Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, Appalachian State University
Five Louisiana law enforcement officers were charged Thursday with state crimes ranging from negligent homicide to malfeasance in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene, a death authorities initially blamed on a car crash before long suppressed body-camera video showed officers beating, stunning and dragging the motorist as he wailed, “I’m scared!”..
Full story: 5 La. officers charged in motorist’s deadly 2019 arrest
Gun violence recently surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of death for American children…
Full story: Childhood’s Greatest Danger: The Data on Kids and Gun Violence – The New York Times
The bill that passed the House on Wednesday will amend a 1968 federal crime law to authorize $70 million in annual grant funding for law enforcement training on alternatives to the use of force that include scenario-based exercises for officers. It will also require the Justice Department to develop a series of curriculum and training topics in partnership with stakeholders like law enforcement and civil liberties groups and mental health professionals…
Full story: Congress passes bill to fund police de-escalation training | AP News
A court ruling says a Jewish death row inmate who was part of the “Texas 7” should have his conviction overturned and get a new trial because the judge presiding over his case “harbored antisemitic bias.”..
Full story: Judge: Texas Death Row Inmate Should Get New, Unbiased Trial
Records reviewed by The Times this week show that Edwards told the Virginia State Police that he had voluntarily checked himself into a mental health facility in 2016. A Virginia criminal law expert told The Times the disclosure should have triggered further investigation by the Virginia State Police before Edwards was hired…
Full story: Virginia governor asks for probe into hiring of ‘catfishing’ cop – Los Angeles Times
Senate Bill 56 — sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing — wanted to give public authorities like city governments more power in negotiating contracts with architectural design firms. It allows those governing bodies to require design firms to indemnify them against legal action from a third party. It also gave those design firms the right to indemnify themselves if they hired a subcontractor to provide design services….
Full story: Ohio bill changes who’s on hook for hospital police actions
The suspect used a VSKA AK-style pistol to fire several shots toward the officers through his windshield…
Full story: Houston police release bodycam video of shootout with armed parolee after pursuit
A senior citizen with dementia is safe after he went missing on Saturday, sparking a major search party in Virginia Beach….
Full story: Virginia Beach police rescue dementia patient from ditch | 13newsnow.com
A local police agency said it found success reaching out to the community through TikTok, even as Utah joins a growing list of states banning its state agencies from using the controversial app….
Full story: Some Utah police agencies find success on TikTok amid state bans | KSL.com
Peru’s new government declared a national emergency Wednesday as it struggled to calm violent protests over President Pedro Castillo’s ouster, suspending the rights of “personal security and freedom” across the Andean nation for 30 days….
Full story: Peru’s new government declares police state amid protests | AP News