Hi there! Things aren't great in the world right now, and I want to discuss something I see happening a lot in discourse around police shootings and police murders of black people.

One of the things that you frequently see is "If they weren't doing something wrong" or "they stole/did drugs/hurt someone/are in some way criminal and thus responsible for their own death"

No crime, none, justifies the killing of an unarmed person by police. Even if they are caught in the middle of a crime, red-handed, in the US there are very few crimes for which the death penalty is a possible sentence.

Since 1791, the 6th amendment grants people the right to a speedy and public trial by a jury of their peers. The function of police is not as judge and jury. The *only* time a police officer can act to harm another human being is in a situation of imminent risk to life.

So if someone is pointing a gun at someone else with plausible intention to shoot, a police officer *may* be justified in acting, but even in this case, there should be a full review of the officer and their actions, in the context of their whole career.

In an ethical and moral society, the power of life and death should not be in the hands of people with proven biases. But even if it is, please remember that no crime committed, no words, no actions taken, no disrespect, nothing, gives the police the right to kill.

Nothing gives a police officer the right to hold someone down until they die. Literally nothing. George Floyd could have been a mass murderer and nothing would give the police officer that right.

Police procedural dramas give people the idea that police murdering criminals is reasonable or justifiable. Think about a show you watch, I'm sure you can find a moment where the 'hero' law enforcement officer hurts or kills a criminal.

In the context of a drama it makes sense. In the context of real life, it's illegal in most situations.

Crime or any kind of bad actions do not justify murder by law enforcement. Please stop believing that they do.