Tweet

Ari Melber

20 Apr, 7 tweets, 2 min read

Legally, today marks an extremely rare occurrence in America -- a police officer convicted of murder on the job.

Even in 2021, many do not realize *how* rare...

From 2005 to 2015, across thousands of police killings, the number of police officers convicted of murder for shooting a person was...

Zero.

@philstinson

The fact is U.S. police are almost never convicted of murder on the job.

Data on murder convictions for police shootings by Prof. & former officer @philstinson:

Since the Floyd killing, 16 states passed new bans on neck restraints.

But recall, murder was already "against the law" - reforms are part of the issue, but laws don't have much impact if they go *unenforced.*

Enforcement of the law can deter and change conduct. We know that.

This jury found that Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd.

Today he was remanded from court to jail -- a former enforcer facing enforcement. That can impact and deter future police conduct...

When you listen to many activists, you hear something fundamental:

The BLM movement is not about sending police to jail.

It's about stopping the state from murdering Black people.

It's also about equal justice and reforms and much more, but when we witness and cover the *end* of this justice process -- a trial and enforcement -- this is the response to a *past* killing.

That's different from building a system that is (someday?) equal from the start.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

More from @AriMelber

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

7 Apr

Would you say people commonly use social media in "meta" ways, or not really?

like a tweet about tweeting is meta (and regrettable, sorry)

do not retweet this.

Read 4 tweets

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

17 Mar

@SeemaAhmad40

Many defendants are jailed before trial, but Jan. 6 rioters are *free* after indictments for:

R. Sanford, attacking police

C. Connell, attacking police

C. Alberts, *loaded* gun at Capitol

D. Blair, attacking police with a stick flying a Confederate flag

-- @SeemaAhmad40

@SeemaAhmad40

Many capitol rioters indicted for violence "have been released -- while the Black and brown clients I represent" are *almost always jailed* before trial.

- Federal public defender @SeemaAhmad40:

nbcnews.com/think/opinion/…

@NBCNewsTHINK

Bail release can change an entire case, but it's not routine.

So consider the wide-eyed disbelief of seeing "so many Capitol rioters receiving bail release in cases involving *violence.*"

nbcnews.com/think/opinion/… @NBCNewsTHINK @SeemaAhmad40

Read 7 tweets

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

13 Feb

After winning a key vote to call witnesses, Democrats back down and decide to call no witnesses at Trump's impeachment trial.

In two impeachment trials of Donald Trump, Democrats widely insisted witnesses were key to a full and fair trial.

At the first trial, Republicans stopped any witnesses.

At the second trial, Democrats stopped any witnesses.

It's an unforced error to win a vote to add witnesses and then back down

It's contradictory, and for trial advocacy, it draws attention to the conflict between arguing this is 'crucial for the Republic,' but also this 'Must be rushed because senators made up their mind anyway.'

Read 4 tweets

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

15 Jan

Many believe Trump's implausible lie that he won,
"because it takes a tremendous amount of work to educate citizens to resist the powerful pull of believing what they already believe, or what others around them believe, or what would make sense of their own previous choices..."

As far back as *Aristotle* there are warnings of the acute risk "a wealthy and talented demagogue could all too easily master the minds of the populace, [so] the framers of the Constitution instituted a system of checks and balances..."

@TimothyDSnyder

...That is why it's crucial America understand... "the responsibility for Trump’s push to overturn an election *must* be shared by a very large number of Republican members of Congress."

Historian @TimothyDSnyder

nytimes.com/2021/01/09/mag… (overlaps @ezraklein )

Read 9 tweets

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

12 Jan

@alexi

There still "hasn't been an official briefing or press conference from the Capitol Police since the attack." ( @alexi )

Remember, law enforcement briefings are *routine* for far smaller security breaches and investigations.

Law enforcement briefings are *supposed* to provide transparency, deterrence against would-be offenders, and public safety information that can be vital when a crime or plot may pose future risk.

A reminder of the obvious:

Even if Donald Trump were *not* involved in encouraging the criminal rioters, *any* massive, deadly breach of the U.S. Capitol would still be one of the greatest homeland security failings of any modern administration.

Read 5 tweets

Ari Melber

@AriMelber

6 Jan

Many people at the Capitol right now have legal exposure for committing federal crimes.

Here is some of the relevant law...

It is a violation of federal law to trespass -- entering or remaining in a building that a person is not licensed to enter.

It is a violation of federal law to enter a restricted government building, or to engage in disorderly contact near it that impedes government business.

Read 9 tweets

Support us! We are indie developers!

This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!