Thread by @Cajsa

Kamala Harris put an end to the gay panic defense in California and has introduced legislation to do the same nationally. Which got me to thinking...
harris.senate.gov/news/press-rel…

Is the "I was in fear for my life" defense used by cops when they shoot unarmed Black men and Black children really a Black Panic Defense. Maybe we should call it that to illuminate the underlying cause of their fear.

And end it as a justification for murder starting now

Imagine for one moment if a Black defendant accused of shooting a police officer used a Cop Panic Defense.

But in courtroom after courtroom, police say "I was in fear for my life" and that fear is never required to be reasonable or sustained by fact.

Scott McCollister claimed he was in fear for his life when he shot Kendra James in the head. She was not under arrest. The cops had pulled a car over, ran warrants on the driver and arrested him and a passenger. James moved from the back seat to the front seat.

Scott McCollister tried to drag her out of the car though she had no warrants. She tried to drive away. He claims he was mostly in the car and feared he might be run over. No one has ever claimed she was armed. However, the jury declined to indict &

it was explained his fear did not have to be reasonable. Not according to the police use of force manual. Also, at the civil trial it became clear that Scott McCollister lied. There was no gun residue in the vehicle and she was shot from a yard away. So he lied

But the jury did not care and in the civil suit found him innocent. He was awarded a medal by the police chief, a Rampants alum who was a total disgrace and mismatch to Portland.
portlandmercury.com/news/another-i…

For me, the interest in police murdering Black people always goes back to Kendra James. I didn't know her, but the absolute injustice of the law saying fear need not be reasonable when police kill shocked me. It really is a get out of jail free card for police