DOJ Head Says Sandra Bland's Death Epitomizes Police's Broken Relationship With Black Community

[BeyondGeography]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/07/26/3684554/lynch-comments-on-sandra-bland/

Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Sandra Bland’s death while in police custody earlier this month taps into deep-seated fears within the black community: that interactions with law enforcement too frequently end fatally.

The Justice Department’s (DOJ) first African-American woman attorney general told Pierre Thomas in an ABC News interview Sunday that Bland’s death “highlights the concern of many in the black community that a routine stop for many members of the black community is not handled with the same professionalism and courtesy that other people may get from the police.”

...“We have a situation where many minority communities for so long have felt that law enforcement was coming in essentially to enforce laws against them, not to protect them.” Lynch said Sunday. “I do think that what has been a important part of the debate in Miss Bland’s death has been the discussions that we’ve seen from community members and police leaders alike…about the importance of training and deescalating incidents.”

[Downwinder]

1. I would go further.

Epitomizes Police's Broken Relationship With America!

[oberliner]

13. Yes indeed

I think the quote in the article says it well. It's about enforcing laws against people rather than protecting them.

[RobertEarl]

15. That would be more reality

Nevertheless, this statement by the AG is pretty big.

Call it the first shot, if you will, in the battle we can all just pray is fully waged from the AG offices.

[libdem4life]

2. Oh that's special. Mumbo jumbo political crap

What, two weeks later? Not too impressive or timely. Ugh. Here we go again.

[AtomicKitten]

3. Lip service.

When they started trash talking Sandra by divulging really personal but irrelevant shit about her, they exposed themselves. Murderers. Now, what's the DOJ going to do about it?

[Positrons]

4. Which bit are you referring to?

[AtomicKitten]

5. I'm tired of the rehearsed responses.

And ad hoc juries empanelled to judge them. It's all bullshit and people keep dying.

[BeyondGeography]

6. She didn't say there won't be an investigation

Your anger is what seems rehearsed.

[AtomicKitten]

8. I'd have more confidence in Marilyn Mosby.

Your rudeness seems to come naturally.

[Positrons]

7. I meant which bits shouldn't have been released that were...

[AtomicKitten]

9. They released all kinds of personal shit about Sandra

THC in her system, signs of alleged cutting, records of an abortion, an alleged statement from her about having contemplated suicide before. And they released time-manipulated surveillance video. Somebody needs to ferret out the truth. All of it.

[Positrons]

10. I think most of that was a counter to the happy image that her family and friends...

... put out.

IOW, this tragedy is not as unlikely and out of the blue as it may seem from their point of view.

Who knows...

[AtomicKitten]

11. Justice served posthumously is bittersweet.

[Tommymac]

12. WTF Her 'happy image' ?????

This ain't about who she was. It is about WHAT WAS DONE TO HER!!!!!!!!!!!!

That other shit is just that - shit to defame her and make the po-lice look good.

FUCK THAT.

[Positrons]

14. Both sides are putting out the version they believe to be most accurate...

Govt and authorities - All the stuff you mentioned...

Family and friends - She had a new job and a sound mental state and no reason to take her own life

[Tommymac]

16. You just don't get it. This isn't about sides. This is about a life. And the taking of that life.

The system was responsible for Sandra Bland's death.

End.
of.
Story.

[Live and Learn]

19. Outrageous. It is not enough that they kill you.

They have to assassinate your character afterwards. I don't know how these people can live with themselves.

[LeftOfWest]

24. This. Agree.

Do they see when they look at themselves in the mirror or do they just avoid mirrors their entire lives...ugh.

enough, they are gone from this world.

[onecaliberal]

17. And what the hell is she going to do to reign in the police?

[99th_Monkey]

22. Great question.

As I understand it, the only thing DoJ can do is send FBI to monitor
the investigation and if they determine that someone's civil rights
have been violated, then the DoJ can bring a lawsuit on basis of that,
but it is a "very high bar" to ever win a case. DoJ can also -- as they
have where I live in Portland OR -- issue "findings" of systemic issues,
and require regular judicial review of an agreed upon 'settlement' with
the offending police dept.

And that's about it, as far as I know.. This came out though under the
leadership of Holder, not Loretta Lynch, so I guess we'll see if anything
more can/will be done.

[onecaliberal]

23. If dept of justice can't do anything, how in the hell

Will the police ever be brought under control?

[99th_Monkey]

26. Well, the stuff I said they can do, IS helpful to a point.

and don't quote me on what DoJ can/can't do, it was just
an impression from reading about Eric Garner, Ferguson
and my experience in Portland.

[onecaliberal]

27. I've been doing a tiny bit of digging on this and it does seem

As though the Dept of justice can direct the FBI to investigate. Sounds like getting a conviction for civil rights violations is an impossible standard of proof. I see why BLM feels such despair.

[BeyondGeography]

25. They can have additional impacts

The DOJ investigation in Ferguson led to the resignation of the chief of police and its findings were cited by the Brown family in their civil suit. Durbin among others has called for an investigation in this case. Hopefully, it happens. It needs to.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. These cops don't WANT a "relationship" with the black community....

They are kicking black people's asses to improve their relationship with the WHITE community.

[Live and Learn]

20. I don't think they are doing a very good job of that either, unless you mean the 1%. nt

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. kick