Derek Chauvin found guilty for the murder of George Floyd
Following three weeks of testimonies, a jury in Minneapolis, Minnesota found Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd. The former officer is now convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin’s bail would also be revoked, as we await his sentencing, which will be in a couple of months.
Now that a guilty verdict has been reached, the fight for justice is not over. There is still a lot of work to do. There is still a responsibility for this America to start making changes so this doesn’t happen again. This verdict can not be the end all, be all. This cannot be the resolution to years of police brutality and misconduct. This cannot be the justification of action and changes happening.
We're really back at peaceful protests, tear gas and riot gear - not even a full year later.
In the wake of the events happening in Minnesota, not even a full year after the events that led to the murder of George Floyd; while ex-cop Derek Chauvin stands trial - we return to protests and police force back in riot gear and placing barricades around areas in Minnesota after Ex-cop Kim Potter, “accidentally” fired her gun killing Daunte Wright.
Pepper spray is used from behind the fenced perimeter of the Brooklyn Center Police Department on Wednesday.
Nick Pfosi/Reuters
In the wake of the events happening in Minnesota, not even a full year after the events that led to the murder of George Floyd; while ex-cop Derek Chauvin stands trial - we return to protests and police force back in riot gear and placing barricades around areas in Minnesota after Ex-cop Kim Potter, “accidentally” fired her gun killing Daunte Wright. The former Brooklyn Center police officer faces second-degree manslaughter charges for the death of Daunte Wright.
The home of the former officer has been barricaded by large concrete and fencing and is under police supervision. Protest have erupted and protesters have been met with force; including police in riot gear as well as being shot with tear gas.
A person gets their eyes washed out after the police released chemical irritants on protesters on Wednesday.
Leah Millis/Reuters
The head of Minnesota’s largest police union, Brian Peters believes Daunte Wright was partly responsible for his own death. “Daunte Wright, if he would have just complied. He was told he was under arrest. They were arresting him on a warrant for weapons. He set off a chain of events that unfortunately led to his death.”
“I’m not excusing it,” Peters continued. “But what we’re seeing in policing these days is that non-compliance by the public.” - It’s statements that’s been said before. It’s statements that come off contradictory when we don’t see the same actions taken with non-African Americans. Even in recent events, we don’t see these actions taken when police officers are directly threatened by white people. A 61-year-old white man dragged and assaulted an officer but was not shot or tased in the process. The incident occurred in Minnesota, days after Daunte Wright was fatally shot by officers in the same state.
The shooting sparked protests across the state of Minnesota and prompted Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon and Potter to resign from their positions. Potter was later arrested and released from Hennepin County Jail on $100,000 bail. She now faces charges of second-degree manslaughter in connection with Wright’s death. If convicted, she can serve up to 10 years in prison and may be required to pay a $20,000 fine.
Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune/AP
And with another name, another situation, it seems we are back where we were just a year ago, even back where were 50-60 years ago; with the same situation yielding the same results or different results lessened in comparison to results to the same situation when in comes to police officers. How many more unarmed black men and women have to be killed? How many more peaceful protests have to occur? How many more excuses have to be made for things to be changed?
Daunte Wright's mother says “justice isn't even a word to me” in response to the charges brought against Potter. Justice doesn’t bring her son back. - Would justice "bring our son home to us, knocking on the door with his big smile coming in the house, sitting down eating dinner with us, going out to lunch, playing with his one-year-old, almost-two-year-old son, giving them a kiss before he walks out the door,"
Chyna Whitaker, holding her son Daunte Wright Jr.,
Protesters gathered in Brooklyn Center on Wednesday night. or the second night in a row, no reports of looting or fires set in Brooklyn Center were made, Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said.
Two Officers Involved in Breonna Taylor's case have been terminated
Two Louisville officers connected to the Breonna Taylor’s fatal shooting have officially been fired. Both Detective Myles Cosgrove and Detective Joshua Jaynes were relieved of their duties on Jan. 5th. Cosgrove was terminated for failing to activate his body camera during the incident. Jaynes was not present when at the scene on the night Taylor died, but he sought the warrant that authorized the raid. Despite the firings, both detectives can challenge the dismissal.
As previously reported, Taylor was shot and killed back in March by officers who entered her apartment to serve a no-knock search warrant in a drug case. Neither of the officers were charged for her death, but Brett Hankison was indicted on three wanton endangerment charges for blindly firing 10 shots into Taylor’s home and and recklessly endangering Taylor’s neighbors. He was fired by the Lousiville Metro Police Department back in June.
NO OFFICERS CHARGED WITH BREONNA TAYLOR'S DEATH
ARE WE SURPRISED? CHANGE A FEW DETAILS AND THE STORY IS STILL THE SAME -HASHTAG BLACKLIVESMATTER. GET OUT AND PROTEST. JUST TO FACE ‘THE ALREADY SET UP’ POLICE BARRICADES - It’s like Deja vu; change a few details, the name, the location and the story is still the same. I can probably go back to an article I wrote years back and do this and it will flow the same- only difference is the dates. It reads the same. Unarmed black man / woman murdered by police who used excessive and unnecessary force. Police gets suspended, maybe fired but not arrested. Media digs up unrelated info to discredit black man or woman or paint them in a negative light. Police may be indicted but never charged. Protests about the decision just to be faced with police barricades with officers with their riot gear just to arrest peaceful protesters and the cycle continues over and over.
Enter white male civilian, who commits an act of terror- shoots at a crowd, shoots up a school, shoots up a movie theater, shoots up a church, killing a number of people; gets into a dispute with a police officer, isn’t shot at or killed but showed restraint. It doesn’t end, white male civilian fights with cops, aims a gun or weapon at a cop and doesn't get shot or killed. Media reports the story and somehow finds a way to lighten the story and use buzz words like he was a nice kid or he suffered from a mental illness or something that doesn't call out what they are, terrorists, murderers etc and the cycle continues over and over.
Black people protest peacefully in the name of justice against the system, its labeled a riot, and other harsh terms and police and military are brought out with their rubber bullets and their riot gear but in the same protests you have white people armed with rifles walking around antagonizing and shooting at peaceful protesters but it gets ignored or its allowed to continue without question, praised as if they are protecting some American way of life or showing some patriotism for this country. Even in their protests, while armed with rifles against their home team loosing a football game or against the mandated law to wear masks to protect during a pandemic, they get a pass. But it’s a story that has been repeating itself and none of this is anything new.
Reactions to the grand jury's decision in the Breonna Taylor fatal shooting
Its only sad and stressful how much this has to be pointed out and for some people to still not get it. But the story remains the same no matter which details get changed. And in this case, no charges for the officers involved. Louisville has prepared for the possibility of unrest, announcing a 72-hour countywide curfew starting 9 p.m. with Government buildings being closed. But in America. For the land of the free. In the name of Justice, it’s what is expected at this point. Better to prepare for the public outrage that comes from these wrongful death decisions instead of changing a system that upholds it. Better to force a curfew knowing that the ruling will be what the people would not want to see. Better to protect the officers and the institution than to actually provide justice. If the police are not at fault, it is the system in place. If a Breonna’s Law can be created, there should be some justice.
But we continue with Hashtags; Say Her Name, Say His Name, Black Lives Matter, A few settlements here; money raised there but continuing the same cycle. We now Push the importance to vote but a whole system refuses to except something is wrong.
AM I NEXT? - #BLACKLIVESMATTER
“This specific ontology of subjectivity, which defines the entire human experience as a result of brain chemistry, is a singular, restrictive and reductive understanding of all the ways in which humans and their subjectivity can be understood. This reduction serves a specific political function. That is, it keeps those who are oppressed inward looking and forecloses knowledge of the dominant class as they exert enough force to contribute to extensive suffering and mental illness in the oppressed.”
- Dr. Eric Greene; The Mental Health Industrial Complex: A Study in Three Cases. Journal of Humanistic Psychology
Is it considered revisiting when it’s a constant reoccurring cycle? - This quote & picture was the start of a collective of events, ideas, programs at work revolving around Black Mental Health. Looking back at it now, I’m reminded, not just of this particular topic but how its translated over time and is still relevant. We STILL must protect our mental health. We STILL have to wonder and question so many things; even in a pandemic - which in itself has vastly effected a majority of minorities and those in Black and Brown Communities.
Here we are. Another police shooting or assault or misconduct. I’ve lost count. I don’t know what we’re calling it anymore. I’m tired. We talked about it then. We talked it last week. We’re talking about it now.
George Floyd
Kenneth Walker
Breona Taylor
Sean Reed
Ahmaud Arbery
Steve Taylor
It hasn’t stopped. This list continues to grow. And its not even including what hasn’t received media attention. But when will the list be long enough. For action. For change. or will we talk again next week?
Reframing The Narrative of The Black Experience
Echoes of the notion can constantly play when thinking of the Black experience in the workplace, in education or in everyday life. Sort of a reminder to one's self to mentally prepare for recurring situations in the real world.
In order to succeed, you need to be twice as good, twice as smart, twice as dependable, twice as talented...
How can we restructure a system and change preconceived notions that overshadow who we are and the talent we possess in the workplace?
BLACK MENTAL HEALTH & RACIAL TRAUMA
Race-related trauma could include the traumatic experiences, emotionally, psychologically, physically that manifest as the result of experiencing one or multiple events. Sometimes trauma is widely categorized as occurring from natural disasters, sexual abuse, or car accidents, but we don't think about race-related trauma as a part of that. It's important to include that in our understanding of trauma and how it can effect marginalized communities and African-Americans.
"If there's no name for a problem, you can't see a problem. And if you can't see a problem you can't solve it. And sometimes we don't name these traumas as racial traumas that black and African-Americans are experiencing." Kimberle Crenshaw
Police interaction with the black community can also play a role in the trauma faced by black people. Just the appearance of a police officer can raise the levels of fear that a black person may feel in a given situation. Being stopped and questioned by a police officer, often creates, brings out, or changes the way black people will act and have them questioning every move they make in the presence of an officer, in order to reduce escalating a situation or to get out of the feeling of being in danger.
The handling of black people in many cases have been detrimental to the black community and police relations and can also contribute to the trauma that affects black mental health. Looking at the Eric Garner case and even Sandra Bland; it can attribute to the mishandling of black people in or around police custody. Police must be held accountable for their actions and have the proper training when it comes to the black community. Incidences have highlighted the potentially harmful effects of police practices based on racial profiling procedures toward minorities, especially Black men. Police abuse can be associated with distress, depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms that is faced by the black community.