INSIDER
Prominent civil rights lawyer represents slain US airman's family. A look at Ben Crump's past cases
Read full article: Prominent civil rights lawyer represents slain US airman's family. A look at Ben Crump's past casesThe family of a young Black U.S. Air Force airman gunned down by a Florida sheriff’s deputy is represented by a prominent civil rights lawyer.
Lawyer for family of slain US Air Force airman says video and calls show deputy went to wrong home
Read full article: Lawyer for family of slain US Air Force airman says video and calls show deputy went to wrong homeA lawyer for the family of Roger Fortson says the bodycam footage of the Florida sheriff’s deputy who killed the Black U.S. Air Force airman and police radio traffic reinforce their assertion that the deputy was directed to the wrong apartment while responding to a domestic disturbance call.
Jacksonville lawyer says someone holding a gun doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a threat
Read full article: Jacksonville lawyer says someone holding a gun doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a threatA Jacksonville-based lawyer said someone holding a gun doesn’t mean that they are a threat after Black U.S. Air Force airman Roger Fortson was fatally shot six times in his apartment hallway.
Reproductive rights group urges Ohio prosecutor to drop criminal charge against woman who miscarried
Read full article: Reproductive rights group urges Ohio prosecutor to drop criminal charge against woman who miscarriedThe physicians’ group behind Ohio’s new reproductive rights amendment is urging a local prosecutor to drop criminal charges against a woman who miscarried in the restroom at her home.
A Black woman was criminally charged after a miscarriage. It shows the perils of pregnancy post-Roe
Read full article: A Black woman was criminally charged after a miscarriage. It shows the perils of pregnancy post-RoeA Black Ohio woman who miscarried in her bathroom has been charged with abuse of a corpse.
Families of 3 Black victims in fatal Florida Dollar General shooting plead for end to gun violence
Read full article: Families of 3 Black victims in fatal Florida Dollar General shooting plead for end to gun violenceLawyers and family members of three Black people who were fatally shot during a racially motivated attack at a north Florida Dollar General blamed the national chain for not providing security to protect customers and employees.
Georgia sheriff releases video showing a violent struggle before deputy shoots exonerated man
Read full article: Georgia sheriff releases video showing a violent struggle before deputy shoots exonerated manA Georgia sheriff has released video of a violent struggle between a deputy and a Black man he pulled over that shows the driver forcing the deputy's head backward with his hands before the deputy shoots him at point-blank range.
Dash cam video shows deadly encounter between Camden County Sheriff’s Office deputy, exonerated man during traffic stop
Read full article: Dash cam video shows deadly encounter between Camden County Sheriff’s Office deputy, exonerated man during traffic stopA Black man who spent more than 16 years imprisoned in Florida on a wrongful conviction was fatally shot Monday by a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia during a traffic stop, authorities said.
Organization that represented exonerated man killed by Camden County deputy says he was ‘getting back on his feet’
Read full article: Organization that represented exonerated man killed by Camden County deputy says he was ‘getting back on his feet’A Black man who spent more than 16 years in prison in Florida on a wrongful conviction has been fatally shot by a sheriff’s deputy in Georgia during a traffic stop.
Ohio police chief says K-9 handler was deceptive during probe of dog attack on surrendering trucker
Read full article: Ohio police chief says K-9 handler was deceptive during probe of dog attack on surrendering truckerDocuments pertaining to the firing of an Ohio police officer who released his police dog on a surrendering truck driver show he was disciplined days before his termination for his behavior after the incident.
Protesters call for arrest of white woman who fatally shot Black neighbor
Read full article: Protesters call for arrest of white woman who fatally shot Black neighborA Florida sheriff says detectives must investigate self-defense claims before any criminal charges can be brought against a white woman who fatally shot her neighbor last week in the violent culmination of what the sheriff described as a 2½-year feud.
Ed Sheeran testifies in 'Let's Get It On' copyright suit
Read full article: Ed Sheeran testifies in 'Let's Get It On' copyright suitEd Sheeran has taken the witness stand in a New York courtroom to deny allegations that his hit song “Thinking Out Loud” ripped off Marvin Gaye’s soul classic “Let’s Get It On.”.
Online diary: Buffalo gunman plotted attack for months
Read full article: Online diary: Buffalo gunman plotted attack for monthsDetailed diary entries online appears to show that the white gunman accused of massacring 10 Black people in a racist rampage at a Buffalo supermarket wrote as early as November about staging a livestreamed attack on African Americans.
Parents: Son’s death on Florida ride could’ve been prevented
Read full article: Parents: Son’s death on Florida ride could’ve been preventedThe parents of a 14-year-old Missouri boy who was killed while riding a 430-foot drop-tower ride at a Florida amusement park say their son’s death was preventable.
Parents sue after death of teen from Florida drop-tower ride
Read full article: Parents sue after death of teen from Florida drop-tower rideThe parents of a 14-year-old boy who fell to his death from a 430-foot drop-tower ride in central Florida’s tourist district have sued its owner, manufacturer and landlord, claiming they were negligent and failed to provide a safe amusement ride.
Trayvon Martin’s mother: ‘Don’t give up’ fight for justice
Read full article: Trayvon Martin’s mother: ‘Don’t give up’ fight for justiceThe mother of Trayvon Martin is marking the 10th anniversary of her son’s death by thanking those who sought justice for her family and urging them to continue to fight.
After Trayvon Martin, Crump became civil rights go-to lawyer
Read full article: After Trayvon Martin, Crump became civil rights go-to lawyerBefore Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and other Black people died at the hands of white police officers or self-appointed vigilantes, there was Martin Lee Anderson.
A year after SC inmate's death, family still seeking charges
Read full article: A year after SC inmate's death, family still seeking chargesThe family of a mentally ill Black man who died after South Carolina jail employees repeatedly stunned him and then kneeled on his back until he stopped breathing is still seeking criminal charges one year later.
14-year-old girl shot by police remembered at LA funeral
Read full article: 14-year-old girl shot by police remembered at LA funeralFamily, friends, civil rights activists and community members memorialized a 14-year-old girl shot and killed in a clothing store dressing room when Los Angeles police fired at a suspect and a bullet pierced a wall.
Unheard evidence of racism expected ‘front and center’ in federal trial against Ahmaud Arbery’s murderers
Read full article: Unheard evidence of racism expected ‘front and center’ in federal trial against Ahmaud Arbery’s murderersThe three white men sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery will soon face standing trial a second time.
Florida law school creates Ben Crump social justice center
Read full article: Florida law school creates Ben Crump social justice centerA South Florida law school says it is creating a social justice center named after Ben Crump, the Black civil rights attorney who has gained national prominence representing victims of police brutality and vigilante violence.
Nearly 100 lawsuits now filed in connection to Astroworld Festival
Read full article: Nearly 100 lawsuits now filed in connection to Astroworld FestivalCivil rights attorney Benjamin Crump and a team of 20 lawyers are representing hundreds of victims who were at the Astroworld Festival in Houston, Texas, saying that what happened at the venue was criminal.
U.S. voting rights events reflect multiracial reform agenda
Read full article: U.S. voting rights events reflect multiracial reform agendaIn the nation’s capital on Saturday, multiracial coalitions of civil, human and labor rights leaders are convening rallies and marches to urge passage of federal voter protections that have been eroded since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
George Floyd’s brother, family attorney discuss ‘painfully earned justice’ on The Morning Show
Read full article: George Floyd’s brother, family attorney discuss ‘painfully earned justice’ on The Morning ShowIn an interview Wednesday on The Morning Show, Benjamin Crump said he sees this verdict setting a new precedent for policing and hopes it will be an important moment for social justice.
Lawsuit filed over hit-and-run death of Nicki Minaj's father
Read full article: Lawsuit filed over hit-and-run death of Nicki Minaj's fatherFILE - In this Monday, May 6, 2019, file photo, Nicki Minaj attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala in New York. Minajs mother has filed a $150 million lawsuit against the man who is accused of killing the rapper's father in a hit-and-run crash in February 2021. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)MINEOLA, N.Y. – Rapper Nicki Minaj’s mother, Carol Maraj, has filed a $150 million lawsuit against the man who is accused of killing Minaj’s father in a hit-and-run crash last month, an attorney for Maraj said. Ad“He was not only irresponsible and negligent, but more concerned about running away and hiding than seeking help,” Benjamin Crump, one of the attorneys representing Carol Maraj, said in an Instagram post Friday. Nicki Minaj, who was born Onika Tanya Maraj, has not made any public statement on her father's death.
Judge ends shooting case against Breonna Taylor's boyfriend
Read full article: Judge ends shooting case against Breonna Taylor's boyfriendWalker was the boyfriend of Breonna Taylor who was killed by officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department following the execution of a no knock warrant on her apartment on March 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A judge in Kentucky has signed an order permanently closing a criminal case against Breonna Taylor's boyfriend, who shot a police officer during the deadly raid that killed Taylor. Prosecutors dismissed an attempted murder of a police officer charge against Kenneth L. Walker in May, about two months after Taylor's death. Taylor was fatally shot by police who burst through her door with a narcotics warrant on March 13, 2020. Two other officers who fired shots at Taylor's apartment have been dismissed from the department.
Mother of slain Florida teen shot during burial service
Read full article: Mother of slain Florida teen shot during burial serviceCOCOA, Fla. – An unknown gunman fired into a crowd gathered at a Saturday afternoon burial service of a teenager who was fatally shot by a Florida sheriff’s deputy earlier this month, officials said. The deceased teen's mother was wounded by the bullet, Florida Today reported. The shooting happened as guests gathered at Riverview Memorial Gardens to pay their respects to 18-year-old Sincere Pierce. Pierce and 16-year-old Angelo Crooms were killed Nov. 13 by a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy. The teens were killed when Deputy Jafet Santiago-Miranda fired multiple shots into their car when the teens didn’t pull over.
Autopsy finds LA deputies shot Black man 16 times
Read full article: Autopsy finds LA deputies shot Black man 16 timesAn autopsy report says Kizzee, a Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies was wounded 16 times in the front and back but it doesn't shed any light on whether he was on the ground when he was shot. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio, File)LOS ANGELES – A Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies was wounded 16 times in the front and back, according to an autopsy that doesn't shed any light on whether he was on the ground when he was shot. Kizzee was killed Aug. 31 in South Los Angeles after sheriff’s deputies tried to stop him for riding a bicycle in the wrong direction. Two deputies told investigators they fatally shot Kizzee after he picked up the handgun he had dropped during a struggle with one of them. The official autopsy found that Kizzee was wounded a total of 16 times.
Attorney: Black man shot by LA deputies wasn't holding a gun
Read full article: Attorney: Black man shot by LA deputies wasn't holding a gunDijon Kizzee, 29, "posed no threat" to deputies when they fired 19 shots at him, attorney Crump said at the news conference. Kizzee shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies wasn't holding a gun when they opened fire, attorneys for his family said Tuesday, contradicting a claim that he had picked up a dropped weapon during a struggle. (AP Photo/Stefanie Dazio)LOS ANGELES – A Black man shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies wasn't holding a gun when they opened fire, attorneys for his family said Tuesday, contradicting a claim that he had picked up a dropped weapon during a struggle. Kizzee's family stood with Crump and the other attorneys, including his stepbrother and aunts. Crump called Kizzee's death part of racial injustice and police brutality that have been part of the U.S. for centuries.
Video shows deadly deputy shooting of Black bicyclist in LA
Read full article: Video shows deadly deputy shooting of Black bicyclist in LA(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, file)LOS ANGELES A grainy video shows a Black man stopped while riding a bicycle struggling with a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy. The Sheriff's Department account said he punched a deputy in the face. A 41-second video obtained by the Los Angeles Times shows a police SUV stop in a street. The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department did not provide statistics regarding bicycle stops and citations on Wednesday. The Los Angeles Police Departments figures do not break down vehicle stops by category.
New video shows fatal police shooting of Black man in LA
Read full article: New video shows fatal police shooting of Black man in LALOS ANGELES A grainy video posted Wednesday shows the fatal shooting of a Black man by Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies after he was stopped on a bicycle for a traffic violation, but the video does not confirm the police allegation that he made a motion" for a gun. The video, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, shows the 29-year-old Kizzee scuffling with a deputy on a sidewalk. We stand with Dijons family in demanding justice and transparency into this despicable and tragic killing perpetrated by Los Angeles County officers," Crump said in a statement. The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department, the largest in the nation, does not have body cameras for deputies, though that soon will change. Sheriff Alex Villanueva offered his condolences to Kizzee's relatives on Tuesday, who he said includes a cousin who is a Sheriff's Department member.
'Fanning the flames': Dems accuse Trump of stoking violence
Read full article: 'Fanning the flames': Dems accuse Trump of stoking violenceSupporters of President Donald Trump and protesters hold banners as they wait for the motorcade of President Trump outside the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020. The people of Portland, like all other cities & parts of our great Country, want Law & Order," Trump later tweeted. But Democrats accuse Trump of rooting for unrest and trying to stoke further violence for political gain instead of seeking to ratchet down tensions. Trump has cast the upcoming election as clash between law and order and anarchy, and he has denounced protesters as thugs while sharply defending police. And hes going to do everything to disrupt law and order in this time period."
Kenosha protesters, police clash again after Black man shot
Read full article: Kenosha protesters, police clash again after Black man shotKENOSHA, Wis. – Anger over the shooting of a Black man by police spilled into the streets of Kenosha for a second night Monday, with police again firing tear gas at hundreds of protesters who defied a curfew, threw bottles and shot fireworks at law enforcement guarding the courthouse. 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! “That man just literally grabbed him by his shirt and looked the other way and was just shooting him. “There’s no amount of training or reform that can teach a police officer that it’s wrong to shoot a Black man in the back seven times while his children watch,” Lewis said in a statement first shared with the AP. The city is about 67% white, 11.5% Black and 17.6% Hispanic, according to 2019 Census data.
March on Washington reconfigured to comply with virus rules
Read full article: March on Washington reconfigured to comply with virus rulesIn late July, with local infection numbers rising, Bowser ordered that anyone traveling or returning to Washington from a virus hot spot must self-quarantine for 14 days. Bowser, when asked on July 30 about the potential conflict, said government officials had been in contact with march organizers and that Washington would not be relaxing its virus rules for participants. The NAACP, one of several partners in this year's commemoration, last week launched a website for a virtual March on Washington. The site will livestream the Washington march, in addition to other programming leading up to and after the event. The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of more than 150 Black-led organizations that make up the broader Black Lives Matter movement, will hold its virtual Black National Convention later in the evening.
Kentucky capitol rally urges action in Breonna Taylor death
Read full article: Kentucky capitol rally urges action in Breonna Taylor deathCalls for action against the officers have gotten louder during a national reckoning over racism and police brutality following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. (Photo provided by Taylor family attorney Sam Aguiar via AP)FRANKFORT, Ky. Hundreds of people rallied at Kentucky's capitol on Thursday to urge action in the investigation of three officers in the fatal police shooting of a Black woman, Breonna Taylor, at her Louisville home. Taylor's family, hip hop artists and civil rights lawyers addressed a large crowd on the steps of the capitol to mark 100 days since Taylor was killed. Taylor was killed in the sanctity of her own home, said civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who is representing Taylor's family. Kenneth Walker, Taylor's boyfriend, also appeared at the rally.
Democrats: GOP police bill 'not salvageable,' demand talks
Read full article: Democrats: GOP police bill 'not salvageable,' demand talksWASHINGTON Top Democratic leaders in the Senate say the Republican policing bill is not salvageable, as they signal an intent to block it and demand negotiations on a new, more bipartisan package in response to the killing of Black Americans. That's according to a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell from the Democrats obtained by The Associated Press. This bill is not salvageable and we need bipartisan talks to get to a constructive starting point, write Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and the co-authors of the party's bill, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. The Republican legislation would create a national database of police use-of-force incidents, restrict police chokeholds and set up new training procedures. Congress is under enormous pressure to establish new oversight and accountability of the police as demonstrations spill into cities large and small nationwide.
Minneapolis overwhelmed again by protests over Floyd death
Read full article: Minneapolis overwhelmed again by protests over Floyd deathProtests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. The rare step came as the violence spread to other cities: A man shot dead in Detroit, police cars battered in Atlanta and skirmishes with police in New York City. Minneapolis police said shots had been fired at law enforcement officers during the protests but no one was injured. Chauvin eventually pulled Floyd out of the car, and the handcuffed Floyd went to the ground face down. The doctor who will do the autopsy is Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner of New York City.
'I can't breathe' a rally cry anew for police protests in US
Read full article: 'I can't breathe' a rally cry anew for police protests in USProtests over the death of George Floyd, a black man who died in police custody Monday, broke out in Minneapolis for a third straight night. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)WASHINGTON I cant breathe.Eric Garner uttered those words six years ago, locked in a police chokehold. It became a rallying cry after his death for demonstrators across the country who protested the killings of African Americans by police. Floyd's death came after Ahmaud Arbery was shot to death in Georgia by a former district attorney investigator and his son, who were not arrested until after video emerged months later. Davis has gone to some protests, but came this morning with his two adolescent children to show them what was happening.
Ga. district attorney fires back after accusations she stopped arrests following Ahmaud Arbery shooting
Read full article: Ga. district attorney fires back after accusations she stopped arrests following Ahmaud Arbery shootingBRUNSWICK, Ga. – She’s accused of stopping police from making an arrest in the Ahmaud Arbery shooting when it first happened but Glynn County District Attorney Jackie Johnson said that’s a lie. Speaking publicly about the case for the first time last week, Johnson also told a Southeast Georgia radio station that she’s the victim of retaliation. Gregory McMichael once worked for Johnson as an investigator, and that’s why Johnson says she knew she couldn’t get involved. “I did not talk to Glynn County police that day. Back in March, she said, the Glynn County police chief and three former officers were all arrested in a separate case, accused in a narcotics unit cover-up.
Attorney for man who filmed Arbery killing: No precedent for clients arrest
Read full article: Attorney for man who filmed Arbery killing: No precedent for clients arrestThe McMichaels both told police the day Arbery was shot that Bryan had attempted to block Arbery prior to the confrontation where he was shot three times. According to arrest warrants obtained from GBI, Bryan attempted to confine and detain Arbery utilizing his vehicle on multiple occasions" during the encounter that ended with Arberys killing. Jacksonville attorney Gene Nichols, who is not affiliated with the case, believes a speedy trial for such a complex case is not what any attorney would typically do for their client. The video shows Arbery run around the truck to the right before he cuts back in front of it. Arbery can be seen punching a man holding what appears to be a shotgun, who then fires a third shot point-blank.
Official: Investigation of Arbery slaying finished soon
Read full article: Official: Investigation of Arbery slaying finished soonWilliam Roddie Bryan Jr., 50, was arrested Thursday on charges of felony murder and criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. Bryan's neighbors, Gregory and Travis McMichael, were arrested on felony murder and aggravated assault charges after the video spread on social media, more than two months after the slaying. Along with the investigation into Arberys killing, Reynolds said he expects the GBI's investigation into the handling of the case by two local prosecutors to be completed soon and turned over to the attorney generals office. Gregory McMichael told police he suspected Arbery was a burglar and that Arbery attacked his son before being shot. Gough declined to discuss Bryan's actions the day of the shooting but said authorities overreached in charging him with felony murder.
2017 video shows Georgia officer tried to stun Ahmaud Arbery
Read full article: 2017 video shows Georgia officer tried to stun Ahmaud ArberyThis Thursday, May 7, 2020, file photo combo of images provided by the Glynn County Detention Center in Georgia shows Gregory McMichael, left, and his son Travis McMichael. Attorneys for Arberys parents said Tuesday that the body camera video from 2017 shows Arbery being harassed by the same police department that declined to arrest his killers. S. Lee Merritt, an attorney for Arbery's mother, said Tuesday that the video showed Arbery being harassed by police. We dont see cars sitting out here that often.The officers let Arbery go about eight minutes after the encounter began. The video shows Arbery being ordered to lie face-down while being handcuffed.
Galveston officers won't face criminal charges in controversial arrest
Read full article: Galveston officers won't face criminal charges in controversial arrestCNN imageGALVESTON, Texas - Two mounted officers seen leading a handcuffed black man by what appeared to be a rope will not face a criminal investigation, authorities say. City officials in Galveston requested a third-party investigation into the arrest of Donald Neely, 43, after images circulated of him being led through town by two Galveston Police Department officers. "The Rangers subsequently conferred with the Galveston Co. District Attorney's Office, which determined that there was nothing that warranted a criminal investigation," said a statement from the Texas Department of Public Safety. The decision to not open a criminal investigation did not surprise her, she said. "We're going to stay here and stand with Donald Neely and his family."
Attorney demands Galveston police body cam video of horseback arrest
Read full article: Attorney demands Galveston police body cam video of horseback arrestCivil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has requested the release of body camera footage recorded by two mounted Galveston police officers who led a handcuffed black man down the city's streets. GALVESTON, Texas - Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump has requested the release of body camera footage recorded by two mounted Galveston police officers who led a handcuffed black man down the city's streets. The police department has 30 days to comply, or face a civil rights march through the city, Crump said at a press conference Monday. "Until you release that video from that body cam, we are not going anywhere," Crump said. CNN has reached out to the Galveston Police Department for comment.
Unions defend mounted officers who escorted handcuffed man on 'line'
Read full article: Unions defend mounted officers who escorted handcuffed man on 'line'Police in Galveston, Texas apologize after photos surface of man in handcuffs being led using a 'line,' tied to mounted officer. GALVESTON, Texas - The Galveston Police Department chief has already apologized for the way that two mounted officers escorted a handcuffed African-American man over the weekend. But the leaders of two police unions came to the arresting officers' defense on Thursday, saying they did nothing wrong. In a statement, Galveston Police Chief Vernon L. Hale III apologized to Neely and said his officers "showed poor judgement in this instance." Bell had previously posted on social media that it was hard for her to understand "why these officers felt this young man required a leash, as he was handcuffed and walking between two mounted officers."
Texas police officers on horseback lead handcuffed man tied to 'line'
Read full article: Texas police officers on horseback lead handcuffed man tied to 'line'Police in Galveston, Texas apologize after photos surface of man in handcuffs being led using a 'line,' tied to mounted officer. GALVESTON, Texas - A Texas police department is apologizing for its treatment of an African-American man that the police chief said caused the man "unnecessary embarrassment." Photos show two mounted officers from the Galveston Police Department escorting a handcuffed man. One officer is leading the man, identified as 43-year-old Donald Neely, with what appears to be a rope. Bell had previously posted on social media that it was hard for her to understand "why these officers felt this young man required a leash, as he was handcuffed and walking between two mounted officers."