Tamir Rice’s family received a $6 million settlement as did the families of Freddie Gray and Eric Garner for wrongs committed by the police resulting in their loved ones’ deaths. Money does not equal justice. In America, where a twelve year old African American child is gunned down for playing in a park near his home and no one is held accountable, indicted, charged or arrested, there is no justice. When a 26 year old African American man is taken into police custody in a police van and receives a spinal cord injury and dies, justice remains elusive as 6 Baltimore police remain free awaiting trials. And when an African American man is arrested by police on the streets of New York City who then yells “I can’t breathe” and dies in a police choke hold with no charges against the police officers, there is no justice. The word "justice" is often used but rarely defined in our culture. The legal symbol of justice is the statue of the blind folded woman holding the equally balanced … [Read more...] about Why Tamir Rice $6 Million Settlement is not Justice
Tamir Rice
Tamar Rice Never Stood a Chance with Police
Justice is often elusive when it comes to blacks killed or injured by police whether 12 years old or 112. So it should come as no surprise when two reports issued over the weekend indicate the same will likely be true for 12 year old Tamir Rice. Tamir was shot and killed on November 22, 2014 by police officer Loehmann while he was playing with a toy gun in a Cleveland Park. A 911 call alerted that someone probably a “juvenile” with a “fake gun” was in the park. Tamir was holding a toy gun and killed within seconds of the officer arriving on the scene to investigate. And like so many before him, these reports indicate the officer was acting reasonably when Tamir was shot. The reports and passage of time since Tamir’s death leads one to almost conclude that once again justice will be denied without an indictment, arrest or trial. Two reports, both commissioned by the Cleveland prosecutor’s office came to the same result—that the officer acted reasonable in shooting and killing Tamir … [Read more...] about Tamar Rice Never Stood a Chance with Police