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Jury finds McMichaels, Bryan guilty of Ahmaud Arbery’s murder
A nearly all-white jury in a Glynn County courtroom Wednesday afternoon convicted three white men of murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery as the 25-year-old Black jogger ran through their neighborhood in February 2020. Travis McMichael, seen all over the world in a viral video that shows him firing a shotgun into Arbery at close range, […]
Column: Guilty verdicts in Arbery killing give no pleasure, only relief
There’s no pleasure to be taken from the guilty verdicts returned Wednesday by a Glynn County jury in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery; there is only relief and thanksgiving that in the end justice could be done, at least in a case in which the evidence was so well-documented and seemingly obvious. Given that they […]
Column: Today’s ‘civil war’ is an attack on the rule of law
There is a civil war underway in America. It’s not the same sort of war we fought more than 150 years ago, when Americans took sides on whether slavery was good or evil, donned blue and gray uniforms, then slaughtered each other on the battlefield. This is a war that’s happening in slow-motion, a largely […]
‘A celebratory movement’: Detroiters advocate for reparations ballot proposal
When Todd Perkins thinks of reparations for systemic racial discrimination in Detroit, he dreams not just of atonement, but of hope. The Detroit attorney, who has long been pushing for reparations in the city where he grew up, dreams of a chance to finally acknowledge the pain that runs deep amidst institutional racism, from housing […]
Column: Public health and systemic racism are on the ballot in prosecutor elections
The intertwined pandemics of racism and coronavirus have been deadly for Black Americans, showing clearly that our biased criminal justice system and our racial health disparities are closely connected. The latest protests sparked by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless others are public displays showing that people are angered by […]
Terrence Martin: Lessons for my Black son
In some cultures, when a boy reaches the age of 13, his entire community comes together to acknowledge his coming of age in a ceremony that celebrates the beginning of manhood. I’ve had to teach my 13-year-old son that being perceived as a grown Black man can be dangerous. I am afraid for my son. […]
Whitmer, Legislature mark Juneteenth, tensions flare in Senate
On Wednesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a proclamation declaring Friday as Juneteenth Celebration Day in Michigan to commemorate the day in 1865 when slavery was abolished in the United States. Whitmer noted the recent deaths of several African Americans that have sparked anti-police brutality protests in more than 2,000 cities across the country. “Juneteenth is […]
Increased police training bill passes unanimously through Senate
A bill requiring all incoming law enforcement officers to complete training on implicit bias, de-escalation techniques and mental health screening passed unanimously through the GOP-led Senate on Thursday — a rarity for progressive legislation. State Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor), who introduced Senate Bill 945, said this is “a small step forward in righting years […]
Whitmer rolls out reforms to prevent police brutality
As large-scale protests against police brutality and racism continue in Michigan and beyond, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday announced a series of policy proposals to increase accountability for Michigan law enforcement officers. Whitmer also noted a number of actions being taken by the Michigan State Police (MSP) to support the goal of a more transparent […]
Civil rights groups urge Congress to combat police brutality
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of civil rights organizations, including some based in Michigan, urged U.S. congressional leaders to quickly pass legislation to address police killings of Black people in the wake of a series of recent deaths that have ignited protests around the country. “In recent weeks, the chronic structural issue of police killings against Black […]