When a Michigan newspaper asked police officials in East Lansing for reports and video footage related to allegations of police brutality against a black man, they denied the request. East Lansing Mayor Ruth Beier refused to release video footage and investigative records tied to a December 2019 incident that left a black man with head…
Resisting arrest is a felony offense in Michigan. The courts assume that you can legally challenge the detention once you’ve been taken into custody, and even seek to have the charges dropped if you can prove you were falsely arrested. But prior to that, citizens are expected to avoid resisting arrest by any force. The…
In March, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case out of Michigan from a man who claimed to have endured excessive force by police officers due to mistaken identity. James King had sued the two officers after he said they had mistaken him for being a known fugitive as he was walking near…
It’s known that jurors bring a lot with them when they’re in the courtroom, from their personal beliefs to how their life experiences have shaped them. Whether a juror admits it or not, every person seated on that jury has certain biases that are unique to their belief system. Legal experts have noted for years…
When carrying out their duties to protect the public, there are limits to what police officers can do. Claims of police brutality often happen when officers go beyond their authority. Police brutality and misconduct is defined as more than using undue force against a suspect, such as striking or kicking them. Legal claims arising from…
Recent high-profile cases of police shootings of African Americans have raised widespread concerns and questions about the extent of racial disparities in fatal officer-involved shootings. In the past few years, a number of different studies have been done to see if the belief that so many Americans have about a racial disparity were true. While…
It can be frustrating and even scary for someone to face criminal charges for a crime they didn’t commit. To get convinced based on false testimony from police is even scarier. Any defendant surely knows that since law enforcement is assigned to protect and safeguard the community, the police automatically maintain a high degree of…
