July 2016 News | Free Self Help Legal Information for Missouri Residents

Below are news items from July 2016. For more current and breaking news items, see the main news page.

Editorial note: The arrest of a 13 year old seventh grade was upheld against a boy who repeatedly burped during gym class. See our related post, "School to Prison Pipeline".

7-30-2016: Off-duty Indianapolis officer charged with attempted murder

7-30-2016: Indianapolis police officer arrested in Cincinnati; police say he shot fellow officer

Editorial note: I wonder if the prosecutor will charge the off duty officer or submit this to the grand jury. If there is no video, will there be enough evidence to convince? These things sound ridiculous when the victim is a police officer. Why doesn't it sound ridiculous when there's a video and the shooting victim is black?

7-29-2016: Witness to William Chapman shooting contradicts police officer's account

Editorial note: Security worker at Walmart, where the shooting took place, says the 18-year-old black teen only ‘made a gesture’ at officer Stephen Rankin before he was shot dead

7-29-2016: Deputy upset over Dallas ambush drunkenly fires gun at church

7-29-2016: Kansas City mom sues police department, claiming cops used excessive force when son was killed

7-29-2016: Kansas judge temporarily blocks Kris Kobach voting rule days before election

7-29-2016: Official: Ill. gov approves bill making small amount of pot possession punishable by fine, not jail

Editorial note: Don't be lulled into a false sense of security. If federal law carries higher sentencing, that standard could be applied rather than the state standard. Recently, in California, a state the legalized marijuana, police there used federal asset forfeiture laws against businesses licensed under state law.

7-29-2016: St. Louis city Election Board sued to release absentee ballot records from past four years

7-29-2016: Chelsea Manning faces solitary confinement and charges after suicide attempt

Editorial note: Wow! Instead of counseling to treat possible mental illness, they're going to put Manning in solitary confinement which is proven to cause mental illness. Sounds like someone wants to silence her. For background information, see our editorial notes from 7-6-2016:

7-29-2016: Messenger: Historic merger on tap in county despite Stenger inaction

7-29-2016: Black cops call for dismissal of Fox 2 reporter Bobby Hughes after ‘lead diet’ joke about killing of Mike Brown

7-28-2016: Seattle-based website invites white people to give reparations

Editorial note: I'm still deciding how I feel about this. On one hand, multiple videos of abuses proving what black people have been complaining about for decades has awoken many White Americans in denial who now want to do something. On the other hand this seems a little condescending, but I'll withhold judgment and see how this develops. I couldn't help but think about KSR-1's comments where he hints at afirmative action being a weak form of reparations. The irony is that affirmative action has helped white women more than any other group.

7-28-2016: Oakland police sergeant faced no charges for domestic violence arrest despite video evidence

7-28-2016: Body-camera video shows fatal police shooting in Ariz.

7-28-2016: Texas AG suing City of Austin over open carry compliance

Editorial note: The argument, the City of Austin should allow open carry at city hall.

7-28-2016: Cousin of Slain Baton Rouge Cop Was Wrongly Arrested for the Massacre

7-28-2016: More Flint water crisis criminal charges to be announced Friday

Editorial note: This should be a wakeup call to public employees. Even if your boss or someone higher up in the chain of command asks you to do something illegal or unethical, you can be held criminally or liable civilly.

7-28-2016: Report: Cops mistake Krispy Kreme donut glaze for meth, arrest man

7-28-2016: Lawyer seeks gag order in Sandra Bland lawsuit

Editorial note: See comments made by Sandra Bland's mother during the Mothers of the Movement appearance at the DNC.

7-28-2016: In school shooting case, judge to decide any records dispute

Editorial note: Remmington, the maker of the AR-15 assault rifle which was used in the Sandy Hook Massacre wants documents sealed in school shooting suit.

7-28-2016: Judge rejects conspiracy claims in death of handcuffed man at Lake of the Ozarks

7-28-2016: Rudy Giuliani suggests Muslims on US watchlist should wear GPS bracelets

Editorial note: For those of you that don't understand how dangerous this is, replace Muslims with "Black" or "African-American". See our post, "First They Came".

7-28-2016: Court rejects Ohio law banning police sex with minors

Editorial note: The Ohio Supreme Court declared a law that made it illegal for police officers to have sex with minors simply on the basis of their profession unconstitutional.

7-28-2016: Former police chief charged in sex assault released on house arrest

7-28-2016: Anti-cop climate having mixed results on police recruiting

Editorial note: See our post, "Now hiring black police officers".

7-28-2016: St. Louis ex-prosecutor gets probation for helping cover up police detective's beating of handcuffed man

7-28-2016: 'Make The Township White Again' sign could land violations for homeowner

7-28-2016: Freddie Gray officers suing prosecutor Marilyn Mosby

Editorial note: Prosecutors have prosecutorial discretion proving prosecuting attorneys with nearly absolute powers to determine whether or not to bring criminal charges, deciding the nature of charges, plea bargaining and sentence recommendation. Prosecutorial immunity is the absolute immunity that prosecutors in the United States have in initiating a prosecution and presenting the state's case. The U.S. Supreme Court in 1976 ruled that prosecutors cannot face civil lawsuits for prosecutorial abuses, no matter how severe." See, Imbler v. Pachtman 424 U.S. 409 (1976). However, I believe that is one of the major flaws in our judicial system. This was a very agressive move by the police officers, especially when they may still face Federal charges for the death of Freddie Gray.

7-28-2016: AT&T violated rule requiring low prices for schools, FCC says

7-28-2016: Fiat Chrysler ending car production in U.S.

Editorial note: Half of all US jobs are predicted to be eliminated because of computerization and robotics.

7-28-2016: After investigation, McAllen, TX fires police officer for excessive force; another cop resigns

7-28-2016: North County homeless shelter to shut down rather than take in drug addicts

7-28-2016: Months After Criminal Charge Was Dropped, Virginia Man Will Finally Recover His Seized Cash

7-28-2016: California Police Ramp Up Asset Seizures of Cannabis Companies in Advance of Legalization Vote

Editorial note: Even though several states have legalized marijuana, it is still a federal crime. The state of California is now using asset forfeiture to target legal marijuana businesses who cannot effectively fight federal asset forfeiture laws because marijuana is illegal federally.

7-28-2016: Man Who Filmed Fatal NYC Police Chokehold of Eric Garner Sues City

Editorial note: The man whose cellphone video captured the fatal police chokehold of unarmed black man Eric Garner is suing the city for $10 million over a drug arrest that he says was police retaliation.

7-28-2016: Court ruling could help nearly 14,000 who lost jobless benefits

7-28-2016: Will feds recommend probation for former St. Louis prosecutor, and will a judge agree?

7-28-2016: A new threat in fight against overdoses: Elephant sedative

7-27-2016: Court won’t bounce judge over accusations he’s ‘biased, senile and Mormon’

7-27-2016: Police in Mass. to protest over Black Lives Matter banner at city hall

7-27-2016: Petitioners push to limit tax incentives in KC

7-27-2016: Amid opioid epidemic, rules for drug companies are loosened

7-27-2016: Charges dropped, Freddie Gray case concludes with zero convictions against officers

Editorial note: See related comments made during our response criticisim to Mothers of the Movement appearance at the DNC.

7-27-2016: Report finds almost 7,000 in-custody deaths in Texas

Editorial Note: Nearly 2,000 people who died had not been convicted of a crime.

7-27-2016: St. Louis city wants to spend $2M dollars to study North-South MetroLink route

7-27-2016: St. Louis police department violates Missouri's open records law, lawsuit claims

7-27-2016: Former St. Louis detective sentenced to more than 4 years for beating handcuffed man

Editorial note: It seems that when the victim is white, even when no video exist, justice is served. We've had multiple killings of black men by police, and none of those officers were charged. The one officer that has been charged only occurred after video surfaced years later. In this case, the suspect, Michael Waller, had committing the crime of using the stolen credit card of officer's daughter. I don't remember hearing the usually character assassination that black victims endure. This is they type of unequal treatment that the Black Lives Matter Movement is hightlighting.

7-27-2016: Michael Brown's mother appears at Democratic National Convention, prompting police ire

Editorial note: See our related post.

7-27-2016: Several St. Louis area hospitals get low marks in government's controversial star rating system

Editorial note: See our related "Medical Oppression" page where we discuss medical aparthied, experimentation and provide a link to another source that ranked hospital by letter graded A thru F. The results for St. Louis hospitals were surprising, with at least one well respected local hospital receiving a "D" grade.

7-27-2016: Photographer sues Getty Images for selling photos she donated to public

7-27-2016: Partner of ex-St. Louis cop charged with murder is given immunity, ordered to testify

Editoral note: What does it say about St. Louis' justice system when both a prosecutor and a police officer must be offered immunity from criminal charges in order to testify against a police officer in two separate cases; one where an officer is charged with murder and another charged with beating a handcuffed suspect.

7-26-2016: Prosecutors seek more than 5 years in prison for St. Louis detective who beat handcuffed suspect

Editorial note: Bliss Worrell, the prosecutor who helped cover up this crime received no jail time. Bliss Worrell was sentenced to eighteen months of probation for prosecuting the victim of a crime to protect his attacker. This is one reason why We need black prosecutors

7-26-2016: Length of former St. Louis officer's prison term depends on details of beating of handcuffed suspect

7-26-2016: Messenger: City stumbles toward Biddle House homeless shelter opening

7-26-2016: A reminder of a painful heritage, slave cabin in Sedalia is shunned

7-25-2016: Jailer Chokes Inmate to Death on Video But Still Hasn’t Been Charged

7-25-2016: Regulators want to allow more toxic chemicals in Florida’s water

7-25-2016: Jordan Speaks Out On Shootings of African-American, Police

Editorial note. Michael Jordan joins a growing list of celebrities and athletes speaking out against oppression and injustice.

7-25-2016: Rival gangs Crips, Bloods and Esés declare peace in Los Angeles

7-24-2016: Faith Ekakitie stopped by police at gunpoint over mistaken identity

Editorial note: Police draw guns, mistake Iowa defensive lineman who was playing Pokemon Go for bank robber.

7-24-2016: Black Lives Matter protesters call out police unions for defending bad cops

7-24-2016: Americans are as skeptical of Black Lives Matter as they were of the Civil Rights Movement

7-24-2016: Asian-American groups decry 'xenophobic' Missouri political ads

7-24-2016: Energized white supremacists cheer Trump convention message

7-23-2016: Court Strikes Down Virginia Order Restoring Voting Rights to Ex-Felons

7-22-2016: Secretly filming up a woman’s skirt ruled legal by Court of Appeal in Georgia

7-22-2016: National Black Lives Matter organization says it does not support First Step Barbecue

7-22-2016: Dallas police job applications surge after fatal ambush attacks

7-22-2016: Cincinnati Cop Investigated Over Post Slamming White Police

Editorial note: So white cops who shot 12 year old kids get paid leave, but blacks who complain get investigated? A black Cincinnati police officer is under investigation over a Facebook post that said white officers "are looking for a reason to kill a black man." Listen to complaints from other black police officers about white officers.

7-22-2016: Black pain gone viral: racism, graphic videos can create PTSD-like trauma

7-22-2016: North Miami Cop Suspended for Giving "Conflicting" Statements in Charles Kinsey Shooting

7-22-2016: Atlanta police shooting of unarmed black man leads to rare murder charge

Editorial note: See our related post, "Where protest fails violence prevails"

7-22-2016: Attorney refuses to remove Black Lives Matter pin, taken into custody

7-22-2016: No jail time for Missouri drivers without insurance

7-22-2016: Biddle House homeless shelter back on track after special meeting

7-21-2016: BODY CAMERA VIDEO: Lawsuit accuses Arkansas police officer of using excessive force on man

7-21-2016: Mass. mayor won’t remove Black Lives Matter banner from City Hall

7-21-2016: Video: Texas officer says blacks have 'violent tendencies'

Editorial note: See our post in response, "Black people have ‘violent tendencies’?"

7-21-2016: NBA Pulls 2017 All-Star Game Out of Charlotte, North Carolina, Over 'Anti-LGBT' Law

Editorial note: The NBA said, "While we recognize that the NBA cannot choose the law in every city, state, and country in which we do business, we do not believe we can successfully host our All-Star festivities in Charlotte in the climate created by HB2." Hopefully, the NBA will not chose a location that moves too slowly or refuses to hold police accountable when they violate the rights of black citizens. The NBA has a clear majority of black players, certainly, the causes that affect the majority of players and their families should be receiving equal attention and protection. All athletes should remember the example set by the Mizzou football players and recognize your combined power. United we stand, divided we fall. See related, "WNBA, If you want our support, you need to support us!"

7-21-2016: Bullet that struck caregiver was meant to protect him, police union prez says

Editorial note: It's this type of protect the cop at any cost mentality that is causing so much anger and placing police officers in danger. So lets assume some idiot actually believes this narrative. How is it better that the cop was trying to shoot the unarmed mentally challenged man armed holding a toy truck? Pay attention kids, don't play with toy guns or toy trucks.

7-21-2016: St. Louis County could get federal money for opioid monitoring

7-21-2016: America's broken digital copyright law is about to be challenged in court

7-21-2016: US woman given body cavity searches at border settles case

7-21-2016: Messenger: Judge goes from 60 to 0 in 4 months on racially charged gun case

7-21-2016: Judge’s order: Elliott Williams’ jail cell became ‘burial crypt’

Editorial note: Tulsa County Sheriff's Department officials left a paralyzed inmate lying on the floor for 5 days before he died in his cell

7-21-2016: Why A Black Teen Who Was Beaten By Police Decided To Join The NYPD

Editorial note: Former Police Captain, Eric Adams, who is currently Borough President of Brooklyn, New York City, provides a unique perspective about being a black police officer. During a radio interview, he give clues to how other black officers can approach the job. He makes a chilling critque about police power when he stated, "police have two rights that even the President does not have, the right take liberty and to take life".

7-21-2016: Former Pocomoke police chief who accused town of racism indicted

7-21-2016: WNBA Fines Players For Wearing Shirts To Honor Recent Shooting Victims

Editorial note: We must support those who take a stand for us. See our related post calling for a boycott of the WNBA. Also see, "Black entertainers taking a stand against oppression and injustice" and "23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America".

7-20-2016: Video shows moments before North Miami Police shot unarmed man

7-20-2016: 'Hate Cops?' billboard causes uproar in Indiana

7-19-2016: Mass., NH state troopers accused of beating chase suspect face charges

7-19-2016: With just 79 police officers, Tukwila pays out $1.5M to settle civil-rights lawsuits

7-19-2016: Missouri high court will not hear appeal for new prosecutor in Michael Brown shooting

7-19-2016: Outrage erupts over article in church flier that offered tips on being better allies with African-Americans against police

Editorial note: The title of the article has changed to, "Outrage erupts over ‘Caucasian Privilege for Good’ article in church flier". See our post in response to this story.

7-19-2016: Police And Black Lives Matter Hold A Cookout, And Praise Rolls In

7-19-2016: Special prosecutor clears St. Louis police officers in 2015 fatal shooting

7-19-2016: St. Louis circuit attorney candidates seek to fight violent crime, restore public trust

Editorial note: We need black prosecutors.

7-19-2016: Black St. Louis Neighborhoods Cut Off from Mortgage Lending, Banks, Report Finds. Also see: Race Strongly Influences Mortgage Lending in St. Louis, Study Finds

7-19-2016: Feds are preparing to sue to block big insurance mergers

7-19-2016: Teens fight boredom, serve Louisville community with free mowing service

7-18-2019: Chesterfield to rejoin Municipal League

7-18-2016: FCC will let jails charge inmates more for phone calls

7-18-2016: Lt. Brian Rice Acquitted On All Charges; Hogan, Others Think Remaining Cases Should Be Dropped

7-18-2016: Prosecutor to decide soon if Missouri trooper will face charges

7-18-2016: Southwest Missouri police departments see spike in reports in thefts of guns from vehicles

Editorial note: We predicted that crime in white communities would increase because of greater incidents of heroin addiction.

7-18-2016: Columbus police officer hospitalized after glass found in sandwich

7-18-2016: New Missouri Law Gives Teen Murderer A Chance For Freedom

7-18-2016: St. Louis city settles lawsuit over municipal court fees

7-18-2016: Study: Is St. Louis making the best use of economic tax incentives?

7-18-2016: It's not just Dallas or Baton Rouge — police officers have been killed across the country

7-18-2016: Baton Rouge shootings: Gunman's videos show anger at police

7-17-2016: Black policemen praised after protecting 'racist' crowds at 'White Lives Matter' rally in Texas

7-17-2016: Six wealthiest countries host less than 9% of world's refugees

7-17-2016: Three Officers Shot and Killed in Baton Rouge, Mayor Says

Editorial note: "Attacking police officers is stupid".

7-17-2016: Taco Bell employee fired after denying service to AL sheriff deputies

7-16-2016: Trevor Noah Defends Obama From Conservative Criticism On Police Brutality

Editorial note: Trevor Noah pointed out, as the article mentioned, talking about problems isn’t the same thing as causing them. See "Don’t allow Dallas to become an excuse to stop fighting for our rights" to view Noah's comments concerning police shootings.

7-16-2016: Stevie Wonder Has a Message for Fans Who Don't Approve of His Support of #BlackLivesMatter

7-16-2016: M.I.A. Dropped from Music Festival After Controversial Comments About Black Lives Matter

Editorial note: The British rapper has been dropped as the headliner for London's upcoming Afropunk Festival, after comments she made about the Black Lives Matter movement caused controversy.

7-16-2016: Judge rejects St. Louis area mother's school admission suit

Editorial note: 9 year old student, can't attend school because he is black. See article link and editorial notes below at 2-26-2016.

7-16-2016: Activists temporarily block westbound Highway 40 in downtown St. Louis

Editorial note: Protest minus disruption or violence equals failure

7-16-2016: Judge Reignites Debate Over Researching Jurors Online

Editorial note: Why I prefer jury trials

7-16-2016: Judge orders key Bundy evidence in Bunkerville case withheld from the public

7-16-2016: Soldiers criticize Army's handling of Dallas shooter after underwear incident

7-16-2016: Vaccine to prevent meningitis added to school requirements

Editorial note: See our Educational Oppression page for information about immunization exemptions.

7-15-2016: Police: Man jailed after Facebook comments to ‘kill all white cops’

Editorial note: Freedom of speech has limits, see "Protesters Rights" for additional information.

7-15-2016: Police group refuses to pay Slager’s legal fees, says Walter Scott shooting and lies not part of officer’s duty

7-15-2016: Man who spent seven years in jail awaiting murder trial sues city, Louisville police

7-15-2016: Missouri Supreme Court to take up KC minimum wage issue

7-15-2016: Warrant issued for former Atlanta PD officer in shooting

7-15-2016: US Declassifies Secret 9/11 Documents Known as the '28 Pages'

7-15-2016: No indictment for Prince George's officer in friendly fire case that led to Colson's death

Editorial note: The white police officer, Taylor Krauss who killed a black police officer, Jacai Colson was not indicted by the grand jury.

7-14-2016: The Tamir Rice Story: How to Make a Police Shooting Disappear

7-14-2016: Body-cam footage shows Georgia cops tased the wrong man within 38 seconds of meeting him

7-14-2016: Black Lives Matter activists say FBI told them not to protest GOP Convention

Editorial note: Samuel Sinyangwe and Johnetta Elzie of Campaign Zero both say agents attempted to visit them in the past week

7-14-2016: Atlanta cop who killed unarmed driver opened fire on car without knowing if suspect was inside: ‘He had no idea who was in the vehicle’

7-14-2016: Jennings to pay $4.7M settlement to those jailed over court debts

7-14-2016: Hearing could finalize rebate for St. Louis muni court warrant fee

7-14-2016: Robberson: Community policing with an eye toward defusing racial tensions

7-14-2016: Missouri Public Defender Commission sues Nixon for holding budget funds

7-14:2016: Checking in on a few of the thousands living in Missouri’s Medicaid gap

Editorial note: To read the state regulations for Missouri HealthNet Division, go to 13 C.S.R. 70.

7-14-2016: Officer who shot Castile attended 'Bulletproof Warrior' training

Editorial note: Critics say "survival" seminar fosters paranoid mind-set, but firm defends approach as balanced.

7-14-2016: Sheriff: Deputies asked to stop dining at Sedro-Woolley restaurant

7-14-2016: Teen's "White Boy Privilege" slam poetry goes viral

Editorial note: See related "White Privilege" and "Racial Bias in Mass Media"

7-14-2016: Obama Warns of Growing Mistrust Between Minorities and Police

7-14-2016: Black Missouri police chief: KKK has influenced law enforcement ‘from when it started’

"The KKK has been involved in law enforcement from when it started" says Kinloch, Missouri police chief #CNNTownHall https://t.co/EItKDNatxn

— CNN (@CNN) July 14, 2016

Editorial note: FBI Says Racist Organizations Have Been Infiltrating Police Departments For Years. See, "Ku Klux Klan: The Invisible Empire".

7-14-2016: ESPY Awards open with impassioned #BlackLivesMatter plea from NBA superstars: “We all have to do better”

Editorial note: See related, "23 Ways You Could Be Killed If You Are Black in America"

7-14-2016: Nixon allows welfare law to go into effect

Editorial note: Eliminating the safety net for even more people will probably result in more desperation and increased crime. The cost of this additional crime will almost certain be more than the savings in welfare dollars.

7-14-2016: Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg regrets 'ill-advised' Trump comments

7-13-2016: 'Classic intimidation'—Black Lives Matter activists targeted by FBI ahead of RNC

7-13-2016: St. Louis deputy marshal charged with threatening mass shooting is released on bail

Editorial note: So, when the law enforcement officer is black, charges can be brought against him based upon what someone claims he said, but when white officers are caught on video, there isn't enough evidence to convict?

7-13-2016: Wichita police, Black Lives Matter activists to co-host community barbecue

7-13-2016: Footage of police killing unarmed teen prompts claim of 'trigger-happy' officers

Editorial note: Dylan Noble, an unarmed, 19-year-old white man was shot at a gas station in Fresno, CA on 25 June.

7-13-2016: Congress Passes Opioid Abuse Bill

Editorial note: This is why the Black Lives Matter Movement is important, because white privilege treats issues differently when they affect white communities. Between 2013 and 2014 there were 767 mostly white overdose deaths in the St. Louis area from heroin and prescription painkillers. According to Time magazine, 90% of heroin users are white. Drug use in white communities has skyrocketed. According to DrugWarFacts.com, 17.6 million white people use illicit drug per month versus 3.9 million black people. When drug use was increasing in black communities, with the CIA's help, a war was declared. Instead of help, black folks were denied public aid and received excessive jail sentences.

7-13-2016: 33 Hospitalized After Calls About Mass K2 Overdose in Brooklyn: NYPD

7-13-2016: Police ID man fatally shot by acquaintance who thought he was pulling a gun

Editorial note: The police have shown others that all they need to do is claim they feared for their life and they can get off. It it works for the police, why can't it work for everyone else? Conceal and carry has the potential to become an excuse for murder.

7-13-2016: Kentucky judge turns away nonreligious couple

Editorial note: The couple wanted a secular ceremony. The judge responeded, "I include God in my ceremonies, and I won't do one without him." He then told the couple that they could go locate another officiant. Judges are supposed to remain impartial and non-bias, but that is not alway the case.

7-13-2016: China hacked the FDIC – and US officials covered it up, report says

Editorial note: Keep current records of you bank balances just in case. See "None Dare Call It Conspiracy".

7-13-2016: North Carolina governor signs law requiring a court order to obtain police body camera footage

7-13-2016: Listen up, Missouri motorists: New laws ban ticket quotas

7-13-2013: New Missouri law changes when police legally may shoot fleeing suspects

7-13-2016: Despite the turmoil, Mizzou sets yearly fundraising record

7-13-2016: Justice unlikely in federal church slayings trial

7-13-2016: Organization helps underprivileged people dress for success

Editorial note: St. Louis Suit Project

7-13-2016: Developers want $57 million in incentives for logistics park on old Chrysler site

Editorial note: Reverse Robin Hood, take from the poor and middle class, give to the rich. According to the article, the $57 million is in addition to the $34.6 million in TIF money being sought. The developer is asking the public to fund over 41% of their $222 million cost for a private developement. I wish someone would give me 41% of my cost to start a business. Where do I go to sign up for these types of deals?

7-12-2016: 9th Circuit: It’s a federal crime to visit a website after being told not to visit it

7-12-2016: Police union threatens to pull officers from Browns games after controversial post

Editorial note: Most people are decent just as most cops are decent. You wouldn't want cops to hate all black people because of the actions a few. Don't allow the actions of a few bad cops make you hate all police officers. It's okay to get angry at situations and the actions of individuals but don't let anger of an individual turn into hatred of a group. The sad reality is that innocent cops are paying the price for the guilty cop's actions. "Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions". – George W. Bush, Dallas Police Memorial.

7-12-2016: Police commission says officers' shooting of black woman was 'within policy'

Editorial note: Redel Kentel Jones, a 4-foot 10-inch, 30 year old black woman with a kitchen knife was shot and killed last August by police. Why is it, that police in other countries can routinely capture suspects without using lethal force and cops in the US can't even subdue a 4 foot 10 inch woman.

7-12-2016: Obama pays tribute to Dallas officers shot in racial attack

Editorial note: See "Dallas Memorial Post".

7-12-2016: Democrats call on Missouri lawmaker to quit

7-12-2016: St. Louis-area prosecutors tell black colleagues of new era in scrutiny of police shootings

Editorial note: As we mention in, "American Apartheid: Discrimination Disguised as Law", we are moving closer to a police state. This is especially true for black folks, who are arrested by white cops, prosecuted by white prosecutors, sentenced by white judges and locked up by white prison guards. See, "We Need Black Prosecutors".

7-12-2016: Dallas police chief says 'we're asking cops to do too much in this country'

Editorial note: I can't imagine the grief and stress police officers in Dallas are going through right now. I imagine many are asking themselves if they still want to be cops. With that said, the Black Lives Matter Movement and the protest that are taking place all over the country only asks two things that we shouldn't have to ask from police:

Stop using unnecessary force including deadly force
Treat people with respect and humanity

The other issues the Dallas Police Chief mentioned has nothing to do with the protest. The person who shoot and killed his officers was a criminal who was not a peaceful protester and was not a member of Black Lives Matter or any of the other involved organizations.

7-12-2016: Neil deGrasse Tyson Stopped ‘a Dozen’ Times for ‘Just Being Black’

7-12-2016: Black Yale University dishwasher arrested, resigns after shattering 'racist' stained glass showing slavery scene

7-12-2016: U.S. judge throws out cell phone 'stingray' evidence

7-12-2016: Nearly Two-Thirds of Americans Can’t Pass a Basic Test of Financial Literacy

7-12-2016: Alton Sterling protesters say jailers used pepper spray, describe crowded conditions

7-11-2016: Aren’t more white people than black people killed by police? Yes, but no.

7-11-2016: Online petition calls for government to declare Black Lives Matter a terrorist organization

Editorial note: The online petition defines terrorism as "the use of violence and intimidation in pursuit of political aims", which is the wrong definition, however, that definition doesn't apply. 18 U.S.C. § 2332b defines the term "federal crime of terrorism" as an offense that:

Is calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion, or to retaliate against government conduct; and
Is a violation of one of several listed statutes, including § 930(c) (relating to killing or attempted killing during an attack on a federal facility with a dangerous weapon); and § 1114 (relating to killing or attempted killing of officers and employees of the U.S.).

7-12-2016: Officers pick up bill for diners who didn't want to sit near them

7-11-2016: Newly released video shows man fatally shot by Wagoner officer said 'You're gonna have to kill me'

Editorial note: Andrew Henson, an unarmed 25 year old white man yells at police officer, Robert Reynolds, "you're gonna have to kill me nigger," just before officer Reynolds fired several shots, one while Henson was down on the ground.

7-11-2016: Islamic Center of Boca Raton removed as polling site

Editorial note: As was mentioned in the article, "Christian churches and Jewish synagogues shouldn't serve as polling places if a mosque can't."

7-11-2016: Giuliani: 'Black lives matter' is racist

Editorial note: See our post, "Why the Black Lives Matter Movement is Important".

7-11-2016: Police officer in road rage killing stripped of badge, gun

7-11-2016: What Economic Recovery; 62% of Americans don’t even have $1000 in savings

7-11-2016: Bill to install "speed humps" passes in St. Louis City

7-11-2016: Upcoming Exhibit Attempts to Address St. Louis's Declining Population

7-11-2016: Messenger: Will old habits get in the way of a St. Louis renaissance?

7-11-2016: Nixon cuts money for active shooter training at schools

7-10-2016: First black Miss Alabama says can't help but feel Dallas shooter was a 'martyr'

7-10-2016: Outrage at 'double standards' as police say Dallas killings should be probed as hate crimes while cop shootings of two black men will not be, as more than TWENTY officers are injured in Minnesota demo

Editorial note: "Dont Let Dallas Become an Excuse to Stop Fighting for Our Rights".

7-10-2016: The NRA's internal revolt over Philando Castile

7-10-2016: Intruder shot by off-duty St. Louis County officer after online argument about Black Lives Matter, family says

Editorial note: Some things are strange about this story. The officer and the young man were arguing on Facebook, but how did the he know where the officer lived? If this story is accurate, Mr. Gebhard was in the wrong. Hopefully, the officer did not bait or escalate the situation by providing the mentally ill man with his address for a confrontation. This is a tragedy for both families involved. Don't allow yourself to be baited in a confrontation, especially with anyone making racist comments. Racisim is a sign of ignorance not worthy of your time. Most racist are unhappy with themselves and try to feel better by degrading others. “Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

7-10-2016: Baton Rouge Cops Throw Protesters Into Street, Arrest Them for Being There

7-10-2016: Confederate flag supporters rally at the SC State House

Editorial note: Confederate flag supporters raised the flag again, a year to the day the flag was removed from State House grounds. See our post from last year, "4th of July and the Confederate Battle Flag"

7-10-2016: Stenger donor gets $2.1 million St. Louis County elections contract

7-10-2016: Obama says attacks on police hurt Black Lives Matter cause

7-10-2016: Black Lives Matter activist DeRay McKesson taken into custody by Baton Rouge police

7-10-2016: Protests over shootings block roads in U.S. cities, arrests made

7-10-2016: Muslim Man Hugs ISIS Militant Armed Wearing Suicide Vest Before Explosion, Saves Hundreds Of Lives

7-10-2016: Osama bin Laden’s son vows revenge against US for killing his father in audio message posted online

7-9-2016: Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades

7-9-2016: Missouri ACLU questions Missouri city's panhandling ban

7-9-2016: John Prescott: Ex-deputy PM says Iraq War was illegal

7-9-2016: Protesters shut down I-94 from Snelling to downtown St. Paul

Editorial note: "Protest minus disruption or violence equals failure"

7-9-2016: Protest of police shootings attempts to enter Highway 41 but blocked

7-9-2016: Philando Castile saw Alton Sterling shooting video before police stop

7-9-2016: Arrests in Baton Rouge, where Black Panthers confront state troopers

7-9-2016: Citizen recordings of police interaction growing amid push

Editorial note: Learn about the ACLU of Missouri Mobile App to record police.

7-9-2016: Baton Rouge police officer draws weapon during Alton Sterling protest

Editorial note: It's important to know your rights when protesting, see "Protester Rights"

7-9-2016: Philando Castile wa s stopped 52 times by police: Was it racial profiling?

7-9-2016: El Paso leaders pen letter in response to police chief's comments about 'Black Lives Matter'

7-8-2016: Black Lives Matter Leader: Dallas Cop Ambush Is A Conspiracy To Make Black Lives Matter LOOK BAD

Editorial note: See our page, "None Dare Call It Conspiracy".

7-8-2016: St. Louis Police Union Spokesman Jeff Roorda Blames Dallas Tragedy on Barack Obama

7-8-2016: Police deploy pepper spray on some protesters in Downtown Phoenix, 3 men arrested

Editorial note: Police officers will most likely become more aggressive and violating civil and constitutional rights in response to the Dallas shooting.

7-8-2016: El Paso Police Chief talks little about Dallas events, blames Black Lives Matter group for shooting

Editorial note: This is a classic deflection technique of blame the victim. Black Lives Matter was formed because of murders of black people committed by police. The person who shot those police officers did not have any affliation with Black Lives Matter. Instead of blaming Black Lives Matter, the El Paso police chief should spoke out against the murderous police officers who were capture on video lynching black men that incited a black veteran who possibly suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and snapped. The chief's statements were uninformed, irresponsible and illustrates the lack of training plaguing many police departments. See our post, "Why the Black Lives Matter Movement is Important".

7-8-2016: Alderman approve key component of Northside Regeneration plan

Editorial note: Paul McKee's deals appear to be rising to the level of a con game. McKee and Northside Regeneration received a total of $43 million in state tax credits between 2009 and 2013. So far none of the projects Northside Regeneration promised have come to fruition. Why are we extending $2.8 million in tax relief to build a grocery store and gas station. In the North St. Louis area where I live, a new gas station and market is being built for about $1.7 million by NADA #1 and will operated by Salama Market on the corner of St. Louis Avenue & Kingshighway and is nearly complete. I doubt that they received millions in tax relief. McKee stands to make a tidy profit on land the city virtually gave him and buying back at a substancial profit for the NGA project. Why does he now need a multimillion dollar tax credit to build a gas station when at least five other gas stations have recently been built in North St. Louis.

7-8-2016: Overland Park cop fired for Facebook threat that seemed to reference Black Lives Matter

7-8-2016: Family of Unarmed Fresno Teen Fatally Shot By Officers Calls for Justice, Refutes Police Claim That ‘He Hated His Life’

7-8-2016: Court ruling could make sharing Netflix and Spotify passwords a federal crime

7-8-2016: Overland Park cop fired for Facebook threat that seemed to reference Black Lives Matter

7-8-2016: Missouri gets new law limiting some access to body camera footage

7-8-2016: Police scanner audio (related to Philando Castile traffic stop)

7-8-2016: Dallas police shooting: 'Black Power group' claims responsibility for police killings and warns of more assassinations to come

Editorial note: I question the credibility of this claim, but I guess only time will tell.

7-8-2016: Investigators: Suspected Tennessee gunman motivated by incidents involving police, blacks

7-8-2016: New details in death of man found hanging at Piedmont Park

7-8-2016: Details emerge about racial rage that drove sniper's deadly rampage

7-8-2016: Dallas shooting: Gunman 'wanted to kill whites' says police chief

Editorial note: See our post about the mental disorder, "Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome".

7-8-2016: DC firefighter under investigation for Facebook posts on Louisiana shooting

7-8-2016: Former congressman promises ‘war,’ warns Obama to ‘watch out’ after Dallas shootings

7-8-2016: Police officer shot during traffic stop in Ballwin; suspect apprehended

7-8-2016: Man falsely connected to the shooting by Dallas police is now getting ‘thousands’ of death threats

7-8-2016: Dallas Blacks Furious to Be Blamed for Murder of 5 Cops

Editorial note: See our related post, "Dont Let Dallas Become an Excuse to Stop Fighting for Our Rights".

7-8-2016: St. Louis officers will work only in pairs, chief says

7-8-2016: Hate crimes surge by 42% in England and Wales since Brexit result

7-7-2016: Busted

Note: Tens of thousands of people every year are sent to jail based on the results of a $2 roadside drug test. Widespread evidence shows that these tests routinely produce false positives. Why are police departments and prosecutors still using them?

7-7-2016: Death of black man found hanged from a tree in Atlanta park referred to FBI

7-7-2016: 10 officers are shot at Dallas protest over police shootings

7-7-2016: At least two protesters arrested for impeding traffic in front of Ferguson police department

7-7-2016: Louisiana officers in Alton Sterling shooting cleared in prior use of force complaints

7-7-2016: FBI investigating after cellphone video shows police fatally shooting unarmed man in Fresno

7-7-2016: If pulled over, should you tell the cop about your gun?

7-7-2016: Black police union in St. Louis releases scathing evaluation of their own department, call for the resignation of Police Chief Sam Dotson

Also see:, Black St. Louis police officers' association wants Chief Dotson to resign

7-7-2016: Baton Rouge Police Took Alton Sterling Surveillance Video Without a Warrant or Permission

7-7-2016: Man fatally shot by police in Minnesota was originally from St. Louis area

Editorial note: See our related post, "Another Police Lynching Occurred Yesterday"

7-7-2016: Police officer responds to Alton Sterling shooting: 'I see what you all see'

Editorial note: Nakia Jones, a Cleveland Ohio police officer expressing her feeling about being an officer and the Alton Sterling shooting.

Bravo Officer Nakia Jones, you just became my latest "SheRo"! See our related post, "Police Lives Matter" to see Black St. Louis Police Officers talking about negative experience with white officers.

7-7-2016: St. Louis Community College reorganizes, moves toward 'one-college' model

7-7-2016: Web exclusive: Incredible story of D.C. restaurant owner who feeds homeless for free

Editorial note: This is incredibly generous, stories like this should me a people ask, "what did I do for someone today?"

7-7-2016: Montreal anti-gang cops charged with perjury, trading for sex

7-7-2016: North Korea says US sanctions on Kim Jong Un are 'declaration of war'

7-7-2016: The story behind the filming of the fatal Baton Rouge police shooting. It was no coincidence

7-6-2016: Judge sentences boys who had BB guns at park to write essays about Tamir Rice

7-6-2016: Chelsea Manning 'rushed to hospital after trying to take own life'

Editorial note: Chelsea Manning, formally Bradley Manning, was a former United States Army Private arrested in May 2010 in Iraq, where Manning had been stationed since October 2009, for passing classified material to the whistleblower website, WikiLeaks. It seems strange that Manning chose to attempt suicide on the same day the British Government released the "Iraq Inquiry" report that calls into question the legitimacy of the Iraq War.

7-6-2016: Chilcot report delivers damning verdict on British role in Iraq War

7-6-2016: Alton Sterling shooting: Second video of deadly encounter emerges

7-6-2016: Feds open investigation into black man's shooting death by police in Baton Rouge

7-6-2016: Alton Sterling shooting: Video of deadly encounter with officers sparks outrage

Editorial note: See post, "A Man Was Lynched by Police Yesterday – So I'm Going to Boycott"

7-5-2016: Graphic Video Shows Baton Rouge Police Shooting Alton Sterling

Editorial note: It's as if we've gone back in time when the N.A.A.C.P. would hang out the banner, "A man was lynched yesterday", except today the lynchings are done by rouge police officers.

7-5-2016: Judge who acquitted 2 officers in Freddie Gray case to decide 3rd cop's fate

7-5-2016: Shonda Rhimes Responds to Petition Calling for ABC to Fire Jesse Williams Over BET Speech

Editorial note: Kudos to Ms. Rhimes for supporting Mr. Williams. I have been a fan of Ms. Rhimes and admired her success for some time. Too often, those who achieve great success compromise their principle to maintain it. It's been a while since I've watched Grey's Anatomy, but I will be tuning in this week to see what I've been missing and hope others will join me. As I state in the post, "Black entertainers taking a stand against oppression and injustice", we must support those who take a stand for us.

7-5-2016: Art project seeks to beautify blighted buildings with paintings of prominent black St. Louisans

7-5-2016: Debt collector on trial for U.S. scheme aimed at thousands

Editorial note: Learn how to protect yourself from debt collectors using the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

7-5-2016: Student Drug Informant Found With a Bullet in His Head and Rocks in His Backpack

7-5-2016: Streamlined recruitment helps police fill ranks in St Louis city and county

Editorial note: After the Ferguson Protests, more people became aware of excessive force and the need to video police officer encounters. Police officers became more accountable for their actions and are being charged with crimes and sometimes convicted at least when overwhelming video evidence exist. I imagine some bad cops realized things had forever changed and quit or retired before they got caught. I always assumed it was good that some police officers quit because I assumed the first to quit were many of the officers causing the most problems. These new recruits are familiar with recent history and know they may be required to wear body cameras and be more accountable than previous recruits, but they still chose to become police officers.

7-04-2016: Symbol of freedom made by Missouri prisoners

Editorial note: How ironic that the symbol of freedom is made by those who do not have it. The 13th amendment abolished slavery except for prisoners, so now we have mass incarceration. See our post, "What To The Slave Is The Fourth Of July?" and "When the enemy is treated better than you"

7-4-2016: 100 ticketed in 1st year of Indiana highway slowpokes law

7-4-2016: Virginia introduces law to stop 12-year-old girls from getting married

7-4-2016: Body count rises as new Philippines president calls for drug addicts to be killed

7-2-2016: Jesse Williams and the academy just changed Hollywood’s race conversation. What's next?

Editorial note: See our post, "Black Entertainers Taking a Stand Against Oppression and Injustice"

7-2-2016: 5% INSURANCE DISCOUNT FOR NY DRIVERS PROPOSED BY LAWMAKERS

7-2-2016: A month from opening a 24-hour homeless shelter, St. Louis creates a temporary spot

7-2-2016: Convicted Illinois governor forgotten, but not gone, as court shifts the line on what is bribery

7-1-2016: Criminologist suggests 'Ferguson effect' drove murder surge – but maybe not how you think

Editorial note: Heroin epidemic, number of homeless people increasing, unemployment, food stamps and other safety net benefits reduce; it doesn't take much analysis to figure out why crime and murder rates have increased. See "The True Ferguson Effect".

7-1-2016: Police video shows woman try bribery and (partial) nudity to get out of a ticket in Miami-Dade

Editorial note: This video demonstrates why good cops should embrace body cams. The body cam removes all doubt about who's version of the story is correct. The police officer states at the end, "I've never been so glad for these cameras in my life!"

7-1-2016: Any computer connected to the internet can be hacked by the US Government without a warrant, court rules

7-1-2016: Cop who drew gun on man filming him says man deserved it

Editorial note: See "First They Came".

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