John Bracken | Courthouse News Service DOTHAN, Ala. (CN) – An Alabama man was shot to death by a police officer after refusing to show his driver’s license while dropping off a stray dog at the local animal shelter, his estate claims in a federal lawsuit. The estate of Robert Earl Lawrence sued the city … Read more
Matt Agorist | The Free Thought Project Mankato, MN — A community is mourning the loss of a 33-year-old biology teacher this week after he was killed by a Mankato police officer responding to a disturbance at a hotel on New Year’s eve. Chase A. Tuseth, a graduate of Minnesota State University Mankato, and high school … Read more
A 37-year-old African American woman has been killed after an incident during which police slammed her head on the concrete. The killing occurred outside of her family’s residence. Tanisha Anderson was pronounced dead at Cleveland Clinic, her brother reported. The pronouncement was made approximately two hours after police performed a “take down” on Anisha which caused her skull … Read more
Molly Willms | Courthouse News Service MILWAUKEE (CN) – The family of a baby who spent all of her brief life in a maximum security cell at the Milwaukee County jail filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the county and conservative Sheriff David Clarke Jr. “As a result of the defendants’ reckless disregard and deliberate … Read more
Rose Bouboushian | Courthouse News Service (CN) – A New Jersey cop must face claims that he fatally shot a non-threatening suicide caller partly because his police department does not train officers on how to deal with suicide situations, a federal judge ruled. When Bellmawr and Brooklawn, N.J., police responded to a suicide call made … Read more
John Whitehead | Zero Hedge “Jesus is too much for us. The church’s later treatment of the gospels is one long effort to rescue Jesus from ‘extremism.’”—author Gary Wills, What Jesus Meant Jesus was good. He was caring. He had powerful, profound things to say – things that would change how we view people, alter … Read more
Jack Burns | The Free Thought Project Garland, TX — In a travesty of justice, a mistrial was declared Monday in the latest trial of an officer who shot and killed an unarmed father — dumping 41 rounds into him, reloading twice. Late on August 31, 2012, Michael “Mookie” Allen, 25 was running from the police … Read more
Bianca Bruno | Courthouse News Service SAN DIEGO (CN) – The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday found that San Diego sheriff’s officers who riddled a young Marine with bullets after a slow-speed car chase eight years ago did not violate his civil rights. Robert Medina was shot 37 times on Nov. 16, 2006, after a slow-speed chase … Read more
Emma Gannon | Courthouse News Service ALBUQUERQUE (CN) – After killing their daughter, with his body camera off, and making up a story that the teenager was armed, an Albuquerque cop “relaxed” by going to Hooters, the teen’s parents say in a lawsuit against the city and officer. Former police Officer Jeremy Dear was pursuing … Read more
Dionne Cordell | Courthouse News Service (CN) – Attorneys for the police officer who shot and killed Philando Castile in July say the manslaughter charge against him should be dropped because Castile was high on marijuana at the time of the incident. Jeronimo Yanez and his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss Wednesday and a … Read more
Matt Agorist | The Free Thought Project Rio Rancho, NM — Ben Anthony C de Baca has a history of mental illness. But, he was able to maintain a relatively normal lifestyle until September of last year when doctors changed his medication. According to C de Baca’s wife, he’d been “acting very paranoid all week,” … Read more
Matt Agorist | The Free Thought Project Baltimore, MD — For the first time since the Baltimore Police Department was equipped with 600 body cameras, they have released a video. In the graphic footage, Baltimore police officers are seen shooting a mentally ill man who appeared to pose no threat to officers at the time. On … Read more