The fatal beating of Tyre Nichols is only the latest tragic example of excessive force by police. It differs significantly from most previous incidents in… Read More »The Fatal Beating of Tyre Nichols: What Can Be Done?
Past presidents have on occasion issued pardons of debatable merit that drew criticism. In characteristic fashion, however, Donald Trump has far outdistanced his predecessors in… Read More »Blog No. 275. The Trump Pardons: The Need for Review and Reform
The scenes of burning buildings in Ferguson, immediately following a Grand Jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson, were appalling and depressing. They were all the more so because they were not all that surprising. Could they have been avoided or contained? Perhaps. The threat of violence had been widely anticipated, and despite advance pleas for calm from community leaders, clergy and the Brown family, the anticipation may have become something of a self-fulfilling prophecy. There were numerous factors contributing to the violent upheaval, but one of them may have been a basic misunderstanding of the criminal justice process.Read More »Blog No. 53. The Flames of Ferguson and the Grilling of the DA
For several weeks of August, the shooting of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri received massive coverage from the media, nationally and internationally. Although the actions of Brown and Wilson took only a few moments, they exposed long-standing racial tensions that are found not only in Ferguson but in cities around the country. For the moment, relative calm has returned to Ferguson and the city has moved out of the media spotlight. While both of those conditions may change, this may be a time to take stock of what we know and don’t know and to consider the implications of Ferguson for other cities.Read More »Blog 45. Ferguson: The Tip of the Iceberg?