Matt Agorist | The Free Thought Project Blytheville, AR — In the Land of the Free, playing your music at an arbitrary volume can and will result in agents of the state initiating violence against you. A recent body camera video, released from Easter Sunday illustrates this notion. Patrick Newbern Jr. was enjoying Easter Sunday in … Read more
Matt Agorist | The Free Thought Project Royal Oak, MI — Royal Oak police were caught on video on St. Patrick’s Day outside of BlackFinn Ameripub in Michigan last week in a clear and cut case of excessive force. The video was uploaded to Facebook over the weekend and has sparked controversy and a response … Read more
Claire Bernish | The Free Thought Project Colorado Springs, CO — Colorado Springs Police are in hot water with a possible lawsuit over the brutal beating in July of a 72-year-old man who has Alzheimer’s. Albert Schmeiler’s mother-in-law, Margot Alvarez, witnessed the attack and said it was absolutely unnecessary for officers to punch, kick, and … Read more
Rose Bouboushian | Courthouse News Service MINNEAPOLIS (CN) – A Minneapolis police officer accused of assaulting four people while off duty, falsifying reports and lying under oath cannot dismiss perjury charges, a federal judge ruled. While off duty and representing himself as a Minneapolis police officer, Michael Griffin assaulted a person referred to in court … Read more
John Vibes | The Free Thought Project Dekalb County, GA – Police Sgt. Anthony Robinson was recently found guilty of ordering other officers under his authority to assault underage suspects while they were in handcuffs. Robinson reportedly told officers Blake Norwood and Arthur Parker to beat up four different suspects, on different occasions. Three of … Read more
Julie St. Louis | Courthouse News Service KODIAK, Alaska (CN) – The parents of a 29-year-old autistic man have sued the Kodiak Police Department and two of three officers who forced their son to the ground, pepper-sprayed and handcuffed him during an incident this past September. Nicholas Pletnikoff lives just a few houses away from … Read more
2016/02/18 Andrew Emett | The Free Thought Project Queensland – While sleeping in bed with her fiancé, a former Miss Australia awoke to a police flashbang grenade disfiguring her face and melting her hand. Although she required immediate medical attention, paramedics did not arrive at the scene until 40 minutes later.+ Crowned Miss International Australia … Read more
Chattanooga, TN — When 60-year-old Nancy Mason was in the process of being booked into the Hamilton County, Tennessee, jail on theft charges she refused to remove her earrings quickly enough setting off a violent chain of events. For not complying fast enough, Sheriff’s Sergeant Rodney Terrell tased her — sending the woman crashing to the ground, … Read more
Max Chantha | January 15, 2016 NEVADA – The narrative of abusing citizens under the pretext of ‘resisting arrest’ is one that has been tried and true for law enforcement. Fortunately, the public push for mandatory body cameras on officers is beginning to dispel the smoke and mirrors that surround these frequent cases. For one … Read more
2016/01/15 Andrew Emett | The Free Thought Project Birmingham, AL — Although the governor of Alabama formally apologized to the Indian government last year and promised that justice would be served, a federal judge on Wednesday tossed out the civil rights case against the former cop responsible for partially paralyzing an innocent grandfather. Despite the … Read more
John Vibes | The Free Thought Project Philadelphia, PA — Philadelphia Police Officer Deric Lewis was recently arrested for the third time, after being arrested on two other occasions and losing his job as a result. In his two previous arrests, Lewis was charged with assault and reckless endangerment, and was reported as being violent … Read more