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Reflections on George Floyd and today's verdict.
A thread.
A thread.
Finally. Finally police held accountable for the violence and indignity they levy upon Black people in this country.
The verdict at least acknowledges the humanity of Mr. Floyd and all others who have been traumatized and terrorized by police.
The verdict at least acknowledges the humanity of Mr. Floyd and all others who have been traumatized and terrorized by police.
This trial shines a bright light upon the dark realities of our over policed communities of color, exposing how the mass criminalization machine traumatizes, degrades and breaks our fellow human beings and their families, leaving generational scars.
But this fight isn't over.
In the last five years in the Bay Area, police officers killed 110 people.
Nearly two-thirds of those people killed were Black, Latinx, or Asian. Not a single police officer who killed any of these people was prosecuted.
In the last five years in the Bay Area, police officers killed 110 people.
Nearly two-thirds of those people killed were Black, Latinx, or Asian. Not a single police officer who killed any of these people was prosecuted.
19 people have been killed by San Jose Police in the last 5 years, not even to count the killing of David Tovar this past January.
NONE of those killers have been prosecuted by the Santa Clara County DA.
NONE of those killers have been prosecuted by the Santa Clara County DA.
If George Floyd had been killed in Santa Clara County, the DA's office would highlight his worst moments and dirty his name.
They would used that to justify NOT charging Derek Chauvin.
Chauvin wouldn't be prosecuted. He would be promoted.
They would used that to justify NOT charging Derek Chauvin.
Chauvin wouldn't be prosecuted. He would be promoted.
In my nearly 13 years as a public defender, I’ve represented people who have been victimized by police.
I've seen police unlawfully and unreasonably pull over, stop, tase, frisk, interrogate, search, baton, handcuff, photograph, shoot, and sic dogs upon our fellow human beings.
I've seen police unlawfully and unreasonably pull over, stop, tase, frisk, interrogate, search, baton, handcuff, photograph, shoot, and sic dogs upon our fellow human beings.
Does the Santa Clara County DA prosecute those police?
The opposite, actually. DA's actively and affirmatively protect the police from liability by prosecuting the very victims of police violence on trumped up crimes like resisting arrest and assault on a police officer.
The opposite, actually. DA's actively and affirmatively protect the police from liability by prosecuting the very victims of police violence on trumped up crimes like resisting arrest and assault on a police officer.
If George Floyd lived in San Jose had somehow survived Derek Chauvin squeezing the life out of him, the Santa Clara County DA's office surely would've prosecuted Mr. Floyd for resisting arrest and assaulting the officer.
This is the reality we commit to keep fighting against.
This is the reality we commit to keep fighting against.
