theroot--2020-12-25--A Black Doctor Dies of Coronavirus Complications Just Weeks After Complaining About Hospital's Racis

A Black Doctor Dies of Coronavirus Complications Just Weeks After Complaining About Hospital's Racist Treatment

An Indiana doctor has died from COVID-19 complications just weeks after reporting racial mistreatment on behalf of the hospital .
The New York Times reports that Dr. Susan Moore , a Black doctor , was refused adequate care and gaslighted about her pain from her white male doctor while admitted at the Indiana University North Hospital .
In a now viral video posted to Facebook , Moore shared her experience , documenting her positive coronavirus diagnosis on November 29 , untimely discharge , and her eventual return back to the hospital .
She noted that she had to beg her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug remdesivir as well as a CT scan of her neck and chest due to all the pain she was feeling .
The doctor however , initially declined to do both and instead questioned Moore ’ s symptoms and suggested she should be discharged instead .
The doctor would eventually oblige but only after medical tests revealed Moore did indeed have new pulmonary infiltrates in her lungs that warranted necessary and immediate attention .
“ I put forth , and I maintain , if I was white , I wouldn ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in her video .
“ I don ’ t trust this hospital , and I ’ m asking to be transferred .
These people wanted to send me home with new pulmonary infiltrates and all kinds of lymphadenopathy in my neck .
This is how Black people get killed .
When you send them home and they don ’ t know how to fight for themselves .
I have to talk to somebody , maybe the media , somebody , to let people know how I ’ m being treated up in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this wasn ’ t the first time she had to be her own advocate for her health .
Nor is this the first time racial health disparities , particularly as they relate to Black and brown communities and the coronavirus , have been put on display .
From The New York Times : She was no stranger to the challenges of getting proper medical care , said Mr. Muhammed , her 19-year-old son .
She had sarcoidosis , an inflammatory disease that attacks the lungs , and was frequently treated at hospitals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital she had to advocate for herself , fight for something in some way , shape or form , just to get baseline , proper care , ” he said .
Dr. Moore ’ s case has generated outrage and renewed calls to grapple with biased medical treatment of Black patients .
Voluminous research suggests that Black patients often receive treatment inferior to their white counterparts , particularly when it comes to relieving pain .
“ It ’ s had a huge impact , ” said Dr. Christina Council , a primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Dr. Moore ’ s experience .
“ Sometimes when we think about medical bias it seems so far removed .
We can sit there and say , ‘ OK , it can happen to someone that may be poorer.
’ But when you actually see it happen to a colleague and you ’ re seeing her in the hospital bed and literally pleading for her life , it just hits a different way and really hits home and says , ‘ Wow , we need to do something.
’ ” Before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she had voiced her concerns to the hospital system ’ s chief medical officer , who then promised better care and a new doctor .
Though things began to look up , Moore still felt she wasn ’ t receiving the best care possible .
On December 7 after being discharged , she was admitted back into a different hospital less than 12 hours later where she was treated for both bacterial pneumonia and Covid-19 pneumonia .
She would ultimately succumb from those complications weeks later .
A GoFundMe campaign has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funeral expenses for Moore ’ s son and elderly parents who suffer from dementia .
“ Susan was a phenomenal doctor , ” the campaign states .
“ She loved practicing medicine , she loved being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority , Inc , she loved helping people , and she was unapologetic about it.
” “ This fundraiser is to assist her family with immediate needs , which are currently housing and food , as she was the sole provider for her son and parents .
This page will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funeral costs , moving expenses , and incidentals .
”

An Indiana doctor has died from COVID-19 complications just weeks after reporting racial mistreatment on behalf of the hospital.
The New York Times reports that Dr. Susan Moore, a Black doctor, was refused adequate care and gaslighted about her pain from her white male doctor while admitted at the Indiana University North Hospital. In a now viral video posted to Facebook, Moore shared her experience, documenting her positive coronavirus diagnosis on November 29, untimely discharge, and her eventual return back to the hospital. She noted that she had to beg her physician to treat her with the antiviral drug remdesivir as well as a CT scan of her neck and chest due to all the pain she was feeling. The doctor however, initially declined to do both and instead questioned Moore’s symptoms and suggested she should be discharged instead. The doctor would eventually oblige but only after medical tests revealed Moore did indeed have new pulmonary infiltrates in her lungs that warranted necessary and immediate attention.
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“I put forth, and I maintain, if I was white, I wouldn’t have to go through that,” Moore said in her video. “I don’t trust this hospital, and I’m asking to be transferred. These people wanted to send me home with new pulmonary infiltrates and all kinds of lymphadenopathy in my neck. This is how Black people get killed. When you send them home and they don’t know how to fight for themselves. I have to talk to somebody, maybe the media, somebody, to let people know how I’m being treated up in this place.”
Unfortunately for Moore, this wasn’t the first time she had to be her own advocate for her health. Nor is this the first time racial health disparities, particularly as they relate to Black and brown communities and the coronavirus, have been put on display.
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From The New York Times:
She was no stranger to the challenges of getting proper medical care, said Mr. Muhammed, her 19-year-old son. She had sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that attacks the lungs, and was frequently treated at hospitals. “Nearly every time she went to the hospital she had to advocate for herself, fight for something in some way, shape or form, just to get baseline, proper care,” he said. Dr. Moore’s case has generated outrage and renewed calls to grapple with biased medical treatment of Black patients. Voluminous research suggests that Black patients often receive treatment inferior to their white counterparts, particularly when it comes to relieving pain. “It’s had a huge impact,” said Dr. Christina Council, a primary care physician in Maryland who is Black, of Dr. Moore’s experience. “Sometimes when we think about medical bias it seems so far removed. We can sit there and say, ‘OK, it can happen to someone that may be poorer.’ But when you actually see it happen to a colleague and you’re seeing her in the hospital bed and literally pleading for her life, it just hits a different way and really hits home and says, ‘Wow, we need to do something.’”
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Before Moore’s death, she revealed that she had voiced her concerns to the hospital system’s chief medical officer, who then promised better care and a new doctor. Though things began to look up, Moore still felt she wasn’t receiving the best care possible. On December 7 after being discharged, she was admitted back into a different hospital less than 12 hours later where she was treated for both bacterial pneumonia and Covid-19 pneumonia. She would ultimately succumb from those complications weeks later.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to cover the costs of funeral expenses for Moore’s son and elderly parents who suffer from dementia. “Susan was a phenomenal doctor,” the campaign states. “She loved practicing medicine, she loved being a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, she loved helping people, and she was unapologetic about it.”
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“This fundraiser is to assist her family with immediate needs, which are currently housing and food, as she was the sole provider for her son and parents. This page will be updated as more needs arise, including funeral costs, moving expenses, and incidentals.”


theroot--2020-12-26--Habari Gani? This Kwanzaa, We’re Celebrating All the Beautiful and Resilient Blackness We Saw in 202

Habari Gani? This Kwanzaa, We’re Celebrating All the Beautiful and Resilient Blackness We Saw in 2020

Kwanzaa is a Black holiday that takes place between December 26 and January 1 each year , during which Black people are encouraged to celebrate their community , culture , and kinship including by reflecting on the Seven Principles , or Nguzo Saba , that characterize some of our shared values as a people .
In keeping with The Root tradition and as we ( thankfully ) approach the end of 2020 , we ’ re marking Kwanzaa by recognizing the people and experiences we feel best embodied the Seven Principles this year .
Umoja—striving for unity in the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrated on the first day of Kwanzaa and is the holiday ’ s most foundational principle .
But when the COVID-19 pandemic barreled into our lives about nine months ago and forced us into isolation and quarantine , it felt like we were being condemned to experience the exact opposite of unity .
Then came Black people and music .
First out of the gate was DJ D-Nice , with his “ Club Quarantine ” series on Instagram Live .
The veteran deejay told The Root in March that the cancellation of nightlife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his well-honed knowledge of music ’ s ability to bring people together , prompted him to spin tunes while streaming himself live in order to “ help lift spirits.
” With sets that ran as long as nine hours , D-Nice made space for the definition of unity by gathering more than 100,000 viewers who came to jam out together—including people like Barack Obama , Quincy Jones , and Oprah .
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz then kept the online party going by launching the Verzuz series of musical battles on Instagram Live .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Teddy Riley ( a two part battle which birthed a thousand memes ) , Erykah Badu and Jill Scott ( which drew close to a million viewers ) , Jeezy and Gucci Mane , and even Beenie Man and Bounty Killer from Jamaica , Verzuz became a must-attend virtual event for the Black community in 2020 with hundreds of thousands tuning into the free entertainment each week .
For all the joyful connection and togetherness these online music venues gave us during the ongoing pandemic , Club Quarantine and Verzuz take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marked on December 27 during Kwanzaa , is the principle that deals with self-determination—our ability to define ourselves , name ourselves , and not be defined by others .
We can ’ t think of another person who embodied this concept in 2020 better than Zaya Wade .
The 13-year-old publicly identified as transgender early this year , telling her NBA champion father Dwyane Wade , “ I want you to call me Zaya and I ’ m ready to take on this.
” ‘ This ’ was likely a reference to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her truth with the world , in the process being a representation of self-determination to all kinds of people—young and old , transgender and otherwise—who are still on the journey to doing the same .
Even in the face of ignorant comments by transphobic rappers who feel they can tell someone else how to identify , Zaya has thrived by simply owning that it is her right , and no one else ’ s , to say who she is .
It ’ s about “ knowing who you are , truly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who you are , ” says Zaya .
We agree , and that ’ s on Kujichagulia .
Ujima , the principle recognizing collective work and responsibility , is celebrated on December 28 .
There ’ s no clearer champion of these values than the Black women who worked determinedly over the years to organize voters and turned Georgia blue in 2020 , helping the state go for the Democratic candidate for President—Joe Biden—for the first time since 1992 .
The successful effort was indeed accomplished collectively by women , including Deborah Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clayton County Black Women ’ s Roundtable , Nse Ufot of The New Georgia Project , LaTosha Brown and Wanda Mosley of Black Voters Matter , Tamieka Atkins of ProGeorgia , Helen Butler of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples ’ Agenda , and of course Stacey Abrams , who turned her loss in Georgia ’ s 2018 gubernatorial elections—marked as it was by suspicions of voter suppression—into a renewed dedication to protect the vote of historically oppressed communities with her voter outreach organization , Fair Fight .
“ We all as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authentic conversations about why voting isn ’ t just something you do because our ancestors fought for it , you do it to save your own life , ” Abrams told The Root in an interview ahead of November ’ s elections .
And that ’ s exactly what the grassroots organizers in Georgia did , registering new voters by canvassing communities and engaging them on issues that impact their lives : economic equity , healthcare access , and police accountability .
As the Georgia runoff elections for Senate approach , these organizers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ harness the power of Black voters and rack up more victories for our communities by practicing Ujima .
Ujamaa is marked on December 28 and celebrates cooperative economics—the principle of combining our energy to build economic stability , businesses , and support each other ’ s economic goals .
Economic stability was upended for most of the country in 2020 due to the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic and , as is usually the case in America , Black communities and business have felt this shock most acutely .
In response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people around the country stepped up to donate tens of thousands of dollars to initiatives like The Black Collective Mutual Aid Fund and NYC Black Mutual Aid that stood in the gap to provide food and other urgently needed resources to Black people struggling during the pandemic—building on a long tradition of Ujamaa in the African American community .
The racial uprisings that marked the late spring and summer also provided another avenue for people to pool resources in support of the goal of the movement for justice for Black people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support organizations in Louisville and Minneapolis—where police turned out in droves to violently subdue protests that erupted in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd .
The fifth day of Kwanzaa is about celebrating Nia , the principle that centers purpose—knowing and working towards our personal goals and those of our community .
The aforementioned protests that happened this year all across the country marked an undeniable inflection point in the journey of Black people ’ s pursuit of justice in America .
Even in the midst of a pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people led demonstrations in cities including Louisville , Minneapolis , New York , Los Angeles , and Chicago to demand an end to racist police violence and other injustices that continue to rob us of their lives .
In doing so , they exemplified the principle of working towards our shared goals as a community .
We also see the essence of Nia reflected in Breonna Taylor , the 26-year-old EMT who was horrifically gunned down in her home in Louisville , Kentucky this March by police officers .
Breonna ’ s story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her family and others pushed for acknowledgement of her life and the impact that police violence has on Black women as well as Black men .
Though her killers escaped justice for cutting the aspiring nurse ’ s life short , Breonna has gone on to symbolize the renewed movement for police accountability .
Legislation banning the warrants that cops used to enter her home on that fatal night has been passed in her honor , and her name has been invoked by high-profile athletes in the NBA and WNBA using their highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ displayed on billboards across Louisville , and even shown up in the halls of Congress .
On the second to last day of Kwanzaa , we celebrate Kuumba , the principle that ’ s all about creativity and recognizing the long practice of Black people beautifying whatever we get our talented hands on .
In 2020 , 23-year-old Jimir Reece Davis ( @ loneamorphous on Twitter ) embodied this legacy by using the reach of Twitter and his own prodigious gifts at the mixing board to beautify our timelines with his addictive mashups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rihanna ’ s “ Kiss It Better ” and Luther Vandross ’ “ Never Too Much.
” After racking up tens and thousands of views for that mind-blowingly good musical creation , Davis went on to create more smooth jams , adroitly mixing together Beyonce ’ s “ Hold Up ” with Notorious B.I.G ’ s “ Big Poppa , ” and putting his own stamp on iconic throwbacks like Aly-Us ’ “ Follow Me.
” Also in our running for reflecting Kuumba this year is Julian Bass , a 20-year-old theater college @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magic to Tik Tok with his next level video editing abilities .
Bass was able to skillfully employ animation and special effects to turn himself into a very believable Jedi Knight , the cartoon superhero Ben 10 , and even Spiderman—complete with web-shooting power—all in a single 20 second video that ’ s racked up 1.4 million views and counting .
Young Black people are clearly full of creativity , and these two led the charge in keeping Kuumba alive for our community in 2020 .
Kwanzaa closes out with the principle Imani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about belief in our people , families , and the righteousness and victory of our struggle .
Fittingly , we see Imani as best personified in 2020 by a man of faith—Rev .
Greg Drumwright in North Carolina .
The pastor led a march to the polls during early voting in Alamance County , N.C. that police there decided to disrupt by pepper spraying into the crowd of men , women , and children who gathered for a moment of silence to recognize the life of George Floyd .
Though the cops ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and appeared to even send one into a seizure— the Alamance County Sheriff ’ s Office then charged Drumwright with felony assault .
But the reverend didn ’ t silently succumb to the attempt to dissuade him from his mission for social and racial justice .
Drumwright countersued the police in Alamance County and has not backed down from the righteousness of protests , saying , “ We will not let up until change comes down.
” We can ’ t think of a better sentiment to end on for Kwanzaa 2020 @

Kwanzaa is a Black holiday that takes place between December 26 and January 1 each year, during which Black people are encouraged to celebrate their community, culture, and kinship including by reflecting on the Seven Principles, or Nguzo Saba, that characterize some of our shared values as a people.
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In keeping with The Root tradition and as we (thankfully) approach the end of 2020, we’re marking Kwanzaa by recognizing the people and experiences we feel best embodied the Seven Principles this year.
Umoja
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Umoja—striving for unity in the family, community, nation, and race—is celebrated on the first day of Kwanzaa and is the holiday’s most foundational principle. But when the COVID-19 pandemic barreled into our lives about nine months ago and forced us into isolation and quarantine, it felt like we were being condemned to experience the exact opposite of unity. Then came Black people and music. First out of the gate was DJ D-Nice, with his “Club Quarantine” series on Instagram Live. The veteran deejay told The Root in March that the cancellation of nightlife events caused by the pandemic, plus his well-honed knowledge of music’s ability to bring people together, prompted him to spin tunes while streaming himself live in order to “help lift spirits.” With sets that ran as long as nine hours, D-Nice made space for the definition of unity by gathering more than 100,000 viewers who came to jam out together—including people like Barack Obama, Quincy Jones, and Oprah.
Timbaland and Swizz Beatz then kept the online party going by launching the Verzuz series of musical battles on Instagram Live. With match-ups between big names like Babyface and Teddy Riley (a two part battle which birthed a thousand memes), Erykah Badu and Jill Scott (which drew close to a million viewers), Jeezy and Gucci Mane, and even Beenie Man and Bounty Killer from Jamaica, Verzuz became a must-attend virtual event for the Black community in 2020 with hundreds of thousands tuning into the free entertainment each week. For all the joyful connection and togetherness these online music venues gave us during the ongoing pandemic, Club Quarantine and Verzuz take the Umoja title this year.
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Kujichagulia
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Kujichagulia, marked on December 27 during Kwanzaa, is the principle that deals with self-determination—our ability to define ourselves, name ourselves, and not be defined by others. We can’t think of another person who embodied this concept in 2020 better than Zaya Wade. The 13-year-old publicly identified as transgender early this year, telling her NBA champion father Dwyane Wade, “I want you to call me Zaya and I’m ready to take on this.” ‘This’ was likely a reference to the leadership Zaya has exhibited by simply sharing her truth with the world, in the process being a representation of self-determination to all kinds of people—young and old, transgender and otherwise—who are still on the journey to doing the same. Even in the face of ignorant comments by transphobic rappers who feel they can tell someone else how to identify, Zaya has thrived by simply owning that it is her right, and no one else’s, to say who she is. It’s about “knowing who you are, truly, and being able to show other people who you are,” says Zaya. We agree, and that’s on Kujichagulia.
Ujima
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Ujima, the principle recognizing collective work and responsibility, is celebrated on December 28. There’s no clearer champion of these values than the Black women who worked determinedly over the years to organize voters and turned Georgia blue in 2020, helping the state go for the Democratic candidate for President—Joe Biden—for the first time since 1992. The successful effort was indeed accomplished collectively by women, including Deborah Scott of Georgia Stand-Up, Felicia Davis of Clayton County Black Women’s Roundtable, Nse Ufot of The New Georgia Project, LaTosha Brown and Wanda Mosley of Black Voters Matter, Tamieka Atkins of ProGeorgia, Helen Butler of the Georgia Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda, and of course Stacey Abrams, who turned her loss in Georgia’s 2018 gubernatorial elections—marked as it was by suspicions of voter suppression—into a renewed dedication to protect the vote of historically oppressed communities with her voter outreach organization, Fair Fight.
“We all as a collective community have the responsibility to have authentic conversations about why voting isn’t just something you do because our ancestors fought for it, you do it to save your own life,” Abrams told The Root in an interview ahead of November’s elections. And that’s exactly what the grassroots organizers in Georgia did, registering new voters by canvassing communities and engaging them on issues that impact their lives: economic equity, healthcare access, and police accountability. As the Georgia runoff elections for Senate approach, these organizers are still doing the work necessary to harness the power of Black voters and rack up more victories for our communities by practicing Ujima.
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Ujamaa
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Ujamaa is marked on December 28 and celebrates cooperative economics—the principle of combining our energy to build economic stability, businesses, and support each other’s economic goals. Economic stability was upended for most of the country in 2020 due to the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic and, as is usually the case in America, Black communities and business have felt this shock most acutely. In response to the economic precarity facing many of our neighbors, people around the country stepped up to donate tens of thousands of dollars to initiatives like The Black Collective Mutual Aid Fund and NYC Black Mutual Aid that stood in the gap to provide food and other urgently needed resources to Black people struggling during the pandemic—building on a long tradition of Ujamaa in the African American community.
The racial uprisings that marked the late spring and summer also provided another avenue for people to pool resources in support of the goal of the movement for justice for Black people, and drove millions in donations to bail support organizations in Louisville and Minneapolis—where police turned out in droves to violently subdue protests that erupted in response to the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd.
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Nia
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The fifth day of Kwanzaa is about celebrating Nia, the principle that centers purpose—knowing and working towards our personal goals and those of our community. The aforementioned protests that happened this year all across the country marked an undeniable inflection point in the journey of Black people’s pursuit of justice in America. Even in the midst of a pandemic that disproportionately impacted African Americans, Black people led demonstrations in cities including Louisville, Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago to demand an end to racist police violence and other injustices that continue to rob us of their lives. In doing so, they exemplified the principle of working towards our shared goals as a community.
We also see the essence of Nia reflected in Breonna Taylor, the 26-year-old EMT who was horrifically gunned down in her home in Louisville, Kentucky this March by police officers. Breonna’s story languished without national attention for months until her family and others pushed for acknowledgement of her life and the impact that police violence has on Black women as well as Black men. Though her killers escaped justice for cutting the aspiring nurse’s life short, Breonna has gone on to symbolize the renewed movement for police accountability. Legislation banning the warrants that cops used to enter her home on that fatal night has been passed in her honor, and her name has been invoked by high-profile athletes in the NBA and WNBA using their highly visible platforms to call for change, displayed on billboards across Louisville, and even shown up in the halls of Congress.
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Kuumba
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On the second to last day of Kwanzaa, we celebrate Kuumba, the principle that’s all about creativity and recognizing the long practice of Black people beautifying whatever we get our talented hands on. In 2020, 23-year-old Jimir Reece Davis (@loneamorphous on Twitter) embodied this legacy by using the reach of Twitter and his own prodigious gifts at the mixing board to beautify our timelines with his addictive mashups of classic songs and modern anthems like Rihanna’s “Kiss It Better” and Luther Vandross’ “Never Too Much.” After racking up tens and thousands of views for that mind-blowingly good musical creation, Davis went on to create more smooth jams, adroitly mixing together Beyonce’s “Hold Up” with Notorious B.I.G’s “Big Poppa,” and putting his own stamp on iconic throwbacks like Aly-Us’ “Follow Me.”
Also in our running for reflecting Kuumba this year is Julian Bass, a 20-year-old theater college student from Georgia who brought incredible movie magic to Tik Tok with his next level video editing abilities. Bass was able to skillfully employ animation and special effects to turn himself into a very believable Jedi Knight, the cartoon superhero Ben 10, and even Spiderman—complete with web-shooting power—all in a single 20 second video that’s racked up 1.4 million views and counting. Young Black people are clearly full of creativity, and these two led the charge in keeping Kuumba alive for our community in 2020.
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Imani
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Kwanzaa closes out with the principle Imani, which translates to faith and is about belief in our people, families, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Fittingly, we see Imani as best personified in 2020 by a man of faith—Rev. Greg Drumwright in North Carolina. The pastor led a march to the polls during early voting in Alamance County, N.C. that police there decided to disrupt by pepper spraying into the crowd of men, women, and children who gathered for a moment of silence to recognize the life of George Floyd. Though the cops’ actions left the demonstrators coughing, vomiting, and appeared to even send one into a seizure— the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office then charged Drumwright with felony assault. But the reverend didn’t silently succumb to the attempt to dissuade him from his mission for social and racial justice. Drumwright countersued the police in Alamance County and has not backed down from the righteousness of protests, saying, “We will not let up until change comes down.”
We can’t think of a better sentiment to end on for Kwanzaa 2020.


theroot--2020-12-26--71-Year-Old Black Man Sues Police in South Carolina For Holding Him Naked Outside His Home at Gunpoi

71-Year-Old Black Man Sues Police in South Carolina For Holding Him Naked Outside His Home at Gunpoint

More evidence continues to be revealed that police regularly practice cruelty against Black people in America .
Jethro DeVane , a 71-year-old man in Rock Hill , South Carolina has filed a lawsuit against that city for a June 2019 incident in which police ordered him out of his home and held him at gun point with his hands up—all while he was completely naked .
DeVane says he was sleeping on the night of the incident in question , when he saw light shining through his window and got up to investigate by opening his back , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal complaint .
The light was from a flashlight being shone by officers , who were searching for four juveniles .
But upon seeing DeVane ’ s door open , they descended upon the elderly man with all of the aggression that we have come to expect from police officers .
In body cam footage , officers can be heard saying “ Rock Hill police , let me see your hands !
Let me see your f**cking hands !
Get out !
Get out !
Don ’ t f**cking shut that door !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer was “ aggressively pointing his department-issued firearm ” at DeVane and “ cussing him , was about to shoot him.
” DeVane told the officer he lived in the house .
The complaint adds DeVane was “ aggressively ” ordered out of the home and into his backyard “ completely naked.
” Officers searched his home while the officer who approached him first held him at gunpoint , forcing the elderly man to “ keep his hands on the outside wall of the home , ” the complaint says .
Following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DeVane told him they were looking for a group of juveniles “ running around trying to break into cars , ” the complaint says .
Body camera footage of the incident , obtained by DeVane ’ s lawyer and shared by WCBD News 2 in South Carolina , show an officer identified as Vincent Mentesana indeed ordering the naked elderly man outside of his house and directing a gun at him—for 90 seconds , according to DeVane ’ s lawsuit .
“ I won ’ t get over it for the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a press conference with his lawyer Justin Bamberg earlier this week .
He added that a citizens complaint he filed against the officer was dismissed , and that a police chief spoke to him a month after the incident and told him that he shouldn ’ t sleep naked .
“ Why do we have to be here advocating for human decency and human dignity ?
It is utterly ridiculous and it is unacceptable , ” Bamberg said .
“ It needs to stop before there is a death.
” Bamberg also said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is an accurate and depressingly common description of police interactions with Black people .
This latest disturbing story echoes that of Anjanette Young , the social worker who was accosted in her home by officers in Chicago while naked even though she wasn ’ t the subject of their search .
The video in that incident was unearthed after two years as part of Young ’ s lawsuit against the city .
Body camera footage has certainly helped validate the lived experiences of dehumanization and brutality at the hand of police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out about for generations , but we clearly haven ’ t gotten to the point where police behavior is changing in response to the threat of being captured on video .
DeVane is suing Rock Hill for gross negligence , civil assault and battery , intentional infliction of emotional distress and outrage , false imprisonment , abuse of process , civil conspiracy and state constitutional violations .
He is also seeking a formal apology from Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys .

More evidence continues to be revealed that police regularly practice cruelty against Black people in America.
Jethro DeVane, a 71-year-old man in Rock Hill, South Carolina has filed a lawsuit against that city for a June 2019 incident in which police ordered him out of his home and held him at gun point with his hands up—all while he was completely naked.
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DeVane says he was sleeping on the night of the incident in question, when he saw light shining through his window and got up to investigate by opening his back , according to a report from CNN based on his legal complaint.
The light was from a flashlight being shone by officers, who were searching for four juveniles. But upon seeing DeVane’s door open, they descended upon the elderly man with all of the aggression that we have come to expect from police officers.
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From CNN:
In body cam footage, officers can be heard saying “Rock Hill police, let me see your hands! Let me see your f**cking hands! Get out! Get out! Don’t f**cking shut that door!” According to the complaint, the officer was “aggressively pointing his department-issued firearm” at DeVane and “cussing him, was about to shoot him.” DeVane told the officer he lived in the house. The complaint adds DeVane was “aggressively” ordered out of the home and into his backyard “completely naked.” Officers searched his home while the officer who approached him first held him at gunpoint, forcing the elderly man to “keep his hands on the outside wall of the home,” the complaint says. Following the house search, the officer who held DeVane told him they were looking for a group of juveniles “running around trying to break into cars,” the complaint says.
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Body camera footage of the incident, obtained by DeVane’s lawyer and shared by WCBD News 2 in South Carolina, show an officer identified as Vincent Mentesana indeed ordering the naked elderly man outside of his house and directing a gun at him—for 90 seconds, according to DeVane’s lawsuit.
“I won’t get over it for the rest of my life,” DeVane said at a press conference with his lawyer Justin Bamberg earlier this week. He added that a citizens complaint he filed against the officer was dismissed, and that a police chief spoke to him a month after the incident and told him that he shouldn’t sleep naked.
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“Why do we have to be here advocating for human decency and human dignity? It is utterly ridiculous and it is unacceptable,” Bamberg said. “It needs to stop before there is a death.”
Bamberg also said his client was treated less than human, which is an accurate and depressingly common description of police interactions with Black people.
Advertisement
This latest disturbing story echoes that of Anjanette Young, the social worker who was accosted in her home by officers in Chicago while naked even though she wasn’t the subject of their search. The video in that incident was unearthed after two years as part of Young’s lawsuit against the city.
Body camera footage has certainly helped validate the lived experiences of dehumanization and brutality at the hand of police that Black people in America have spoken out about for generations, but we clearly haven’t gotten to the point where police behavior is changing in response to the threat of being captured on video.
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DeVane is suing Rock Hill for gross negligence, civil assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and outrage, false imprisonment, abuse of process, civil conspiracy and state constitutional violations. He is also seeking a formal apology from Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys.


theroot--2020-12-26--President Trump Spends Holiday Golfing and Tweeting From Florida While COVID-19 Relief Bill Languish

President Trump Spends Holiday Golfing and Tweeting From Florida While COVID-19 Relief Bill Languishes in Limbo

After throwing a wrench into Congress ’ plans to pass a desperately needed COVID-19 relief bill ( insufficient though the $ 600 stimulus payments would be ) , President Trump has predictably spent the past few days doing absolutely nothing to fix the problem he created .
Ahead of Christmas Eve , Trump had announced that he would not sign the $ 900 billion stimulus package finalized by Congress unless it was amended to provide each American $ 2000 instead of the $ 600 that representatives from his own Republican party wouldn ’ t budge from .
Democrats responded by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which Republicans of course rejected .
Now even the original $ 600 payments are in limbo as well as unemployment benefits that would be renewed for millions of people under the bill , as the President has just been sitting on the legislation at his enclave in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach , Florida .
“ Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach , Florida , ” Trump tweeted on Christmas , though he actually spent the day golfing according to CNN .
“ Give our people the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the $ 2000 proposal , though the fact that the American people will likely not get any money at all in the next week is a direct result of his own actions .
Asked at his club this week about his stance — which seemed to have nothing to do with the position his administration ’ s negotiators took in the crafting of the package — Trump has told associates he believes the measure is loaded with “ pork , ” according to people familiar with the conversations .
Reminded that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the bill — which would keep the government funded past Monday — in his own budget this year , Trump has scoffed , one person familiar with the matter said , insisting his proposal was the work of the “ deep state.
” Four years after entering office , Trump is demonstrating little aptitude for the process of governing .
After paying virtually no attention to the talks surrounding the Covid relief package , focused instead of his futile efforts to overthrow the election results , Trump now appears oblivious to how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The bill in question also provides for funding for the federal government beyond Monday , and if it isn ’ t signed by Trump the country could be plunged into another government shutdown like the one that ran for 35 days in the winter of 2019 .
That situation would be a nightmare for a nation of people already hobbling along economically due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic .
But what does that matter to the President or the Republican party ?
Instead of making efforts to move through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people much needed help from resources we paid into with our taxes , Trump spent the day after Christmas tweeting all sorts of nonsense about the election : calling Biden a “ fake president , ” describing the Supreme Court as “ weak and incompetent ” for not entertaining his campaign ’ s ridiculous and very much debunked claims of voter fraud , and lambasting Republicans and specifically Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not defending his baseless claim to the election .
All of that is likely the reason why he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is upset and wants everybody to feel it .
In the meantime , we get no money .

After throwing a wrench into Congress’ plans to pass a desperately needed COVID-19 relief bill (insufficient though the $600 stimulus payments would be), President Trump has predictably spent the past few days doing absolutely nothing to fix the problem he created.
Ahead of Christmas Eve, Trump had announced that he would not sign the $900 billion stimulus package finalized by Congress unless it was amended to provide each American $2000 instead of the $600 that representatives from his own Republican party wouldn’t budge from. Democrats responded by proposing a new bill with those considerations, which Republicans of course rejected. Now even the original $600 payments are in limbo as well as unemployment benefits that would be renewed for millions of people under the bill, as the President has just been sitting on the legislation at his enclave in Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
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“Made many calls and had meetings at Trump International in Palm Beach, Florida,” Trump tweeted on Christmas, though he actually spent the day golfing according to CNN.
“Give our people the money!” he added in reference to the $2000 proposal, though the fact that the American people will likely not get any money at all in the next week is a direct result of his own actions.
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From CNN:
Asked at his club this week about his stance — which seemed to have nothing to do with the position his administration’s negotiators took in the crafting of the package — Trump has told associates he believes the measure is loaded with “pork,” according to people familiar with the conversations. Reminded that he proposed virtually the same spending figures included in the bill — which would keep the government funded past Monday — in his own budget this year, Trump has scoffed, one person familiar with the matter said, insisting his proposal was the work of the “deep state.” Four years after entering office, Trump is demonstrating little aptitude for the process of governing. After paying virtually no attention to the talks surrounding the Covid relief package, focused instead of his futile efforts to overthrow the election results, Trump now appears oblivious to how his demands can be manifested into reality.
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The bill in question also provides for funding for the federal government beyond Monday, and if it isn’t signed by Trump the country could be plunged into another government shutdown like the one that ran for 35 days in the winter of 2019. That situation would be a nightmare for a nation of people already hobbling along economically due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
But what does that matter to the President or the Republican party? Instead of making efforts to move through the impasse he created and get the American people much needed help from resources we paid into with our taxes, Trump spent the day after Christmas tweeting all sorts of nonsense about the election: calling Biden a “fake president,” describing the Supreme Court as “weak and incompetent” for not entertaining his campaign’s ridiculous and very much debunked claims of voter fraud, and lambasting Republicans and specifically Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for not defending his baseless claim to the election.
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All of that is likely the reason why he has decided to hold the relief bill hostage—Trump is upset and wants everybody to feel it. In the meantime, we get no money.