democracynow--2020-06-03--Killed at Home: Legal Battle Reopened over 2011 Police Shooting of Elderly Black Ex-Marine in NY

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González , as we turn now to a major development in a case of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. , who was an African American man killed in his own apartment in White Plains , New York , during a police confrontation in 2011 when he accidentally triggered his medical alert pendant .
It was , oh , at 5:00 in the morning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it called the LifeAid company .
Well , on Monday , the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a federal judge was wrong to dismiss parts of a lawsuit against the police for excessive use of force .
The tragic case occurred early on the morning of November 19 , 2011 , when Kenneth Chamberlain , a 68-year-old former marine with a heart condition , accidentally pressed the button on his medical alert system while sleeping .
It was 5:22 in the morning .
Responding to the alert , from the company calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived at Chamberlain ’ s apartment in a public housing complex .
It was shortly after 5 a.m. By the time the police left the apartment , just after 7 a.m. , Kenneth Chamberlain was dead , shot twice in the chest by a police officer inside his own home .
Police gained entry to Chamberlain ’ s apartment only after they took his front door off its hinges .
Officers first shot him with a Taser , then a beanbag shotgun , then with live ammunition .
In a moment , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s son and by the attorney for the Chamberlain family .
But first we want to turn to the remarkable series of audio and video recordings from the morning of Mr. Chamberlain ’ s death .
Before we play these excerpts , we want to warn you they contain disturbing footage .
Much of the audio was recorded by Chamberlain ’ s LifeAid medical alert device .
The video was recorded from the police Taser gun used to shoot him before he was shot dead .
After the White Plains police arrived @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chamberlain told an operator from LifeAid that he was not sick , that he didn ’ t need assistance .
AMY GOODMAN : After Kenneth Chamberlain told LifeAid he was OK but afraid of the police at the door , the LifeAid operator attempted to cancel the call for police assistance .
Chamberlain went on to tell the LifeAid operator that the police had drawn their guns and were attempting to break down his door .
Again , listen closely .
AMY GOODMAN : “ Leave me alone , ” says Kenneth Chamberlain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hart , was accused of hurling a racial slur , the N-word , at Chamberlain during the incident .
Listen carefully to this audio , released by the White Plains Police Department .
You can hear the Officer Hart banging on Chamberlain ’ s window .
Chamberlain repeatedly says , “ Don ’ t do that .
I ’ m OK. ” The officer responds , yes , by using the N-word .
Listen closely .
AMY GOODMAN : A video camera on the police Taser gun recorded the next sequence .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have stun guns and shotguns .
He then predicts the police will kill him .
Again , a warning : This contains disturbing footage .
AMY GOODMAN : Mr. Chamberlain says , “ I have a bad heart.
” While the police were threatening to break down his door , Chamberlain ’ s sister called the police — she was contacted by LifeAid — in an attempt to defuse the situation .
Soon after , she was assured the police would not shoot her brother .
But that is just what happened .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ down his door and shot him with a Taser .
TV viewers will see a few quick glimpses of Kenneth Chamberlain , the 68-year-old man , who was wearing boxer shorts and no shirt .
He had been woken up .
This video was recorded by a camera on the police Taser .
Listen closely .
You can hear the sound of the Taser .
AMY GOODMAN : You can actually see the electricity shooting Kenneth Chamberlain .
The video cuts out at this point .
Within minutes , Kenneth Chamberlain was shot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
This horrific story is told in the recent feature film The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain .
Well , for more , we ’ re joined by Ken Chamberlain ’ s son , Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. , who ’ s been fighting for justice in his father ’ s death since 2011 .
And we ’ re joined by the family ’ s attorney , Mayo Bartlett .
We welcome you both back to Democracy Now !
This killing that we have covered for years , Kenneth Chamberlain , the significance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean , I share our condolences once again , after all of these years , and I ’ m sure you are reliving this this week as we deal with the George Floyd case .
But in the midst of all of this , a judge has overturned a recent — the decision that threw out the lawsuit you had filed .
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN JR. : Well , thank you , Amy , first , for having us on the show .
And just listening to that audio , I ’ ve kind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ composure .
It ’ s been a while since I ’ ve heard all of the audio like that .
But we ’ ve maintained all along , as the Constitution said , that it is the right of the people to be secure in their persons , houses , papers and effects from unreasonable search and seizure , and that no warrant shall issue without probable cause .
And this is what this fight has been about , you know , what these officers did on November 19 , 2011 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and , in doing so , the police responded and ended up killing him .
Now , with this coming out around the killing of George Floyd and the rallying , the protesting , its significance , I can ’ t really speak to .
But what I can say is that what you ’ re seeing happening around the world right now is not just about the killing of George Floyd .
It ’ s about the killing of Tamir Rice .
It ’ s about the killing of Ramarley Graham @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. and the countless other names that I can ’ t even begin to mention .
So , we ’ re pleased that these appellate judges vacated the original ruling , and we look forward to our day in court .
And hopefully , this time around , we will get a fair trial .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Mayo Bartlett , I wanted to ask you the significance of the 2nd Circuit Court decision .
This has been now a case , nine years now , that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in the courts .
And the fact that they claim that the lower court did not — erred in not saying that the police were unlawful in their entry into Mr. Chamberlain ’ s home .
Here , a former marine , sleeping peacefully in his own home , ends up dead .
MAYO BARTLETT : Yes .
Well , thank you very much .
You know , it was always our position that there was never a reason for Mr. Chamberlain to have had his home invaded in the first place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role of the court to make that determination , but it certainly was the role of the court to allow us to at least argue that to a jury so that a jury could make a reasonable determination one way or the other .
We were prevented from doing that .
So , as a consequence , it ’ s been our position all along that there was no full and fair trial on the merits of this case .
And we ’ re thankful now .
And it happens to even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left and the right , because when you look at people who are on the right that you might consider to be extremists , one of the primary things that they talk about is the sanctity of a person ’ s home .
And you ’ re right , whether it ’ s the right to bear arms , but certainly the right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure .
So this is something where I would believe that most people would be able to agree , that when you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t committed any crime , that you wouldn ’ t expect that the police are going to break your door down and kill you , in particular if they ’ re responding for a medical call where you ’ d think that they ’ re there to help you .
AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re going to go to break , then come back to this discussion .
We ’ re talking to attorney Mayo Bartlett and Kenneth Chamberlain Jr .
He is the son of Ken Chamberlain , a former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , turned over on his life alert necklace .
He had a heart condition .
The LifeAid people couldn ’ t reach him and called the police .
They came in for a wellness check and ended up shooting him dead .
We ’ ll be back with them in a minute .
AMY GOODMAN : “ The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed ” by composer Joel Thompson , performed by the Sphinx , led by conductor Eugene Rogers .
This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juan González , as we turn to a film .
We ’ re speaking with Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. , his father shot dead by White Plains police in 2011 , and Mayo Bartlett , the attorney for the family .
On Monday , the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a federal judge was wrong to dismiss parts of a lawsuit against the police for excessive use of force .
A new feature film , The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain , tells the story of what happened the night White Plains police came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the trailer .
AMY GOODMAN : Kenneth Chamberlain was played by Frankie Faison in a remarkable film that just recently came out .
Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. , your thoughts , as this country surges with uprisings all over , not only the country , but the world , this decision coming down in the midst of this ?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN JR. : Again , first , let me just say that , of course , my family and I are extremely overjoyed that the original ruling was vacated .
I think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s going on in the country , I think that people are now coming together , and they ’ re saying that extrajudicial killings and summary executions of unarmed Black men , women and children is no longer going to be tolerated .
I mean , what we have been witnessing for decades are crimes against humanity .
So , to see such a diverse group of people coming together , saying that they ’ re no longer going to tolerate this , this is beautiful .
And the fact that they made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my platform to help effect positive change , then that ’ s what I ’ m going to do .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Mayo Bartlett , I wanted to ask you — the Supreme Court is slated to decide very soon whether it will take up cases that deal with qualified immunity .
Could you talk — what is qualified immunity , and how does it affect this particular case ?
MAYO BARTLETT : Qualified immunity is a doctrine which the Supreme Court actually created , which gives police an extraordinary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a shielding that no other person in the country has , says that unless we can find , basically , that no other reasonable officer anywhere could have done what this officer did , that person is going to be found to be exonerated .
You ’ re going to say that their conduct is absolved .
And it requires a tremendous burden on the part of people trying to bring these cases .
The other thing that it does is it deters lots of lawyers from taking these cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a lot of money into these cases , and it may be four or five years — or , in our case , we ’ re here nine years , almost 10 years later , without having a resolution .
And sometimes these qualified immunity decisions don ’ t come until fairly late in the game , after you ’ ve already invested a lot of time and money .
So it ’ s a deterrent for people .
AMY GOODMAN : And again , no officer was charged in this case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers , including Officer Hart , who shot Kenneth Chamberlain dead , undisputed ?
MAYO BARTLETT : Absolutely .
And one of the things we ’ ve asked for from the beginning is for an independent investigator .
And when you look at these cases , there should also , in my estimation , be a change in the grand jury system .
The grand jury should not be an arm of the prosecutor .
It should be independent , equally accessible from the defense as well as civil sides and also for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third or fourth floor of a DA ’ s office .
And you should be able to see what happened in a grand jury .
It shouldn ’ t be secret .
There ’ s no need for it to be secret .
If there is a need , then you can make an application to a court for a protective order .
But we believe that needs to change , as well as the disciplinary procedures against police .
Where there ’ s been a finding of misconduct , that also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You should not have to go to the police department to find out what misconduct your officers may have engaged in .
AMY GOODMAN : There ’ s no time limit on murder .
Why can ’ t the officer be charged now ?
MAYO BARTLETT : Well , you know , it ’ s interesting .
There ’ s been no jeopardy that ’ s attached .
The officer certainly could be charged now .
And you also have to — AMY GOODMAN : We ’ re going to have to leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , though , Mayo Bartlett , attorney for the family of Kenneth Chamberlain , and especially Ken Chamberlain Jr. himself .
That does it for our show .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
Stay safe .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González, as we turn now to a major development in a case of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr., who was an African American man killed in his own apartment in White Plains, New York, during a police confrontation in 2011 when he accidentally triggered his medical alert pendant. It was, oh, at 5:00 in the morning. He rolled over on it, and it called the LifeAid company. Well, on Monday, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a federal judge was wrong to dismiss parts of a lawsuit against the police for excessive use of force.
The tragic case occurred early on the morning of November 19, 2011, when Kenneth Chamberlain, a 68-year-old former marine with a heart condition, accidentally pressed the button on his medical alert system while sleeping. It was 5:22 in the morning. Responding to the alert, from the company calling police, the White Plains police officers arrived at Chamberlain’s apartment in a public housing complex. It was shortly after 5 a.m. By the time the police left the apartment, just after 7 a.m., Kenneth Chamberlain was dead, shot twice in the chest by a police officer inside his own home. Police gained entry to Chamberlain’s apartment only after they took his front door off its hinges. Officers first shot him with a Taser, then a beanbag shotgun, then with live ammunition.
In a moment, we’ll be joined by Kenneth Chamberlain’s son and by the attorney for the Chamberlain family. But first we want to turn to the remarkable series of audio and video recordings from the morning of Mr. Chamberlain’s death. Before we play these excerpts, we want to warn you they contain disturbing footage. Much of the audio was recorded by Chamberlain’s LifeAid medical alert device. The video was recorded from the police Taser gun used to shoot him before he was shot dead. After the White Plains police arrived at Kenneth Chamberlain’s apartment, Chamberlain told an operator from LifeAid that he was not sick, that he didn’t need assistance.
LIFEAID OPERATOR: This is your help center for LifeAid, Mr. Chamberlain. Do you need help?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: Yes, this is an emergency! I have the White Plains Police Department banging on my door, and I did not call them, and I am not sick!
LIFEAID OPERATOR: Everything’s all right, sir?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: No, it’s not all right! I need help! The White Plains Police Department are banging on my door!
AMY GOODMAN: After Kenneth Chamberlain told LifeAid he was OK but afraid of the police at the door, the LifeAid operator attempted to cancel the call for police assistance. Chamberlain went on to tell the LifeAid operator that the police had drawn their guns and were attempting to break down his door. Again, listen closely.
LIFEAID OPERATOR: Officers, this is LifeAid. Are you inside Mr. Chamberlain’s home?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: They’re breaking in my door! They’re breaking in my door!
LIFEAID OPERATOR: Mr. Chamberlain, I heard you say they’re breaking in your door. Are you OK?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: My door.
LIFEAID OPERATOR: Mr. Chamberlain, are you OK?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I’m fine!
LIFEAID OPERATOR: OK. You pressed your medical button. That’s why the officers are there. Can you go to the door and speak to them?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I’m not opening up the door. They’ve got their guns out! They have their guns out!
LIFEAID OPERATOR: OK. Do you have weapon, Mr. Chamberlain?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I [inaudible] weapons. I am just protecting myself.
LIFEAID OPERATOR: OK. They’re not there to hurt you. I’m here on the line.
POLICE OFFICER: Mr. Chamberlain, we’re not here to help — hurt you. We’re here to give you a hand, help you out.
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I’m OK! I told you I was OK! [inaudible] I’m OK! I’m fine! Leave me alone! I’m fine!
AMY GOODMAN: “Leave me alone,” says Kenneth Chamberlain. One of the officers, Stephen Hart, was accused of hurling a racial slur, the N-word, at Chamberlain during the incident. Listen carefully to this audio, released by the White Plains Police Department. You can hear the Officer Hart banging on Chamberlain’s window. Chamberlain repeatedly says, “Don’t do that. I’m OK.” The officer responds, yes, by using the N-word. Listen closely.
OFFICER STEPHEN HART: Mr. Chamberlain!
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.:Don’t do that, sir. Don’t do that. Don’t do that, officer. Don’t do that. Don’t do that. Don’t do that. Do not do that! I’m telling you I’m OK!
OFFICER STEPHEN HART: I don’t give a [bleep], nigger!
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I’m telling you I’m OK!
OFFICER STEPHEN HART: [inaudible]
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: I’m telling you I’m OK.
AMY GOODMAN: A video camera on the police Taser gun recorded the next sequence. You can hear Kenneth Chamberlain say the police have stun guns and shotguns. He then predicts the police will kill him. Again, a warning: This contains disturbing footage.
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: They have stun guns and shotguns! [inaudible]
POLICE OFFICER: Mr. Chamberlain! Mr. Chamberlain!
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: They’ve come to kill me with that, because I have a bad heart.
AMY GOODMAN: Mr. Chamberlain says, “I have a bad heart.” While the police were threatening to break down his door, Chamberlain’s sister called the police — she was contacted by LifeAid — in an attempt to defuse the situation. Soon after, she was assured the police would not shoot her brother. But that is just what happened. Police video shows the moment police broke down his door and shot him with a Taser. TV viewers will see a few quick glimpses of Kenneth Chamberlain, the 68-year-old man, who was wearing boxer shorts and no shirt. He had been woken up. This video was recorded by a camera on the police Taser. Listen closely. You can hear the sound of the Taser.
POLICE OFFICER: You got it?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: Shoot! Shoot me! No! Shoot me! Shoot me!
POLICE OFFICER: Need another cartridge?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: Shoot me!
AMY GOODMAN: You can actually see the electricity shooting Kenneth Chamberlain. The video cuts out at this point. Within minutes, Kenneth Chamberlain was shot dead by the police who entered his home. This horrific story is told in the recent feature film The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain.
Well, for more, we’re joined by Ken Chamberlain’s son, Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., who’s been fighting for justice in his father’s death since 2011. And we’re joined by the family’s attorney, Mayo Bartlett.
We welcome you both back to Democracy Now! This killing that we have covered for years, Kenneth Chamberlain, the significance of what has just taken place? I mean, I share our condolences once again, after all of these years, and I’m sure you are reliving this this week as we deal with the George Floyd case. But in the midst of all of this, a judge has overturned a recent — the decision that threw out the lawsuit you had filed.
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN JR.: Well, thank you, Amy, first, for having us on the show. And just listening to that audio, I’ve kind of had to kind of regain my composure. It’s been a while since I’ve heard all of the audio like that.
But we’ve maintained all along, as the Constitution said, that it is the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects from unreasonable search and seizure, and that no warrant shall issue without probable cause. And this is what this fight has been about, you know, what these officers did on November 19, 2011, when my father inadvertently triggered his LifeAid pendant, and, in doing so, the police responded and ended up killing him.
Now, with this coming out around the killing of George Floyd and the rallying, the protesting, its significance, I can’t really speak to. But what I can say is that what you’re seeing happening around the world right now is not just about the killing of George Floyd. It’s about the killing of Tamir Rice. It’s about the killing of Ramarley Graham. It’s about the killing of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr. and the countless other names that I can’t even begin to mention.
So, we’re pleased that these appellate judges vacated the original ruling, and we look forward to our day in court. And hopefully, this time around, we will get a fair trial.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Mayo Bartlett, I wanted to ask you the significance of the 2nd Circuit Court decision. This has been now a case, nine years now, that has been, in one way or another, in the courts. And the fact that they claim that the lower court did not — erred in not saying that the police were unlawful in their entry into Mr. Chamberlain’s home. Here, a former marine, sleeping peacefully in his own home, ends up dead.
MAYO BARTLETT: Yes. Well, thank you very much.
You know, it was always our position that there was never a reason for Mr. Chamberlain to have had his home invaded in the first place. And it wasn’t necessarily the role of the court to make that determination, but it certainly was the role of the court to allow us to at least argue that to a jury so that a jury could make a reasonable determination one way or the other. We were prevented from doing that. So, as a consequence, it’s been our position all along that there was no full and fair trial on the merits of this case. And we’re thankful now.
And it happens to even be something that unites people on the left and the right, because when you look at people who are on the right that you might consider to be extremists, one of the primary things that they talk about is the sanctity of a person’s home. And you’re right, whether it’s the right to bear arms, but certainly the right to be free of unreasonable search and seizure. So this is something where I would believe that most people would be able to agree, that when you’re at home sleeping and you haven’t committed any crime, that you wouldn’t expect that the police are going to break your door down and kill you, in particular if they’re responding for a medical call where you’d think that they’re there to help you.
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to go to break, then come back to this discussion. We’re talking to attorney Mayo Bartlett and Kenneth Chamberlain Jr. He is the son of Ken Chamberlain, a former marine, who was at home sleeping, turned over on his life alert necklace. He had a heart condition. The LifeAid people couldn’t reach him and called the police. They came in for a wellness check and ended up shooting him dead. We’ll be back with them in a minute.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “The Seven Last Words of the Unarmed” by composer Joel Thompson, performed by the Sphinx, led by conductor Eugene Rogers. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González, as we turn to a film. We’re speaking with Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., his father shot dead by White Plains police in 2011, and Mayo Bartlett, the attorney for the family. On Monday, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled a federal judge was wrong to dismiss parts of a lawsuit against the police for excessive use of force. A new feature film, The Killing of Kenneth Chamberlain, tells the story of what happened the night White Plains police came to Chamberlain’s apartment. This is the trailer.
CANDACE WADE: [played by Anika Noni Rose] Mr. Chamberlain, this is Candace Wade with Life Guard Medical Alerts. This line is being recorded. We just received an activation from your pendant. Do you have an emergency? I’m not getting a response from you. I’m going to dispatch emergency services now.
OFFICER ROSSI: [played by Enrico Natale] White Plains police. We’re here for a welfare check.
OFFICER JACKSON: [played by Ben Marten] Open this door!
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.: [played by Frankie Faison] You’re not coming into my home! Help me! Help me! I need help!
AMY GOODMAN: Kenneth Chamberlain was played by Frankie Faison in a remarkable film that just recently came out. Kenneth Chamberlain Jr., your thoughts, as this country surges with uprisings all over, not only the country, but the world, this decision coming down in the midst of this?
KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN JR.: Again, first, let me just say that, of course, my family and I are extremely overjoyed that the original ruling was vacated.
I think that — and as far as what’s going on in the country, I think that people are now coming together, and they’re saying that extrajudicial killings and summary executions of unarmed Black men, women and children is no longer going to be tolerated. I mean, what we have been witnessing for decades are crimes against humanity. So, to see such a diverse group of people coming together, saying that they’re no longer going to tolerate this, this is beautiful. And the fact that they made this ruling, if I can use my platform to help effect positive change, then that’s what I’m going to do.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Mayo Bartlett, I wanted to ask you — the Supreme Court is slated to decide very soon whether it will take up cases that deal with qualified immunity. Could you talk — what is qualified immunity, and how does it affect this particular case?
MAYO BARTLETT: Qualified immunity is a doctrine which the Supreme Court actually created, which gives police an extraordinary shield for their conduct. And it’s a shielding that no other person in the country has, says that unless we can find, basically, that no other reasonable officer anywhere could have done what this officer did, that person is going to be found to be exonerated. You’re going to say that their conduct is absolved. And it requires a tremendous burden on the part of people trying to bring these cases.
The other thing that it does is it deters lots of lawyers from taking these cases, because you dedicate a lot of time and a lot of money into these cases, and it may be four or five years — or, in our case, we’re here nine years, almost 10 years later, without having a resolution. And sometimes these qualified immunity decisions don’t come until fairly late in the game, after you’ve already invested a lot of time and money. So it’s a deterrent for people.
AMY GOODMAN: And again, no officer was charged in this case? I mean, there were many officers, including Officer Hart, who shot Kenneth Chamberlain dead, undisputed?
MAYO BARTLETT: Absolutely. And one of the things we’ve asked for from the beginning is for an independent investigator. And when you look at these cases, there should also, in my estimation, be a change in the grand jury system. The grand jury should not be an arm of the prosecutor. It should be independent, equally accessible from the defense as well as civil sides and also for the prosecutor, should not be on the third or fourth floor of a DA’s office. And you should be able to see what happened in a grand jury. It shouldn’t be secret. There’s no need for it to be secret. If there is a need, then you can make an application to a court for a protective order. But we believe that needs to change, as well as the disciplinary procedures against police. Where there’s been a finding of misconduct, that also should be public and readily available. You should not have to go to the police department to find out what misconduct your officers may have engaged in.
AMY GOODMAN: There’s no time limit on murder. Why can’t the officer be charged now?
MAYO BARTLETT: Well, you know, it’s interesting. There’s been no jeopardy that’s attached. The officer certainly could be charged now. And you also have to —
AMY GOODMAN: We’re going to have to leave it there. I want to thank you, though, Mayo Bartlett, attorney for the family of Kenneth Chamberlain, and especially Ken Chamberlain Jr. himself.
That does it for our show. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Stay safe.


democracynow--2020-06-03--Remembering "Big Floyd": Houston Friends of George Floyd Describe Him as a "Man of Peace"

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : There have been protests calling for justice for George Floyd in all 50 states .
And on Tuesday , 60,000 people turned out , chanting “ Peace on the left and justice on the right ” in the city of Houston , Texas , where he grew up .
Among them were people from all walks of life , including a contingent of Black cowboys and members of George Floyd ’ s high school graduating class , who recalled how George was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team that went to state championships .
This is Mayor Sylvester Turner addressing peaceful protesters in front of City Hall after they marched across downtown .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner speaking Tuesday at a massive rally organized by the friends of George Floyd , including hip-hop artist Bun B , who also called for more legislation to hold police responsible for violence .
The rest of the country knows George Floyd from the cellphone footage captured during his final minutes in Minneapolis just over a week ago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Floyd ’ s neck as he gasped and pleaded “ I can ’ t breathe ” and then lay lifeless for minutes as he continued to kneel on his neck , two officers next to him also kneeling on his back .
But in Houston ’ s Third Ward , George Floyd is being remembered as “ Big Floyd ” and the “ gentle giant ” and for how he was a mentor to a generation of young men as he sought to break the cycle of violence in his community .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be joined by two of his friends who worked on this outreach with him .
But first , this is George Floyd in his own words from a post shared on social media .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s George Floyd in his own words , speaking in a post he shared on social media .
Well , for more , we ’ re going to Houston , where we ’ re joined by two people who worked with George Floyd in his Third Ward community .
Patrick “ P.T.
” Ngwolo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was a friend of and pastor to George Floyd .
Also with us , Corey Paul , a Houston hip-hop artist , entrepreneur , who was a friend of George Floyd , ministered with him and Pastor P.T .
They both marched Tuesday in Houston with Floyd ’ s family members , community leaders and tens of thousands of supporters .
We welcome you both to Democracy Now !
First , we want to share our condolences with you on this horrific loss that you and the whole community in this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to begin right now with Corey Paul , the Houston hip-hop artist , friend of George Floyd .
Tell us who he was .
Tell us how you came to know him , the work you did with him , and then how you learned what happened on Memorial Day .
Thanks so much for joining us .
COREY PAUL : No problem .
Thank you for having us .
So , when I met Big Floyd , I met Big Floyd with Resurrection Houston , with Pastor P.T .
We were all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming into George ’ s home .
We were coming into Third Ward as visitors .
And so , we were hopeful to find what we call a person of peace , which is someone who is from Third Ward , who is loved there , who ’ s respected there , so that we can connect with the community and serve from a genuine place .
And we were extremely fortunate to meet George .
George was already — as you know , as you can see , as you ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preaching peace , love , God , unity , advocating against gun violence .
He was already doing that before we showed up .
And so , when we got there , George basically said , “ If it ’ s God business , then it ’ s my business.
” And so , that was our introduction .
We would shoot visuals and have Bible studies and different things like that in the community , and George came alongside us , saying , “ Whatever you need , however I can serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the community know we ’ re good — “ Welcome them .
You know , they ’ re helping us ” — a lot of things that we could never accomplish by ourself .
I ’ m from a neighborhood like Third Ward in Houston .
And you can ’ t just go into a neighborhood and do what you want to .
You desperately need someone like Floyd to usher you into the community .
And that ’ s who he was .
When I think about the biggest takeaway from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the unity that he preached .
George is a big guy , but then , once you ’ re around him and people who know him , you see that every — all of his respect and admiration is gained through love .
It ’ s through nothing else but love .
He just happens to be a real big guy .
But the unity , the mentoring , from guys who were kids in elementary school who are now grown men , who have stories of George taking care of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , just looking out for them , and not even a blood relation .
You know , so , when I found out about what happened to George , I was actually making the video commentating on the Central Park incident , where a white lady called the police on a Black man , saying that he was threatening her life .
So I was making that video when my friend Reconcile , who did ministry with us , as well , sent me the video about George .
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s been going on , the way I feel is how we see on videos across the world how we ’ re all feeling right now .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Corey Paul , given the fact that the video of your friend ’ s death has been played over and over again on media around the world , every time you see the video , I ’ m wondering your — what you go through , and also the impact that it ’ s had , not just in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world around your friend ’ s death .
COREY PAUL : Yeah , so , I only saw the video partially one time .
I didn ’ t — that was the only time that I saw it , just that one time , and I didn ’ t see it again after that .
From there , from seeing that on several different levels , you ’ re outraged , from a human level , even if George was a stranger , to a personal level , knowing him , having the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him in ministry and knowing the love and the unity and what he gave and how his life was taken .
Also , I served as a Houston firefighter in my city , which makes me — made me a first responder and a civil servant .
So , even the aspect of the video from him going to having life to being lifeless , and the officers continuing to hold him down and stay on his neck , as a first responder , you ’ re in charge of care , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your ability , right ?
And they did the exact opposite , right ?
So , from every aspect of the video , it ’ s no gray area , that it was murder .
It was , I say , a first-degree murder .
And seeing the reaction around the world from the video is very telling , because I don ’ t think that most people have saw a person go from full of life to their life literally being drained out of them and to the point of death .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to — you have to see it .
And if you don ’ t see what we see , then you have something inside of you that ’ s foundationally flawed , and hopefully you can figure it out , because it ’ s blatant .
AMY GOODMAN : Corey , I wanted to bring Pastor Ngwolo into this conversation .
If you could describe for us the scene yesterday ?
Sixty thousand people , at least , in Houston , addressed by the mayor , African American mayor , as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s family .
Describe that scene and how you came to know Floyd , who so many call the “ gentle giant.
” PASTOR PATRICK “ P.T.
” NGWOLO : Well , thank you for having me , Amy .
The scene was indescribable .
I have never seen that many people downtown Houston .
Even the time that we won , the Astros won , it didn ’ t compare to the scene that I saw .
It wasn ’ t just the fact that there were so many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I got there , and I had a hundred masks ready to give out to people who needed masks .
People were coming up to me , giving me masks .
And , you know , I ’ m a big Black guy myself .
And it ’ s kind of off-putting when people walk up and offer me things .
They offered me hand sanitizer , offered me masks , you know , offered me other substances that , you know , I don ’ t partake of .
But , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was just the gestures were cool , and the love and the unity that was out there and the passion .
There were people from 6 to 70 out there , just giving .
And it made me feel hopeful that people were listening , that the blood of George Floyd was heard by God and was heard by God ’ s people .
And I also saw it as a place where , because of the isolation that we ’ ve had these past few months , it was also not only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a place to convene and to share ideas about what to do next , which was amazing , because , you know , it was almost as if people wanted to get it all done here , because we weren ’ t sure when we were going to all see each other again .
How I met George .
I was a student pastor at a church in the Third Ward called Good Hope Baptist Church at the time .
And George — sorry , and we were trying to reach the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homes housing project .
And in trying to reach it , we said , “ Hey , man , let ’ s throw this concert , hip-hop concert , rap concert , spoken word concert.
” And we called it Hope for the Tre .
And ironically , man , Corey and Ronnie opened up that year .
And in order to get people from the neighborhood to come , we made some flyers .
We went out into the Cuney Homes .
We gave — passed out flyers .
We were skeptical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , nobody knew us , and we didn ’ t know them .
And so , we passed out flyers to people in the neighborhood , and we said , “ OK , we ’ ll see what happens the night of.
” So , on the night of the concert , we were scanning the crowd , looking to see people from diverse — I mean , we saw people from everywhere , all over the city , all shapes and colors .
And we didn ’ t see anybody from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so , one of the pastors looks out into the distance , sees this tall guy , head and shoulders above everybody else .
And he beckons us , and , man , we instantly run , go over there .
And it ’ s him and another friend of ours .
And it ’ s the first time that we met Big Floyd .
Fast-forward , 2012 , I start a — we start a church called Resurrection Houston , and we ’ re trying to break into the neighborhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first people to help us to , as a person of peace , open up the neighborhood , let people know that we ’ re OK , not to be suspicious of us , and that we ’ re doing good work .
So , those are my first instances of coming in contact with Big Floyd .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Pastor , I wanted to ask you : When you see , for instance , the images of our president , just this week , after clearing the protesters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tear gas and rubber bullets , then walking to a church nearby and holding up a Bible , your thoughts when you ’ ve seen those images , given the fact that the president has spent so little time talking about the tragic death of George Floyd and so much time attacking those who are protesting his death ?
PASTOR PATRICK “ P.T.
” NGWOLO : So , I want to start out with this .
I ’ m not a political animal .
I ’ m neither a Democrat or a Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so , I speak from the outside looking in , prophetically this truth to power .
And so the words I ’ m going to say , I mean , I think they come from a sense of prophetic pain rather than political pain .
To see our president , who I pray for , use God ’ s word to endorse state-sponsored violence against citizens of the United States , it brought me pain .
And the behavior is wrong .
The Bible says that a soft answer turns away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he would see that and would see that our country needs him to bring down the rhetoric , to bring people together , and , hopefully , bring this to a peaceful resolution .
And so , I saw him do the opposite of what my Lord would do , and it pained me to see that .
And I believe that that was wrong and that our president , humbly , needs to repent from that sin .
AMY GOODMAN : I wanted to go to Roxie Washington , the mother of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was speaking at a news conference yesterday in Minneapolis .
AMY GOODMAN : That ’ s Roxie Washington , the mother of George Floyd ’ s 6-year-old daughter Gianna , who was holding onto her , next to her .
We ’ re going to end with Corey Paul .
Corey , the importance that the “ gentle giant , ” that Big Floyd felt , being a father , and what you want to see happen right now , before the funeral on Tuesday that will take place in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Yeah .
So , I feel like , predominantly , I can speak on , in communities around the nation that are disenfranchised , marginalized , low-income , all these communities that politicians and people in general say need change , need change and uplifting and all of these things , George was a leader of that movement .
George was the advocate of change .
George can ’ t simply be replaced .
The neighborhoods that are spoken about oftentimes that need so much radical reformation , you can ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
It has to be from a genuine , holistic place .
And that ’ s what George represented inside of that community .
And I believe there are versions of what George represents all around the nation .
But just like a person like George was able to be dehumanized and murdered , and now we have to even fight for justice , shows the lack of reverence and respect for those change makers , that maybe don ’ t look like what we think they should look like .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ culture and the people , as you can clearly see , these are the difference makers .
And so , my prayer is that people will understand that it has to be a level of justice and respect and a humanizing factor for us , for people of color , in order for the change that ’ s happening to continue .
And George fully embodied , through his life , everything that that represents , and I hope that we will forever be changed by it .
AMY GOODMAN : Corey Paul @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much for being with us , Houston hip-hop artist , entrepreneur , father .
He was a friend of George Floyd .
And we also want to thank Pastor Patrick “ P.T.
” Ngwolo .
They worked alongside George with the church Resurrection Houston .
When we come back , we ’ re going to look at an FBI report .
As President Trump blames antifa for the violence , well , the FBI didn ’ t find the evidence this weekend .
Stay with us .
AMY GOODMAN : Houston DJ Screw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Top of the World ” by Big Floyd — that ’ s George Floyd — featuring Chris Ward and AD .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: There have been protests calling for justice for George Floyd in all 50 states. And on Tuesday, 60,000 people turned out, chanting “Peace on the left and justice on the right” in the city of Houston, Texas, where he grew up. Among them were people from all walks of life, including a contingent of Black cowboys and members of George Floyd’s high school graduating class, who recalled how George was a star tight end on their football team that went to state championships.
This is Mayor Sylvester Turner addressing peaceful protesters in front of City Hall after they marched across downtown.
MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER: Today is about lifting up the family of George Floyd. Say his name.
PROTESTERS: George Floyd!
MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER: Say his name.
PROTESTERS: George Floyd!
MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER: It’s about lifting up the name of George Floyd. It’s about supporting 16 members of his family, who have taken the time — OK? They have taken the time, walked through the streets, just like you did, to be here with you today. … And so, today, we want to love on them. We want them to know that George did not die in vain. That’s important. We want them to know. And I know it made a difference to them when the police chief in Minneapolis recognized that that police officer putting his knee on the neck of George was wrong, that the other three police officers standing there not doing anything, their silence was complicit, was wrong. That’s important. And it’s important for us in Georgetown, in this city, to stand up and recognize and say his name: George Floyd.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner speaking Tuesday at a massive rally organized by the friends of George Floyd, including hip-hop artist Bun B, who also called for more legislation to hold police responsible for violence.
The rest of the country knows George Floyd from the cellphone footage captured during his final minutes in Minneapolis just over a week ago, when police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck as he gasped and pleaded “I can’t breathe” and then lay lifeless for minutes as he continued to kneel on his neck, two officers next to him also kneeling on his back.
But in Houston’s Third Ward, George Floyd is being remembered as “Big Floyd” and the “gentle giant” and for how he was a mentor to a generation of young men as he sought to break the cycle of violence in his community. In a minute, we’ll be joined by two of his friends who worked on this outreach with him. But first, this is George Floyd in his own words from a post shared on social media.
GEORGE FLOYD: I want to speak to y’all real quick. I just want to say, man, that I got my shortcomings and my flaws, and I ain’t better than nobody else. But, man, the shootings that’s going on, man, I don’t care what hood you’re from, man, or where you’re at, man. I love you, and God love you, man. Put them guns down, man. That ain’t what it is, you know. God bless, man, and y’all holy out here, though, man. You got parents out here selling plates, man, trying to bury their kids, man. Think about it, man. Love y’all.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s George Floyd in his own words, speaking in a post he shared on social media.
Well, for more, we’re going to Houston, where we’re joined by two people who worked with George Floyd in his Third Ward community. Patrick “P.T.” Ngwolo is pastor of the church Resurrection Houston. He was a friend of and pastor to George Floyd. Also with us, Corey Paul, a Houston hip-hop artist, entrepreneur, who was a friend of George Floyd, ministered with him and Pastor P.T. They both marched Tuesday in Houston with Floyd’s family members, community leaders and tens of thousands of supporters.
We welcome you both to Democracy Now! First, we want to share our condolences with you on this horrific loss that you and the whole community in this country is suffering. And I wanted to begin right now with Corey Paul, the Houston hip-hop artist, friend of George Floyd. Tell us who he was. Tell us how you came to know him, the work you did with him, and then how you learned what happened on Memorial Day. Thanks so much for joining us.
COREY PAUL: No problem. Thank you for having us.
So, when I met Big Floyd, I met Big Floyd with Resurrection Houston, with Pastor P.T. We were all together. And so, we were coming into George’s home. We were coming into Third Ward as visitors. And so, we were hopeful to find what we call a person of peace, which is someone who is from Third Ward, who is loved there, who’s respected there, so that we can connect with the community and serve from a genuine place. And we were extremely fortunate to meet George. George was already — as you know, as you can see, as you’ve heard countless times, George was already preaching peace, love, God, unity, advocating against gun violence. He was already doing that before we showed up. And so, when we got there, George basically said, “If it’s God business, then it’s my business.” And so, that was our introduction.
We would shoot visuals and have Bible studies and different things like that in the community, and George came alongside us, saying, “Whatever you need, however I can serve,” you know, let people in the community know we’re good — “Welcome them. You know, they’re helping us” — a lot of things that we could never accomplish by ourself. I’m from a neighborhood like Third Ward in Houston. And you can’t just go into a neighborhood and do what you want to. You desperately need someone like Floyd to usher you into the community. And that’s who he was.
When I think about the biggest takeaway from my experience with Floyd, it’s the unity that he preached. George is a big guy, but then, once you’re around him and people who know him, you see that every — all of his respect and admiration is gained through love. It’s through nothing else but love. He just happens to be a real big guy. But the unity, the mentoring, from guys who were kids in elementary school who are now grown men, who have stories of George taking care of them, putting money in their pocket, you know, just looking out for them, and not even a blood relation.
You know, so, when I found out about what happened to George, I was actually making the video commentating on the Central Park incident, where a white lady called the police on a Black man, saying that he was threatening her life. So I was making that video when my friend Reconcile, who did ministry with us, as well, sent me the video about George. So, just the weight of that and everything that’s been going on, the way I feel is how we see on videos across the world how we’re all feeling right now.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Corey Paul, given the fact that the video of your friend’s death has been played over and over again on media around the world, every time you see the video, I’m wondering your — what you go through, and also the impact that it’s had, not just in this country, but protests around the world around your friend’s death.
COREY PAUL: Yeah, so, I only saw the video partially one time. I didn’t — that was the only time that I saw it, just that one time, and I didn’t see it again after that. From there, from seeing that on several different levels, you’re outraged, from a human level, even if George was a stranger, to a personal level, knowing him, having the opportunity to have met him and worked with him in ministry and knowing the love and the unity and what he gave and how his life was taken.
Also, I served as a Houston firefighter in my city, which makes me — made me a first responder and a civil servant. So, even the aspect of the video from him going to having life to being lifeless, and the officers continuing to hold him down and stay on his neck, as a first responder, you’re in charge of care, as well, to the best of your ability, right? And they did the exact opposite, right?
So, from every aspect of the video, it’s no gray area, that it was murder. It was, I say, a first-degree murder. And seeing the reaction around the world from the video is very telling, because I don’t think that most people have saw a person go from full of life to their life literally being drained out of them and to the point of death. That video is so graphic that you have to — you have to see it. And if you don’t see what we see, then you have something inside of you that’s foundationally flawed, and hopefully you can figure it out, because it’s blatant.
AMY GOODMAN: Corey, I wanted to bring Pastor Ngwolo into this conversation. If you could describe for us the scene yesterday? Sixty thousand people, at least, in Houston, addressed by the mayor, African American mayor, as well as many others, 16 members of Floyd’s family. Describe that scene and how you came to know Floyd, who so many call the “gentle giant.”
PASTOR PATRICK “P.T.” NGWOLO: Well, thank you for having me, Amy.
The scene was indescribable. I have never seen that many people downtown Houston. Even the time that we won, the Astros won, it didn’t compare to the scene that I saw. It wasn’t just the fact that there were so many people. People were showing so much love. I got there, and I had a hundred masks ready to give out to people who needed masks. People were coming up to me, giving me masks. And, you know, I’m a big Black guy myself. And it’s kind of off-putting when people walk up and offer me things. They offered me hand sanitizer, offered me masks, you know, offered me other substances that, you know, I don’t partake of. But, man, it was cool. It was just the gestures were cool, and the love and the unity that was out there and the passion. There were people from 6 to 70 out there, just giving.
And it made me feel hopeful that people were listening, that the blood of George Floyd was heard by God and was heard by God’s people. And I also saw it as a place where, because of the isolation that we’ve had these past few months, it was also not only a place to protest George, but also a place to convene and to share ideas about what to do next, which was amazing, because, you know, it was almost as if people wanted to get it all done here, because we weren’t sure when we were going to all see each other again.
How I met George. I was a student pastor at a church in the Third Ward called Good Hope Baptist Church at the time. And George — sorry, and we were trying to reach the immediate neighborhood, and particularly the Cuney Homes housing project. And in trying to reach it, we said, “Hey, man, let’s throw this concert, hip-hop concert, rap concert, spoken word concert.” And we called it Hope for the Tre. And ironically, man, Corey and Ronnie opened up that year. And in order to get people from the neighborhood to come, we made some flyers. We went out into the Cuney Homes. We gave — passed out flyers. We were skeptical that anybody would come, because, man, nobody knew us, and we didn’t know them. And so, we passed out flyers to people in the neighborhood, and we said, “OK, we’ll see what happens the night of.”
So, on the night of the concert, we were scanning the crowd, looking to see people from diverse — I mean, we saw people from everywhere, all over the city, all shapes and colors. And we didn’t see anybody from the neighborhood we passed flyers out from. And so, one of the pastors looks out into the distance, sees this tall guy, head and shoulders above everybody else. And he beckons us, and, man, we instantly run, go over there. And it’s him and another friend of ours. And it’s the first time that we met Big Floyd.
Fast-forward, 2012, I start a — we start a church called Resurrection Houston, and we’re trying to break into the neighborhood. And Big Floyd was one of the first people to help us to, as a person of peace, open up the neighborhood, let people know that we’re OK, not to be suspicious of us, and that we’re doing good work. So, those are my first instances of coming in contact with Big Floyd.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Pastor, I wanted to ask you: When you see, for instance, the images of our president, just this week, after clearing the protesters in front of the White House with tear gas and rubber bullets, then walking to a church nearby and holding up a Bible, your thoughts when you’ve seen those images, given the fact that the president has spent so little time talking about the tragic death of George Floyd and so much time attacking those who are protesting his death?
PASTOR PATRICK “P.T.” NGWOLO: So, I want to start out with this. I’m not a political animal. I’m neither a Democrat or a Republican. I’m actually a theocrat. And so, I speak from the outside looking in, prophetically this truth to power. And so the words I’m going to say, I mean, I think they come from a sense of prophetic pain rather than political pain.
To see our president, who I pray for, use God’s word to endorse state-sponsored violence against citizens of the United States, it brought me pain. And the behavior is wrong. The Bible says that a soft answer turns away wrath. Had he opened it, he would see that and would see that our country needs him to bring down the rhetoric, to bring people together, and, hopefully, bring this to a peaceful resolution. And so, I saw him do the opposite of what my Lord would do, and it pained me to see that. And I believe that that was wrong and that our president, humbly, needs to repent from that sin.
AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to go to Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna. She was speaking at a news conference yesterday in Minneapolis.
ROXIE WASHINGTON: This is what those officers took from —
STEPHEN JACKSON: All right, baby.
ROXIE WASHINGTON: At the end of the day, they get to go home and be with their families. Gianna does not have a father. He will never see her grow up, graduate. He will never walk her down the aisle. If there’s a problem she’s having and she needs her dad, she does not have that anymore. I’m here for my baby, and I’m here for George, because I want justice for him. I want justice for him, because he was good. No matter what anybody thinks, he was good. And this is the proof that he was a good man.
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna, who was holding onto her, next to her. We’re going to end with Corey Paul. Corey, the importance that the “gentle giant,” that Big Floyd felt, being a father, and what you want to see happen right now, before the funeral on Tuesday that will take place in your town, in Houston?
COREY PAUL: Yeah. So, I feel like, predominantly, I can speak on, in communities around the nation that are disenfranchised, marginalized, low-income, all these communities that politicians and people in general say need change, need change and uplifting and all of these things, George was a leader of that movement. George was the advocate of change. George can’t simply be replaced. The neighborhoods that are spoken about oftentimes that need so much radical reformation, you can’t just drop in people or information for change. It has to be from a genuine, holistic place. And that’s what George represented inside of that community.
And I believe there are versions of what George represents all around the nation. But just like a person like George was able to be dehumanized and murdered, and now we have to even fight for justice, shows the lack of reverence and respect for those change makers, that maybe don’t look like what we think they should look like. But if you get a pulse from the culture and the people, as you can clearly see, these are the difference makers. And so, my prayer is that people will understand that it has to be a level of justice and respect and a humanizing factor for us, for people of color, in order for the change that’s happening to continue. And George fully embodied, through his life, everything that that represents, and I hope that we will forever be changed by it.
AMY GOODMAN: Corey Paul, we want to thank you so much for being with us, Houston hip-hop artist, entrepreneur, father. He was a friend of George Floyd. And we also want to thank Pastor Patrick “P.T.” Ngwolo. They worked alongside George with the church Resurrection Houston.
When we come back, we’re going to look at an FBI report. As President Trump blames antifa for the violence, well, the FBI didn’t find the evidence this weekend. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: Houston DJ Screw’s version of “Sittin on Top of the World” by Big Floyd — that’s George Floyd — featuring Chris Ward and AD.


democracynow--2020-06-03--Headlines for June  3, 2020

Headlines for June  3, 2020

Hundreds of thousands of people marched in cities across the United States Tuesday , defying citywide curfews , braving police and military repression , and shrugging off fears over the spread of coronavirus , in order to protest the police killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers .
In Minnesota , Governor Tim Walz said Tuesday the state ’ s Department of Human Rights has opened a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department .
Gov .
Tim Walz : “ The investigation will review MPD ’ s policies , procedures and practices over the last 10 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systemic discriminatory practices towards people of color.
” Legal observers believe Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is preparing to charge the three other officers involved in the killing of George Floyd , including two who held Floyd to the pavement while officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd ’ s neck while he repeatedly gasped “ I can ’ t breathe ” before falling still .
On Tuesday , Minneapolis ’ s public school district said it was terminating its contract with the city ’ s police department to provide school resource @ @

Hundreds of thousands of people marched in cities across the United States Tuesday, defying citywide curfews, braving police and military repression, and shrugging off fears over the spread of coronavirus, in order to protest the police killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers. In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz said Tuesday the state’s Department of Human Rights has opened a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.
Gov. Tim Walz: “The investigation will review MPD’s policies, procedures and practices over the last 10 years to determine if the department has utilized systemic discriminatory practices towards people of color.”
Legal observers believe Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is preparing to charge the three other officers involved in the killing of George Floyd, including two who held Floyd to the pavement while officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while he repeatedly gasped “I can’t breathe” before falling still. On Tuesday, Minneapolis’s public school district said it was terminating its contract with the city’s police department to provide school resource officers.


democracynow--2020-06-04--Say Her Name: Breonna Taylor Was Killed by Police in March. Why Haven't the Officers Faced Charges?

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
Wednesday marked the seventh night of protests in Louisville , Kentucky , as thousands demanded justice for George Floyd and for two Black Louisville residents killed by police , including Breonna Taylor , 26-year-old African American woman shot to death by police in her own apartment in March .
Taylor was an emergency room technician treating COVID patients .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raged on Monday , both police and the National Guard fired shots at a crowd of protesters , killing David McAtee , whose body reportedly lay in the streets of Louisville for over 12 hours .
David McAtee owned a local barbecue business .
He was a beloved figure in the community , who regularly gave police officers free meals .
Wednesday night , hundreds of cars lined up in a caravan to honor McAtee and Taylor , and drove to the site where McAtee was shot and killed by police this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now been fired , after it emerged two officers who were at the scene of McAtee ’ s shooting did not have their body cameras activated — a violation of police department policy .
Conrad had already announced his plan to retire at the end of this month as a result of the police killing of Taylor .
This comes as the Louisville Metro Council ’ s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve proposed legislation called Breonna ’ s Law , that would regulate no-knock warrants .
The law is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the night of March 13th , when police with a warrant to search for illegal drugs entered her home and say they were immediately met by gunfire from Taylor ’ s boyfriend .
A lawsuit filed by Taylor ’ s family says the officers arrived at the home in plainclothes , unmarked cars , did not announce who they were , and that Walker and Taylor thought they were being robbed .
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports the police were investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A judge had also signed a warrant for them to search the house because police said they thought one of the men had used it to receive packages .
911 tapes from the night have now been released .
Now , this is a warning : It ’ s an excerpt of the call from Breonna ’ s boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , as he spoke to Metro EMS dispatcher after Louisville Metro Police officers shot his girlfriend .
Again , a warning to our listeners and viewers : This call is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Breonna Taylor ’ s boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , speaking to a 911 operator after Louisville Metro Police officers shot his girlfriend in their own home .
This is Breonna Taylor ’ s mother , Tamika Palmer , speaking Monday .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , for more , we go to Louisville , Kentucky , where we ’ re joined by Sadiqa Reynolds , president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League .
We welcome you to Democracy Now !
It ’ s great to have you with us , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had not heard this story , perhaps because there wasn ’ t videotape inside the home of Breonna , this is a young woman who was helping care for COVID-19 patients .
AMY GOODMAN : She goes home and — explain exactly what happened .
SADIQA REYNOLDS : Well , she ’ s working .
She goes home .
As you said , she ’ s risking her life taking care of COVID-19 patients .
And she goes to bed , is my understanding .
And her boyfriend , Kenneth Walker , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point in the night , the police showed up .
It seems to be clear that they did in fact knock .
As you know , they had a no-knock warrant .
But what they did not do was announce themselves .
So , when they knocked , I think it probably frightened Kenneth .
He got up .
He is a licensed gun owner .
He had his gun .
And when they came through the door , he fired .
One of the officers was shot , and they fired back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way that there were 22 bullets sent into that house .
Eight of those bullets landed in Breonna ’ s body .
One of those bullets , at least , landed in the next-door neighbor ’ s house in the bedroom of a 5-year-old .
One of those bullets , at least one , landed in Breonna ’ s sister ’ s room , who , thank God , was not at home , because if she had been , maybe her mother , Tamika , would have lost both her children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you hear , I guess that is when police must have retreated because one of the officers had been shot .
And so , that ’ s why Kenneth had the time to make the call .
What is disturbing here is that police have always known that that 911 tape existed .
And there seemed to be some controversy — well , we did not know this .
The community was not under the impression , never heard about any 911 call , until this case really — it was really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very quickly , he was released , once we really began the outcry to say this man should not be in jail , because it corroborated what he said : “ I didn ’ t know that it was police coming in.
” And I think they say — they attempt to say sometimes that he ’ s contradicted himself .
But I think it ’ s insane for them to think like that .
If you think about what it is to see someone you love , who you were just in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of you , by the time they take you to interview you , only God knows what you ’ ll say .
You know , there ’ s so many things going on in your head .
And police know this better than anyone .
That ’ s why they wait so long to be interviewed after they have had a situation like this where they ’ ve taken someone ’ s life .
So — AMY GOODMAN : And it ends up , Sadiqa , that the man they say they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And they said , “ Sorry , this was a mistake ” ?
SADIQA REYNOLDS : Well , first of all , these police never say sorry , so that absolutely did not happen , that they don ’ t say sorry .
They ’ ve never said sorry for anything .
What it is , there is a man who was an alleged drug dealer .
And the allegation is that he was storing drugs at her house or having drugs shipped there or something .
So her name was actually on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someplace else .
Obviously , she was there with Kenneth Walker .
But when you hear the story — when the police told the story , you kind of get this story that “ We went into the drug suspect ’ s house .
One of the suspects fired at officers , hitting an officer .
A female suspect was caught in the crossfire , basically , was killed.
” And so , this whole female suspect , male suspect — well , he was never a suspect , and she was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like that .
So , one of the things we ’ re really hoping that the FBI takes a very hard look at is the content of the affidavit , the affidavit that the police officer used in order to get the search warrant , because there are things stated in that affidavit , things like “ We observed this other person leaving Breonna Taylor ’ s home with a package , and we observed Breonna Taylor ’ s car at this other location.
” So the questions that we have are : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was driving the car ?
When did you see him leaving with a package ?
How long ago ?
How many times ?
All of those things .
Because there were also some allegations in the affidavit — there ’ s sworn testimony in the affidavit that — a sworn statement , I ’ m sorry , in the affidavit that they had spoken with someone from the postal office who said that there were packages , suspicious packages .
Well , that ’ s just not true .
So , there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be checked on and confirmed in the affidavit , because there is some belief that the affidavit is flawed , and , quite frankly , the warrant itself — AMY GOODMAN : Sadiqa — it looks like we just lost Sadiqa Reynolds , president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League .
We ’ re going to reget her on the Skype .
As you see , the way we ’ re conducting interviews all over is for people to remain safe at home and to be able to do these broadcasts from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Kentucky governor , Andy Beshear .
On Monday , he said he supported Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer ’ s decision to fire the Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad .
AMY GOODMAN : So , that ’ s Governor Beshear .
Sadiqa Reynolds , take this forward .
You have the police chief being forced out — but he was allowed to resign and stay for a couple months , until the end of June — because of what ’ s happened here .
And no officers have been charged — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killing of Breonna Taylor .
And then , explain what happened this week in the midst of the protests .
Now he ’ s been fired .
SADIQA REYNOLDS : In the midst of the protests , in the midst of us complaining and the mayor responding — the mayor has tried very hard to be responsive .
And he says there legally are things that he can ’ t do quickly , as it relates to termination of these officers .
But he did say that they would , moving forward , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as people were out protesting , the National Guard came in .
LMPD obviously was already here .
And Louisville , like many cities , has that divide , and ours starts at 9th Street .
Most of the protesting was happening in downtown Louisville , which is the business district , and in the Highlands area .
For whatever reason , the National Guard and the police department ended up in the West End of Louisville , which is beyond that 9th Street divide .
You know , most of those folks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a curfew .
They weren ’ t in tune — certainly they were in tune with things that were happening , but not probably watching the news or whatever .
I mean , they just weren ’ t protesters .
They were going to get barbecue .
There was a man there , YaYa , he had a business on 26th and Broadway , and he sold barbecue .
And he gave barbecue away , and he fed community , and he fed the police .
In fact , I think he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police had .
They thought highly of him , just as the community did .
What police say is that something happened .
We don ’ t know what exactly , because the video that they ’ ve turned over is not that clear .
You know , why they were not wearing body cameras ?
And he ’ s dead now .
You know , David McAtee is dead now .
And we don ’ t have a clear understanding of what happened .
You can certainly see him going out his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you also can slightly see smoke there , so you don ’ t know what happened to provoke this .
Was he shooting when he raised his arm ?
Was he waving ?
Was he — I mean , we just don ’ t know the answers .
And now he ’ s gone .
And what people are trying to figure out is : Why was the National Guard at 26th and Broadway ?
Why were the police — they were supposed to be focused on protesters .
And , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people out there were not protesting .
They were getting barbecue .
They were hanging out .
They were doing what they do any typical evening .
I mean , it just doesn ’ t make any sense .
And can I say this ?
I think it ’ s so important .
Sometimes when you have these kinds of cases , you have this other side that goes , “ Aha , he did something wrong.
” So , therefore , what ?
He deserves to be executed ?
NERMEEN SHAIKH : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a point that you made in Breonna Taylor ’ s case , namely that the judge was granted a no-knock warrant .
Can you explain what that is ?
Because it seems to have an inherent risk — namely , that people whose houses are searched without a warrant are likely to respond with force or could respond with force , especially in a country which is so heavily armed , that that is a risk .
So , why did the judge grant in this case a no-knock warrant ?
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Law and groups like the ACLU wanting to ban no-knock warrants entirely ?
SADIQA REYNOLDS : Well , I think that — can you hear me ?
SADIQA REYNOLDS : OK. Well , I don ’ t understand .
There are certainly situations where I can imagine , if you have a kidnapping in process — I think about the case in Cleveland where the man had several women locked in the basement for all of that time , all those years .
That ’ s somewhere — you ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think that there are drugs in a home , you ’ re going in at 1:00 in the morning , you ’ ve had a search warrant since 12:00 in the afternoon , that ’ s not exigent circumstances .
There is no need to execute a no-knock warrant .
And , in fact , they did knock .
So there ’ s evidence that they didn ’ t need a no-knock warrant .
Many , many judges would not have signed it .
And not just that it was a no-knock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not clear — timing , was the information in the affidavit stale , how long had it been .
All of those kinds of things are things that need to be looked at .
As it relates to Breonna ’ s Law — and I think it ’ s right to limit the no-knock warrants .
I think the Metro Council here in Louisville and the ACLU and all the organizations that are working on this are exactly right .
I think it was right for the mayor to suspend all no-knock warrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to bring Breonna back .
And what we have to have in this country is a way to more quickly respond to these officers who make these sort of terrible decisions that cost people their lives , innocent people , and sometimes — and this is the hard part for folks — sometimes guilty people .
But guilty people don ’ t deserve to be executed on the streets in America .
And — AMY GOODMAN : Sadiqa , very quickly , your own senator , Senator Rand Paul , opposing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
SADIQA REYNOLDS : He is being who he is .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , Sadiqa Reynolds , we thank you for being who you are , president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League , speaking to us from Louisville .
As we broadcast , the U.S. Labor Department has released its latest unemployment numbers .
Almost 2 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week .
A cumulative 42.6 million U.S. workers have now filed claims since the start of the pandemic .
Expanded unemployment benefits are set to expire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That does it for our show .
A huge thank you to our amazing team as they prevent community spread by working from home .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Nermeen Shaikh .
Stay safe .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. Wednesday marked the seventh night of protests in Louisville, Kentucky, as thousands demanded justice for George Floyd and for two Black Louisville residents killed by police, including Breonna Taylor, 26-year-old African American woman shot to death by police in her own apartment in March. Taylor was an emergency room technician treating COVID patients.
As protests for Breonna Taylor and George Floyd raged on Monday, both police and the National Guard fired shots at a crowd of protesters, killing David McAtee, whose body reportedly lay in the streets of Louisville for over 12 hours. David McAtee owned a local barbecue business. He was a beloved figure in the community, who regularly gave police officers free meals. Wednesday night, hundreds of cars lined up in a caravan to honor McAtee and Taylor, and drove to the site where McAtee was shot and killed by police this week.
Louisville Police Chief Steve Conrad has now been fired, after it emerged two officers who were at the scene of McAtee’s shooting did not have their body cameras activated — a violation of police department policy. Conrad had already announced his plan to retire at the end of this month as a result of the police killing of Taylor.
This comes as the Louisville Metro Council’s Public Safety Committee voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve proposed legislation called Breonna’s Law, that would regulate no-knock warrants. The law is based on what happened to Taylor on the night of March 13th, when police with a warrant to search for illegal drugs entered her home and say they were immediately met by gunfire from Taylor’s boyfriend. A lawsuit filed by Taylor’s family says the officers arrived at the home in plainclothes, unmarked cars, did not announce who they were, and that Walker and Taylor thought they were being robbed.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports the police were investigating two men who they believed were selling drugs out of a house that was far from Taylor’s apartment. A judge had also signed a warrant for them to search the house because police said they thought one of the men had used it to receive packages.
911 tapes from the night have now been released. Now, this is a warning: It’s an excerpt of the call from Breonna’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, as he spoke to Metro EMS dispatcher after Louisville Metro Police officers shot his girlfriend. Again, a warning to our listeners and viewers: This call is highly disturbing.
KENNETH WALKER: I don’t — I don’t even know what is happening. Somebody kicked in the door and shot my girlfriend. … Bre! Oh my god!
911 OPERATOR: You said 26? Where was she shot at?
KENNETH WALKER: I don’t know. She’s on the ground right now. I don’t know. … Help! Oh my god! Breonna’s so ill! Help!
911 OPERATOR: What’s her name, sir? Is she alert and able to talk to you?
KENNETH WALKER: No!
AMY GOODMAN: That’s Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, speaking to a 911 operator after Louisville Metro Police officers shot his girlfriend in their own home. This is Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, speaking Monday.
TAMIKA PALMER: I don’t think that I’m asking for too much, just justice for her, just that people know the truth, what happened, that she didn’t deserve this, that people are fired for doing this to her. To know Breonna, she was full of life. She loved life. She respected life. This is so much bigger than her.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more, we go to Louisville, Kentucky, where we’re joined by Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League.
We welcome you to Democracy Now! It’s great to have you with us, Sadiqa. I mean, for people who had not heard this story, perhaps because there wasn’t videotape inside the home of Breonna, this is a young woman who was helping care for COVID-19 patients.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: Yes.
AMY GOODMAN: She goes home and — explain exactly what happened.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: Well, she’s working. She goes home. As you said, she’s risking her life taking care of COVID-19 patients. And she goes to bed, is my understanding. And her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was there with her. At some point in the night, the police showed up. It seems to be clear that they did in fact knock. As you know, they had a no-knock warrant. But what they did not do was announce themselves. So, when they knocked, I think it probably frightened Kenneth. He got up. He is a licensed gun owner. He had his gun. And when they came through the door, he fired. One of the officers was shot, and they fired back. And they fired back in such a way that there were 22 bullets sent into that house. Eight of those bullets landed in Breonna’s body. One of those bullets, at least, landed in the next-door neighbor’s house in the bedroom of a 5-year-old. One of those bullets, at least one, landed in Breonna’s sister’s room, who, thank God, was not at home, because if she had been, maybe her mother, Tamika, would have lost both her children that evening.
And the 911 call that you hear, I guess that is when police must have retreated because one of the officers had been shot. And so, that’s why Kenneth had the time to make the call. What is disturbing here is that police have always known that that 911 tape existed. And there seemed to be some controversy — well, we did not know this. The community was not under the impression, never heard about any 911 call, until this case really — it was really in May, I mean. And very quickly, he was released, once we really began the outcry to say this man should not be in jail, because it corroborated what he said: “I didn’t know that it was police coming in.”
And I think they say — they attempt to say sometimes that he’s contradicted himself. But I think it’s insane for them to think like that. If you think about what it is to see someone you love, who you were just in bed with, be murdered in front of you, by the time they take you to interview you, only God knows what you’ll say. You know, there’s so many things going on in your head. And police know this better than anyone. That’s why they wait so long to be interviewed after they have had a situation like this where they’ve taken someone’s life. So —
AMY GOODMAN: And it ends up, Sadiqa, that the man they say they were looking for was already in custody? And they said, “Sorry, this was a mistake”?
SADIQA REYNOLDS: Well, first of all, these police never say sorry, so that absolutely did not happen, that they don’t say sorry. They’ve never said sorry for anything.
What it is, there is a man who was an alleged drug dealer. And the allegation is that he was storing drugs at her house or having drugs shipped there or something. So her name was actually on the search warrant. That gentleman was someplace else. Obviously, she was there with Kenneth Walker. But when you hear the story — when the police told the story, you kind of get this story that “We went into the drug suspect’s house. One of the suspects fired at officers, hitting an officer. A female suspect was caught in the crossfire, basically, was killed.” And so, this whole female suspect, male suspect — well, he was never a suspect, and she was never suspected of selling any drugs or anything like that.
So, one of the things we’re really hoping that the FBI takes a very hard look at is the content of the affidavit, the affidavit that the police officer used in order to get the search warrant, because there are things stated in that affidavit, things like “We observed this other person leaving Breonna Taylor’s home with a package, and we observed Breonna Taylor’s car at this other location.” So the questions that we have are: Well, when was that? Who was driving the car? When did you see him leaving with a package? How long ago? How many times? All of those things. Because there were also some allegations in the affidavit — there’s sworn testimony in the affidavit that — a sworn statement, I’m sorry, in the affidavit that they had spoken with someone from the postal office who said that there were packages, suspicious packages. Well, that’s just not true. So, there are so many things that really need to be checked on and confirmed in the affidavit, because there is some belief that the affidavit is flawed, and, quite frankly, the warrant itself —
AMY GOODMAN: Sadiqa — it looks like we just lost Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League. We’re going to reget her on the Skype. As you see, the way we’re conducting interviews all over is for people to remain safe at home and to be able to do these broadcasts from home. But I want to go to the Kentucky governor, Andy Beshear. On Monday, he said he supported Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s decision to fire the Louisville Metro Police Chief Steve Conrad.
GOV. ANDY BESHEAR: It is unacceptable that the officers that responded last night did not have body cameras on and recording. This is the entire reason that we have those cameras. … I believe at this point that Chief Conrad, who’s somebody I’ve known and is a nice individual — it had to happen. It had to happen. Two incidences of this significance, no body cameras, it had to happen.
AMY GOODMAN: So, that’s Governor Beshear. Sadiqa Reynolds, take this forward. You have the police chief being forced out — but he was allowed to resign and stay for a couple months, until the end of June — because of what’s happened here. And no officers have been charged — is that right? — in the killing of Breonna Taylor. And then, explain what happened this week in the midst of the protests. Now he’s been fired.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: In the midst of the protests, in the midst of us complaining and the mayor responding — the mayor has tried very hard to be responsive. And he says there legally are things that he can’t do quickly, as it relates to termination of these officers. But he did say that they would, moving forward, be wearing body cameras.
Well, as people were out protesting, the National Guard came in. LMPD obviously was already here. And Louisville, like many cities, has that divide, and ours starts at 9th Street. Most of the protesting was happening in downtown Louisville, which is the business district, and in the Highlands area. For whatever reason, the National Guard and the police department ended up in the West End of Louisville, which is beyond that 9th Street divide.
You know, most of those folks probably didn’t even know there was a curfew. They weren’t in tune — certainly they were in tune with things that were happening, but not probably watching the news or whatever. I mean, they just weren’t protesters. They were going to get barbecue. There was a man there, YaYa, he had a business on 26th and Broadway, and he sold barbecue. And he gave barbecue away, and he fed community, and he fed the police. In fact, I think he had even catered an event that the police had. They thought highly of him, just as the community did.
What police say is that something happened. We don’t know what exactly, because the video that they’ve turned over is not that clear. You know, why they were not wearing body cameras? And he’s dead now. You know, David McAtee is dead now. And we don’t have a clear understanding of what happened. You can certainly see him going out his door, raising his arm, but you also can slightly see smoke there, so you don’t know what happened to provoke this. Was he shooting when he raised his arm? Was he waving? Was he — I mean, we just don’t know the answers. And now he’s gone.
And what people are trying to figure out is: Why was the National Guard at 26th and Broadway? Why were the police — they were supposed to be focused on protesters. And, you know, why were they there? Those people out there were not protesting. They were getting barbecue. They were hanging out. They were doing what they do any typical evening. I mean, it just doesn’t make any sense.
And can I say this? I think it’s so important. Sometimes when you have these kinds of cases, you have this other side that goes, “Aha, he did something wrong.” So, therefore, what? He deserves to be executed?
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Sadiqa, I want to go back to a point that you made in Breonna Taylor’s case, namely that the judge was granted a no-knock warrant. Can you explain what that is? Because it seems to have an inherent risk — namely, that people whose houses are searched without a warrant are likely to respond with force or could respond with force, especially in a country which is so heavily armed, that that is a risk. So, why did the judge grant in this case a no-knock warrant? And your response to this proposed Breonna’s Law and groups like the ACLU wanting to ban no-knock warrants entirely?
SADIQA REYNOLDS: Well, I think that — can you hear me?
AMY GOODMAN: We hear you perfectly.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: We’ve lost the video.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Yes.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: OK. Well, I don’t understand. There are certainly situations where I can imagine, if you have a kidnapping in process — I think about the case in Cleveland where the man had several women locked in the basement for all of that time, all those years. That’s somewhere — you’re not going to knock there.
But if you think that there are drugs in a home, you’re going in at 1:00 in the morning, you’ve had a search warrant since 12:00 in the afternoon, that’s not exigent circumstances. There is no need to execute a no-knock warrant. And, in fact, they did knock. So there’s evidence that they didn’t need a no-knock warrant. Many, many judges would not have signed it. And not just that it was a no-knock, but there was information that was not clear — timing, was the information in the affidavit stale, how long had it been. All of those kinds of things are things that need to be looked at.
As it relates to Breonna’s Law — and I think it’s right to limit the no-knock warrants. I think the Metro Council here in Louisville and the ACLU and all the organizations that are working on this are exactly right. I think it was right for the mayor to suspend all no-knock warrants, period. But that is not going to bring Breonna back. And what we have to have in this country is a way to more quickly respond to these officers who make these sort of terrible decisions that cost people their lives, innocent people, and sometimes — and this is the hard part for folks — sometimes guilty people. But guilty people don’t deserve to be executed on the streets in America. And —
AMY GOODMAN: Sadiqa, very quickly, your own senator, Senator Rand Paul, opposing the anti-lynching legislation? We have five seconds.
SADIQA REYNOLDS: He is being who he is.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, Sadiqa Reynolds, we thank you for being who you are, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, speaking to us from Louisville.
As we broadcast, the U.S. Labor Department has released its latest unemployment numbers. Almost 2 million Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week. A cumulative 42.6 million U.S. workers have now filed claims since the start of the pandemic. Expanded unemployment benefits are set to expire at the end of next month.
That does it for our show. A huge thank you to our amazing team as they prevent community spread by working from home. I’m Amy Goodman, with Nermeen Shaikh. Stay safe.