Justice Newzzz
133 school police positions eliminated in LA; Mississippi private prison admits to missing safety records; 400 inmates to be transferred from DC jail due to inhuman conditions—your weekly justice news
progress: L.A’s school district eliminated 133 school police positions in response to calls for change in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder. The money was redirected into a $36.5 million Black Student Achievement Plan (BSAP) that includes 53 new mental health counselors at 53 schools. Capital & Main (Nov. 1, 2021)
biased: An Alabama county judge was unanimously kicked off the bench after being accused of racist and sexually inappropriate behavior that included demeaning comments about women. WVTM-TV (Nov. 1, 2021)
nothing to see here: Officials for a privately run prison in Mississippi acknowledged in court that dozens of safety monitoring records do not exist after The Marshall Project unsuccessfully sued for the records. The Clarion-Ledger (Nov. 2, 2021)
swept under the rug: NYPD, America’s largest police union, is ignoring rape cases. They refused to collect crucial DNA evidence in hundreds of thousands of sexual assault cases. The Appeal (Nov. 2, 2021)
held in squalor: A plan to transfer 400 inmates from D.C. jail to a federal facility was announced due to a surprise inspection that found evidence of “systemic” mistreatment including unsanitary living conditions and the punitive denial of food and water. The Washington Post (Nov. 2, 2021)
retribution: Andrew Wilson, who was incarcerated for over three decades for a murder conviction was awarded $14 million in a settlement for the wrongful conviction. L.A. Times (Nov. 3, 2021)
undermanned: Forty percent of postings were left unstaffed in Philly’s jail leaving stabbings to go unnoticed by prison officials. Staff were found to work 14 to even 22 hour days in the facility. The Philadelphia Inquirer (Nov. 4, 2021)
hidden in the ranks: Pittsburgh police Lt. Philip Mercurio signed up to join the far-right, anti-government militia group the Oath Keepers according to a new report. Mercurio is still on the force but is being investigated. PublicSource (Nov. 4, 2021)
shot down: Huntsville, AL police released video footage of their officer shooting a army veteran in a PTSD crisis in 2019 who reached for a fake gun after a judge ordered them to. Alabama News (Nov. 5, 2021)
“Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going."
— Sam Levenson
Community Board
to submit events, essays, calls to action and more please email tips@thedes1790.com
police reform is on the ballot in Minneapolis. but it’s about more than defunding the police | unheard: the facts around indigenous juvenile detention in Australia are shocking and outrageous | after prison he followed the rules, but a parole mishap delayed his full freedom
COVID-19 resources: State policy changes. News. Bureau of Prisons updates. State court changes. Prison holistic self care and protection. Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook.
We want to hear from you about how COVID-19 is impacting you and the people connected to you. What is not being talked about? What story do you have that needs to be heard? Who do you want answers or explanations from? Please reach out to tips@thedes1790.com.