October 2020
"The NYPD is Undermining Our Ability to Hold Them Accountable. The Mayor Must Act"
Author: Dan Quart
Source: Gotham Gazette
Date: October 19, 2020
Source: Gotham Gazette
Date: October 19, 2020
"As an international non-governmental organization, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports on human rights abuses in every part of the world. Recently, its work brought it to New York City and more specifically, the Bronx. In a newly released report, HRW documented rampant police violence during a summer protest against police brutality, revealing that the NYPD’s actions violated international human rights law."
"... It is clear that the NYPD acted to prevent legal observers from bearing witness to police actions that night. This is in line with the attacks on legal observers happening across the country. During Black Lives Matter protests in Buffalo, Portland, Detroit, Cleveland, Sacramento, and Atlanta legal observers have reported being beaten, detained, and shot with rubber bullets." READ MORE |
September 2020
"'Kettling' Protesters in the Bronx Systemic Police Brutality and Its Costs in the United States"
Source: Human Rights Watch
Date: September 30, 2020
Date: September 30, 2020
"Legal observers from the National Lawyers Guild – who attend protests to document potential human rights violations and provide support to those arrested – were assaulted, teargassed, and arrested while monitoring protests in at least a dozen cities, despite their visible neon green hats and other identifying markers.[17] One observer in Sacramento, California, was shot in the face with a rubber bullet and hospitalized with a concussion, while several observers in Detroit, Michigan were beaten with batons, punched, teargassed, and then arrested while trying to record the names of arrested protesters. “Street medics” deployed to provide emergency medical support to protesters injured during the demonstrations have also been targeted."
READ MORE |
"Dove And The Crown Coalition Applaud U.S. House Of Representatives Passing The Crown Act"
Source: PR Newswire
Date: September 22, 2020
Date: September 22, 2020
The CROWN Coalition, a national alliance founded by Dove, National Urban League, Western Center on Law & Poverty and Color Of Change, along with over 70 CROWN Act supporting organizations, commend the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the CROWN Act of 2020, making the federal bill one step closer to being made into law.
Led by Congressman Cedric Richmond (D-Louisiana) and introduced only nine months ago, The CROWN Act legislation (H.R. 5309) provides legal protection from hair discrimination based on the texture of natural hair or hairstyles such as braids, locs, twists and knots. The acronym CROWN stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. READ MORE |
"Sacramento Police Used Excessive Force at Police Brutality Protests, Charges National Lawyers Guild"
Source: The Davis Vanguard
Author: Cres Vellucci
Date: September 1, 2020
Author: Cres Vellucci
Date: September 1, 2020
"SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild announced Tuesday morning that it is filing a citizen complaint on “behalf of the citizens of Sacramento” over the violent “battering” of a protestor in downtown Sacramento Friday by a Sacramento police officer during police brutality demonstrations.
At a news conference in front of city hall, the NLG – which monitors police activity in Sacramento and most of the rest of the U.S. – said the group “witnessed and recorded Officer Smith, Badge #338, attack a protestor, throwing them against a wall and then violently slapped her phone out of her hand and broke the screen on the victim’s phone.” READ MORE |
"Complaint filed against Sacramento police over alleged brutality during weekend protest"
Author: Carlos Herrera
Source: ABC10
Date: September 1, 2020
Source: ABC10
Date: September 1, 2020
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"SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Chapter of National Lawyers Guild [NLG] has filed a complaint against the Sacramento Police Department for what they claim was a violent “assault” of a protester in downtown Friday by a police officer, the association announced Tuesday.The NLG, which monitors police activity in Sacramento, filed the complaint on "behalf of the citizens," NLG Sacramento President Elizabeth Kim said. A member of the chapter recorded a video of what appears to shows an officer slap a cell phone out of a woman's hand. The group also claims, although it isn't clear in the video, an officer pushed a woman, causing her to hit a wall."
READ MORE |
"Group rallies outside Sacramento County Jail after protesters arrested"
Author: Vicki Gonzalez
Source: KCRA3
Date: September 1, 2020
Source: KCRA3
Date: September 1, 2020
"SACRAMENTO, Calif. --Demonstrators took part in a solidarity rally outside Sacramento County Jail on Tuesday after two protesters were arrested over the weekend.
The rally happened as the two protesters were arraigned at the Sacramento County courthouse in connection to resisting arrest. Both were booked into custody overnight Saturday. A judge released both people following their court appearance. Andrea Hart, 29, was arrested for pointing a laser at an officer, for weapons violations and resisting arrest. Christopher Hill, 36, was booked overnight Saturday by Sacramento police and charged with resisting officers and attempting to stop them from arresting Hart." READ MORE |
August 2020
July 2020
"Sheriff, Public Defender probing Jail sergeant’s testy interaction with deputy public defender"
Author: Richard Bammer
Jul 22, 2020
Jul 22, 2020
"Solano County Sheriff Tom Ferrara and Public Defender Elena D’Agustino are investigating a reported testy interaction between a correctional sergeant and a deputy public defender in the Alternate Public Defender Office who wore a Black Lives Matter face mask while seeking to visit her jailed client in late June"
...
"The editorial board at davisvanguard.org includes, among others, Robert Canning, a licensed clinical psychologist who is retired from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; ... a longtime daily newspaper and wire service reporter and editor and board member of the National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento; and Joshua Kaizuka, a private attorney who formerly worked for Yolo County Public Defender."
...
"The editorial board at davisvanguard.org includes, among others, Robert Canning, a licensed clinical psychologist who is retired from the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; ... a longtime daily newspaper and wire service reporter and editor and board member of the National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento; and Joshua Kaizuka, a private attorney who formerly worked for Yolo County Public Defender."
"SNOOP DOGG, BONE THUGS-N-HARMONY AND B-REAL UNITE FOR 'IT WAS ALL A STREAM' GLOBAL BENEFIT CONCERT IN AUGUST"
Author: Sha Be Allah - The Source
Jul 29, 2020
Jul 29, 2020
"Snoop Dogg, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and B-Real of Cypress Hill are headlining a global livestream concert, It Was All A Stream (IWAAS) on Saturday, August 8th (7-10pm PST), a benefit concert aimed to move the culture forward and 'spread the love' during these challenging times. Band together with these hip-hop legends as they unite to entertain and uplift millions of fans, for a night of electrifying performances infused with relevant social messages and calls to action that will echo around the world. "
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"Legal Community Critics Largely Criticize Sacramento City Council Police Reforms"
Author: Crescenzo Vellucci
July 08, 2020
July 08, 2020
"SACRAMENTO – When the Sacramento City Council approved relatively minor police reforms this past week – after massive calls to defund city police – critics of the Sacramento Police Dept. almost uniformly said it was way too little, and too late following weeks of militarized SPD firing “non-lethal” projectiles and other munition at unarmed bystanders and peaceful demonstrations with their hands up."
... "'The policy proposals from Mayor Steinberg and city officials are much delayed and hardly reform. We are dealing with officers shooting non-participant medics, journalists and legal observers in the face and they are talking about handing out business cards,' charged Elizabeth Kim, current President of the National Lawyers Guild, Sacramento Chapter." |
"Sacramento city attorney won't file charges against curfew violators during protests"
Author: Ja'Nel Johnson
July 1, 2020
July 1, 2020
"The city of Sacramento decided to drop charges against individuals accused of violating a curfew implemented during protests against police brutality last month."
... "Ressl-Moyer said several organizations, social justice groups and activists demanded that people not be charged for protesting police brutality against Black people, including the National Lawyers Guild, ACLU of Northern California, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area." |
"Shot in face at Sacramento protest, legal observer demands criminal charges for officer"
Author: Michael McGough & Malaika Kanaaneh Tapper
June 29, 2020
June 29, 2020
"A legal observer who says a Sacramento police officer shot him in the face with a “less lethal” projectile as he watched last month’s protest demonstrations boil over has formally filed a complaint with the police department and is asking the district attorney to pursue criminal charges against the involved officer or officers.
Danny Garza, a board member with the Sacramento chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, says he suffered a concussion and various other injuries after being shot during a May 30 protest demonstration that took place downtown, part of a nationwide response to the Memorial Day police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis." |
"Explaining the Legal Observer Program"
FOX40 Web Desk
June 4, 2020
June 4, 2020
"Earlier this week, FOX40 spoke to Danny Garza, a legal observer who was recovering from extensive bruising and a concussion after he said police fired some sort of projectile at his face during Saturday night’s protests.
Elizabeth Kim, the National Lawyers Guild Sacramento president, spoke to Pedro about the National Lawyers Guild and what role they play when attending protests." |