally shot Brooks outside a Wendy's restaurant in Atlanta. Brooks grabbed one of their Tasers and fled, firing the Taser at Rolfe as he ran away.
Police charge suspect in slaying of 8-year-old Atlanta girl
Read full article: Police charge suspect in slaying of 8-year-old Atlanta girlA man carries flowers into a viewing for 8-year-old Secoriea Turner, who was fatally shot in Atlanta on July 4th near the Wendy's site where Rayshard Brooks was killed the previous month Tuesday, July 14, 2020, in South Fulton, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
Police charge suspect in slaying of 8-year-old Atlanta girl
Read full article: Police charge suspect in slaying of 8-year-old Atlanta girlPolice issued warrants a day earlier for 19-year-old Julian Conley in the slaying of Secoriea Turner, police spokesman Anthony Grant said. Patterson said Conley was peacefully protesting and witnessed the shooting but did not open fire himself, though he was armed. “Why would you want to charge a man who saw a crime but did not participate in a criminal act? The man got up and opened fire at the vehicle, Patterson said his client told him. Conley said everyone thought somebody in the SUV was shooting and other armed people opened fire at the vehicle, Patterson said.
Exhausted cities face another challenge: a surge in violence
Read full article: Exhausted cities face another challenge: a surge in violenceStill reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and street protests over the police killing of Floyd, exhausted cities around the nation are facing yet another challenge: A surge in recent shootings has left dozens dead, including young children. The recent spasm of violence was captured in a New York Post headline about a crime-ravaged city crying out for help. Davon was murdered after a string of BLM (Black Lives Matter) violence on the Fourth of July," it read. Seventeen people were fatally shot in Chicago and 70 wounded, one of the bloodiest holiday weekends in memory there. Of all the things they are likely to be worried about, COVID is way down the list.___Long reported from Washington.
Atlanta Mayor: No need for troops, despite governor's order
Read full article: Atlanta Mayor: No need for troops, despite governor's orderFile- In this Wednesday, June 17, 2020 file photo, Nikita Gleen, raises his hand towards the sky near a Wendy's restaurant, in Atlanta. The Guard troops will provide support at sites including the Capitol and governors mansion, freeing up state law enforcement resources to patrol other areas, according to a statement from Kemp's office. There was no visible presence of Guard troops at either site Tuesday morning. His choice to deploy National Guard troops for todays selfish purpose is outrageous and will endanger lives, she said in a statement. It happened near the Wendys restaurant where a Black man, Rayshard Brooks, was killed by a white police officer June 12.
'Senseless crime': The victims of July Fourth shootings
Read full article: 'Senseless crime': The victims of July Fourth shootingsFrom San Francisco to South Carolina, a spate of shootings claimed the lives of people celebrating or just taking a drive over the Fourth of July weekend. ___SHE DIED IN MY ARMSSecoriea Turner should have been making TikTok videos on her phone Sunday evening, her mother said. The fast-food restaurant was burned during protests the following night and became a gathering place for demonstrations against police brutality. We knew he was going to be something," the boy's uncle told the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday. "Were protesting for months, for weeks, saying, Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter. Black lives matter it seems like, only when a police officer shoots a black person.
Former Atlanta officer who shot Rayshard Brooks seeks bail
Read full article: Former Atlanta officer who shot Rayshard Brooks seeks bailFILE - This screen grab taken from body camera video provided by the Atlanta Police Department shows Rayshard Brooks speaking with Officer Garrett Rolfe, left, in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, late Friday, June 12, 2020, in Atlanta. Rolfe, who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in the back after the fleeing man pointed a stun gun in his direction, was charged with felony murder and 10 other charges, announced Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Rolfe was fired after the shooting. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)
Ex-Atlanta officer who killed Rayshard Brooks granted bond
Read full article: Ex-Atlanta officer who killed Rayshard Brooks granted bond(Atlanta Police Department via AP)ATLANTA – The former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks can be free on bond while his case is pending, a judge ruled Tuesday. Brooks’ wife, Tomika Miller, sobbed throughout an emotional plea to the judge, asking her not to grant bond for Rolfe. The judge said Rolfe “is not a flight risk and I do not believe he is a danger to the community." Rolfe was fired shortly after the shooting and the other officer, Devin Brosnan, was placed on desk duty. Rucker argued that Brooks was running away and posed no threat when he was shot in the back.
Rayshard Brooks struggled in system but didn't hide his past
Read full article: Rayshard Brooks struggled in system but didn't hide his pastIn this image made from video and released by the advocacy group Reconnect, Rayshard Brooks speaks during an interview about five months before an Atlanta police officer shot and killed him in earlier June 2020, in Atlanta. In the video interview with Reconnect, Brooks talked openly of his prison time. He described a cycle of job rejection and shame. He talked of a system that takes millions of Americans, many of them Black like him, away from their families and treats them more like animals than individuals. (Reconnect via AP)
Rayshard Brooks struggled in system but didn't hide his past
Read full article: Rayshard Brooks struggled in system but didn't hide his pastIn the video interview with Reconnect, Brooks talked openly of his prison time. (Reconnect via AP)ATLANTA – Rayshard Brooks didn’t hide his history. “He loved it up here,” Brooks’ father, Larry Barbine, said in a telephone interview. Brooks said he didn't want to be “in violation of anybody" and told the officers he could walk home. In Ohio, family and co-workers were heartbroken.
House passes sweeping police overhaul after Floyd's death
Read full article: House passes sweeping police overhaul after Floyd's deathExactly one month ago, George Floyd spoke his final words I can't breathe and changed the course of history, Pelosi said. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is perhaps the most ambitious set of proposed changes to police procedures and accountability in decades. After the GOP policing bill stalled this week, blocked by Democrats, Trump shrugged. The two parties are instead appealing to voters ahead of the fall election, which will determine control of the House, Senate and White House. Senate Democrats believe Senate Republicans will face mounting public pressure to open negotiations and act.
Accused Wendys arsonist Natalie White arrested, Brooks mentioned she was his girlfriend
Read full article: Accused Wendys arsonist Natalie White arrested, Brooks mentioned she was his girlfriendOur GCSO Fugitive Unit's hard work paid off today when they located Natalie White today and notified US Marshals/Fulton Co Sheriff Fugitive Unit, who made the arrest. Natalie White, Brooks tells police. She left off, I said, Babe, Im gonna get Wendys. Brooks said he had been staying a hotel nearby with White when she dropped him off at a rental car parked at the restaurant. Atlanta police officers were called to the Wendys on June 12 over complaints of a car blocking the drive-thru lane. I think youve had too much to drink to be driving, Rolfe tells him and then attempts to handcuff Brooks.
Funeral for Rayshard Brooks to be held at MLK's church
Read full article: Funeral for Rayshard Brooks to be held at MLK's churchRaphael G. Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, comforts Tomika Miller, the wife of Rayshard Brooks during his public viewing at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Monday, Jun 22, 2020 in Atlanta. A private funeral for Brooks will be held Tuesday at the church. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)ATLANTA Rayshard Brooks, who was fatally shot by a police officer, is to be remembered Tuesday at the church in Atlanta where the Rev. The private funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church follows a public viewing held Monday. Bernice King, also plans to deliver remarks at Brooks' funeral, along with a friend of his and his mother-in-law, according to a draft program released by the church.
Mourners pay respects to Rayshard Brooks at Ebenezer viewing
Read full article: Mourners pay respects to Rayshard Brooks at Ebenezer viewingTomika Miller, the wife of Rayshard Brooks, touches her husband during a family visit just before a public viewing begins at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Monday, Jun 22, 2020 in Atlanta. We just wanted to come and show our respects.About an hour before the four-hour public viewing began, a gold-colored casket carrying Brooks body arrived at the church. Brooks widow, Tomika Miller, followed a short time later wearing a white dress printed with a photo of the two of them. Police body camera video then showed Brooks and officers having a calm and respectful conversation for more than 40 minutes. After conducting field sobriety tests, Rolfe told Brooks he'd had too much to drink to be driving."
Woman suspected of Atlanta Wendys arson may have had relationship with Rayshard Brooks
Read full article: Woman suspected of Atlanta Wendys arson may have had relationship with Rayshard BrooksAn arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect accused of starting the fire at the Wendys where Rayshard Brooks was killed by police in Atlanta. Atlanta Fire Rescue tweeted the warrant for 29-year-old Natalie White, who is now facing a first-degree arson charge, which is a felony in Georgia. Natalie White, Brooks tells police. She left off, I said, Babe, Im gonna get Wendys.An arrest warrant has been issued by Atlanta Fire Investigators for Ms. Natalie White. I think youve had too much to drink to be driving, Rolfe tells him and then attempts to handcuff Brooks.
Shooting, protests test Atlanta's image of Black prosperity
Read full article: Shooting, protests test Atlanta's image of Black prosperityTouting itself for decades as the city too busy to hate, Atlanta has had an unbroken succession of Black mayors since 1973. After hiring its first Black officers in 1948, the Atlanta Police Department is now 60% Black, higher even than the city's Black population of 52%. King's legacy was often evoked in promoting cooperation between the city's Black leaders and white business establishment, Hobson said. Thats what made me mad.She's among more than a dozen owners seeking help from Atlanta Black Owned Business Relief, a group started after the protests. Actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, an embodiment of Black prosperity in Atlanta, is helping pay the bill.
Confederate obelisk removed from Georgia square amid cheers
Read full article: Confederate obelisk removed from Georgia square amid cheersWorkers remove a Confederate monument with a crane Thursday, June 18, 2020, in Decatur, Ga. The 30-foot obelisk in Decatur Square, erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908, was ordered by a judge to be removed and placed into storage indefinitely. The stone obelisk was lifted from its base with straps amid jeers and chants of “Just drop it!” from onlookers in Decatur, Georgia, who were kept a safe distance by sheriff’s deputies. DeKalb County Judge Clarence Seeliger agreed, and ordered the 30-foot (9-meter) obelisk in Decatur Square to be removed by midnight June 26 and placed in storage indefinitely. DeKalb County spent several years trying to rid itself of the Lost Cause monument erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1908.
Atlanta police call out sick over charges in fatal shooting
Read full article: Atlanta police call out sick over charges in fatal shootingInterim Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant speaks to the Associated Press on Thursday, June 18, 2020, in Atlanta. A few hours after reporting to the Fulton County jail in Atlanta, Rolfe was moved to the jail in neighboring Gwinnett County, according to online records. Atlanta officers are walking off their shifts or not responding to calls because they feel abandoned, betrayed, used in a political game, Champion told the AP. Rolfe shot Brooks after he grabbed a Taser, fired it and ran, Howard, the prosecutor, said. The district attorney said the other officer, Brosnan, 26, is cooperating with prosecutors and will testify.
5 Things to Know for Today
Read full article: 5 Things to Know for TodayFILE - In this March 24, 2014 file photo, actor Danny Masterson arrives at Youth for Human Rights International Celebrity Benefit in Los Angeles. Masterson, known for his roles in "That '70s Show" and "The Ranch," has been charged with raping three women, Los Angeles County District Attorney's officials announced Wednesday. (Annie I. Bang/Invision/AP, File)Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:1. ATLANTA OFFICER CHARGED WITH MURDER As Rayshard Brooks lay dying in a Wendy’s parking lot, prosecutors say the white Atlanta police officer who shot him in the back kicked him and delayed giving him medical attention. ‘THAT ’70S SHOW’ ACTOR CHARGED WITH RAPE Prosecutors in Los Angeles say Danny Masterson raped three women in the early 2000s, leading to a rare arrest of a famous Hollywood figure in the #MeToo era.
Prosecutors charge police, push reforms amid Floyd protests
Read full article: Prosecutors charge police, push reforms amid Floyd protestsThe Fulton County District Attorney will announce charging decisions in the fatal shooting of Brooks during a news conference, Wednesday, June 17, 2020 in Atlanta. But the tide may be turning, led by progressive prosecutors pressing for criminal justice reforms to better hold police accountable for wrongdoing. Prosecutors realize that theyre being watched, said Mark Dupree Sr., district attorney for Kansas Wyandotte County, which includes Kansas City. Thats exactly why I ran for office," said Rollins, district attorney for Suffolk County. District Attorney Chesa Boudin said it's designed to ensure people arent wrongfully charged.
Prosecutor: Officer kicked Rayshard Brooks after shooting
Read full article: Prosecutor: Officer kicked Rayshard Brooks after shootingThis combination of photos provided by the Atlanta Police Department shows Officer Garrett Rolfe, left and Officer Devin Brosnan. I got him! Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard quoted Officer Garrett Rolfe as saying. Rolfe shot Brooks after the 27-year-old black man grabbed a Taser and ran, firing it from too far away to reach the white officer, the prosecutor said. When Mr. Brooks turned and pointed an object at Officer Rolfe, any officer would have reasonably believed that he intended to disarm, disable or seriously injure him, the lawyers said in a statement. The prosecutor said Brooks never presented himself as a threat during a more than 40-minute interaction with officers before the shooting.
The Latest: Lexington police probe slurs at online meeting
Read full article: The Latest: Lexington police probe slurs at online meeting___LEXINGTON, Ky. A virtual city council meeting in Kentucky was interrupted Wednesday night by people making racial and homophobic slurs. The Zoom meeting with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County council members was an open forum for the public to discuss police reform. Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay said the council was unable to screen the calls Wednesday. The initial complaint alleges Derek Chauvin had his knee on Mr. Floyds neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in total. Little Rock is banning police from using neck restraints following nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Mayor Frank Scott said Wednesday.
Officer charged with murder for shooting Rayshard Brooks
Read full article: Officer charged with murder for shooting Rayshard BrooksA second officer, Devin Brosnan, 26, stood on Brooks’ shoulder as he struggled for his life, Howard said. When Mr. Brooks turned and pointed an object at Officer Rolfe, any officer would have reasonably believed that he intended to disarm, disable or seriously injure him,” the lawyers said. But the district attorney said the stun gun that Brooks held had already been fired twice and was thus empty and no longer a threat. An officer found Brooks asleep behind the wheel, and a breath test showed he was intoxicated. In the Minneapolis case, Derek Chauvin, the officer who put his knee on Floyd’s neck for several minutes, has been charged with murder.
Atlanta mayor vows changes in how police officers use force
Read full article: Atlanta mayor vows changes in how police officers use forceThe family wants the officers involved in Brooks' death arrested and prosecuted. The mayor said she'll also require officers to intervene if they see a colleague using excessive force. Two white officers had responded to calls about a man who was asleep at the wheel in a Wendy's drive-thru lane. Brooks broke free and took off with a stun gun; a white officer shot him as he tried to run away. In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said a panel of residents, activists and one police official will review the Police Departments policy on when officers can use force.
Could the police shooting in Atlanta have been prevented?
Read full article: Could the police shooting in Atlanta have been prevented?This screen grab taken from body camera video provided by the Atlanta Police Department shows Rayshard Brooks speaking with Officer Garrett Rolfe in the parking lot of a Wendy's restaurant, late Friday, June 12, 2020, in Atlanta. Rolfe has been fired following the fatal shooting of Brooks and a second officer has been placed on administrative duty. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)It started off as routine: a man asleep in his car in a fast-food drive-thru. But it rapidly spun out of control when Atlanta police tried to handcuff and arrest Rayshard Brooks for being intoxicated. From his perspective, he said, the officer who killed Brooks was trying to run for cover in the parking lot and evade Brooks.
Value of police body cameras limited by lack of transparency
Read full article: Value of police body cameras limited by lack of transparencyThe video shows an officer confronting Scott and then tackling him after he takes off running. The court ordered the nation's largest police department adopt body cameras. In the last five years, a Justice Department program awarded 420 grants worth nearly $83 million to help agencies pay for body cameras, according to a spokeswoman. Often, however, the videos that show the public grim realities of policing don't come from body cameras at all. Both officers body cameras were knocked to the ground in the ensuing struggle over a Taser.
Could this latest police shooting have been prevented?
Read full article: Could this latest police shooting have been prevented?Rolfe has been fired following the fatal shooting of Brooks and a second officer has been placed on administrative duty. Also, it was a crowded parking lot, making it risky for an officer to fire his gun. Police experts reject that idea, saying that officers facing what they believe is a deadly threat are trained to stop it cold, which usually means shooting at a person's torso. From his perspective, he said, the officer who killed Brooks was trying to run for cover in the parking lot and evade Brooks. Brooks was shot because at that moment he presented a deadly threat to those officers, Davis said.
Autopsy: Atlanta man killed by police was shot in his back
Read full article: Autopsy: Atlanta man killed by police was shot in his backRolfe has been fired following the fatal shooting of Brooks and a second officer has been placed on administrative duty. (Atlanta Police Department via AP)ATLANTA An autopsy found that the black man killed in a scuffle with Atlanta police outside a fast-food drive-thru was shot twice in the back, the medical examiner's office said. The Wendy's restaurant where Brooks was shot was burned down over the weekend. Brooks was shot late Friday after police were called amid complaints that a car was blocking the drive-thru lane. An officer found Brooks asleep in the car, had him move it to a parking space and began a sobriety check.
Police body cam video released in Atlanta shooting
Read full article: Police body cam video released in Atlanta shootingAtlanta police video released Sunday showing a seemingly routine sobriety check outside a Wendy's restaurant that quickly spun out of control, ending in gunfire. Atlanta Police Officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Bronsan. (WPLG)Meanwhile, authorities announced a $10,000 reward for information finding those responsible for setting fire to the Wendy's restaurant at the shooting scene. The two officers’ body cameras and the dash-mounted cameras in their patrol cars showed they spent more than 40 minutes peacefully questioning Brooks. Both officers' body cameras were knocked to the ground in the struggle, and none of the four police cameras captured the shooting.
Atlanta police chief steps down after fatal shooting outside fast food restaurant
Read full article: Atlanta police chief steps down after fatal shooting outside fast food restaurantATLANTA, Ga. – Atlanta’s police chief resigned Saturday hours after a black man was fatally shot by officers in a struggle following a field sobriety test. Authorities said the slain man had grabbed an officer’s Taser, but was running away when he was shot. Interim Corrections Chief Rodney Bryant would serve as interim police chief until a permanent replacement is found. A security camera recorded Brooks “running or fleeing from Atlanta police officers,” Reynolds said. That's when the officer drew his gun and shot Brooks, he said, estimating the officer fired three times.
Atlanta officer fired after fatal shooting of black man
Read full article: Atlanta officer fired after fatal shooting of black man"RIP Rayshard" is spray painted on a sign as as flames engulf a Wendy's restaurant during protests Saturday, June 13, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA An Atlanta police officer was fired following the fatal shooting of a black man and another officer was placed on administrative duty, the police department announced early Sunday. The officer draws his gun and fires as the man keeps running, then falls to the ground in the parking lot. The security camera video recorded Brooks running or fleeing from Atlanta police officers, Reynolds said. The shooting of Brooks two weeks later raised further questions about the Atlanta department.
The Latest: Atlanta officer fired after shooting of Brooks
Read full article: The Latest: Atlanta officer fired after shooting of Brooks(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)TOP OF THE HOUR: Atlanta police officer fired after fatal shooting of Rayshard Brooks. Clemson football team members lead demonstration on campus. ATLANTA An Atlanta police officer has been fired following the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, and a second officer has been placed on administrative leave. Atlanta police announced the termination of Garrett Rolfe early Sunday, a move that follows the Saturday resignation of Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. Clemson football alumni and one-time Houston Texans teammates DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson voiced support for the petition on social media.
Protesters in US call attention to deaths of more black men
Read full article: Protesters in US call attention to deaths of more black men(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)Protests initially ignited by the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police continued over the weekend, as anti-racism protesters in the United States sought to call attention to the deaths of two more black men and Black Lives Matter demonstrations unfolded in London and Paris. The protesters marched from where the body was found to a sheriffs station, with many carrying signs that said Justice for Robert Fuller.Authorities said the death appeared to be a suicide, but an autopsy was planned. European protesters sought to show solidarity with their American counterparts and to confront bias in their own countries on Saturday. A Black Lives Matter group in London called off a demonstration, saying the presence of counter-protesters would make it unsafe. A rally in Paris drew 15,000, led by supporters of Adama Traore, a French black man who died in police custody in 2016.