Jane Coaston: Meet the Libertarian New York Times Podcaster
"At some point, a regulation or a law with the absolute best of intentions will be wielded by people who may not have the absolute best of intentions."
George Floyd
Biden Applauds Derek Chauvin Guilty Verdict, Condemns Violent 'Agitators and Extremists'
Plus: An anti-tech crusader could be joining the FTC, threats to free speech at Columbia University, and more...
Jurors Could Not Believe That a Reasonable Officer Would Have Done What Derek Chauvin Did
The guilty verdicts on all three counts reflect the logical force of the prosecution's case as well as the emotional impact of watching the assault on George Floyd.
Derek Chauvin Trial Judge Thinks Maxine Waters Gave the Defense an Option for Appeal
Plus: All American adults are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, and Keith Olbermann briefly returns to the spotlight.
The Defense Argues That Derek Chauvin's Fear of George Floyd's 'Superhuman Strength' Justified His Deadly Use of Force
"This wasn't policing," the prosecution says. "This was murder."
Although a Defense Witness Says George Floyd's Death Should Not Have Been Deemed a Homicide, His Account Underlines Derek Chauvin's Culpability
The defense rested without calling Chauvin to the stand, and closing arguments are expected on Monday.
A Defense Witness Says the Cops Who Pinned George Floyd to the Pavement Were Not Using Force
That was one of several eyebrow-raising claims made by Barry Brodd, who said Derek Chauvin's actions were "objectively reasonable."
The Prosecution Presented Compelling Evidence That Derek Chauvin Killed George Floyd by Using Excessive Force
The defense will have to cast doubt on at least one of those claims.
Overcriminalization Killed Daunte Wright
A police officer pulled the trigger. But Wright shouldn't have been pulled over in the first place.
Medical Examiner Agrees That the Cops Killed George Floyd
Andrew Baker's account, like the testimony of other medical experts, implicates Derek Chauvin in Floyd's death.
Expert Witnesses Reinforce the Prosecution's Case That Obstructed Breathing Killed George Floyd
The witnesses rejected the defense's suggestion that Floyd might have died from a drug overdose.
Exactly Where Was Derek Chauvin's Knee, and Does It Matter?
A use-of-force expert says the officers who pinned George Floyd to the ground should have recognized the risk of positional asphyxia.
Police Chief Refutes Derek Chauvin's Claim That He Did What He Was Trained to Do
Medaria Arradondo says Chauvin's treatment of George Floyd violated department policy in several important ways.
George Floyd's Prolonged Prone Restraint Was 'Totally Unnecessary,' a Police Lieutenant Testifies
Richard Zimmerman's testimony contradicts the defense claim that Derek Chauvin "did exactly what he had been trained to do."
The Changing Faces of George Floyd Square: Dispatch From Minneapolis
Sometimes vibrant, sometimes crime-ridden, a local tells Reason what it’s like to live blocks from where George Floyd died.
Derek Chauvin's Belief That George Floyd Was Intoxicated Does Not Help His Case
If drugs played a role in Floyd's death, the prone restraint only compounded that danger.
'We Have Followed Proper Channels and They're Not Working': Dispatch From Minneapolis
Thoughts on rioting and protest from a local activist who is demonstrating outside the courthouse where the murder trial of Derek Chauvin is taking place.
Derek Chauvin Argues That His Use of Force Was Appropriate and Did Not Kill George Floyd
The defense will have a hard time showing that Chauvin's conduct was justified by any threat Floyd posed.
The Derek Chauvin Trial Begins: Dispatch From Minneapolis
“I think if Chauvin’s acquitted, we’re fucked,” says one local cop.
A Lawyer for George Floyd's Family Says a Record-Breaking Settlement Gives Cities '27 Million Reasons' To Curtail Police Abuse
But the agreement could complicate Derek Chauvin's murder trial, and it leaves unresolved the question of whether qualified immunity would have blocked the lawsuit.
A Reinstated Third-Degree Murder Charge Gives Jurors Another Option To Convict Derek Chauvin for Killing George Floyd
Like the felony murder charge, it carries a presumptive sentence more than eight years longer than the manslaughter charge.
Iowa Reporter Acquitted After Being Arrested While Covering George Floyd Protests
The case drew national outrage from press freedom groups, who called the prosecution excessive and a threat to journalism.
Kentucky Bill Would Make Insulting a Cop a Crime
Courts have widely upheld the First Amendment right to hurl choice words or gestures at police.
Derek Chauvin May Get a Sentence Much Shorter Than the One William Barr Thought Would Be Seen As Too Lenient
The former attorney general reportedly nixed a plea deal that involved a sentence of more than 10 years but would have precluded a federal prosecution.
A New Report Casts Doubt on Both Fears and Hopes About the Consequences of Abolishing Qualified Immunity
A Connecticut law that made it easier to sue abusive cops is not expected to have a noticeable effect on municipal insurance costs.
Massachusetts Starts 2021 by Adopting a Process To Fire Bad Cops
The Bay State finally creates a police certification system.
City Investigators Call Out NYPD for Using Excessive Force Against Protesters
Police response “likely escalated tensions and the potential for violence” say investigators.
Obama Knocks 'Defund the Police' Activists for Valuing 'Feel Good' Sloganeering Over Practical Reforms
Efforts to push for substantial police reforms many people would support instead became a political battlefield.
Shelby Steele: What Really Killed Michael Brown?
A new documentary argues that Great Society liberalism laid the foundation for 2014's police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
How This Summer Changed—and Failed To Change—American Policing
Lawmakers introduced hundreds of policing bills in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. A few dozen passed.
The Fight Over Derek Chauvin's $1 Million Bail Shows the System Is Irrational and Broken
The ex-cop charged with killing George Floyd should be allowed to await his trial in safety. That should be the standard for everybody.
Minneapolis City Council's Promise To Dismantle Police Is Now in Political Limbo
Aggressive sloganeering doesn't necessarily lead to policy reforms.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Unveils Bill To Stiffen Penalties for Protesters and Punish Towns That Cut Police Budgets
The parts that aren't constitutionally dubious are brainless culture-war fodder.
Two Lawyers Walk Into an 'Anarchistic Jurisdiction'
Perspectives on the proposed federal classification of Portland and other cities in crisis.
The Justice Department Sees 'Anarchy' Overtaking New York City. If Only That Were Remotely True.
The Big Apple is practically a black hole of overpolicing and regulation.
Attorney General Bill Barr Encourages Federal Prosecutors To Charge Violent Protesters With Sedition
The Wall Street Journal reports that Barr told prosecutors to pursue federal charges, including sedition charges, whenever possible.
Derek Chauvin Blames His Former Colleagues for George Floyd's Death
The former Minneapolis police officer, who kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than eight minutes, says two other cops failed to de-escalate the situation.
COVID-19 Outbreak and Death Result of ICE Agents Using Immigrants To Mobilize in George Floyd Protests
A preventable coronavirus outbreak and death occurred after ICE used immigrant transfers as an excuse to fly to D.C.
'You're Not Allowed To Film': The Fight To Control Who Reports From Portland
Both sides are getting their information through purposely bottlenecked media reports, and the results are predictably distorted and dangerous.
Daniel Prude's Brother Called 911 Because He Was Behaving Erratically. Prude Ended Up Dead.
Another example of how police can respond poorly to drug and mental health calls
California Police Unions Once Again Side With Bad Cops To Kill a Good Bill
Law enforcement lobby holds off bill that would decertify officers who are guilty of misconduct.
Bourgeois Libertarianism Can Save America
Reliance on persuasion, freedom, property, and markets might deliver both peace and justice where "No Justice, No Peace" has so far failed.
Nancy Rommelmann: The Disturbing Drift of the Portland Protests
Rose City has been on fire for months. Are Portland-style protests coming soon to a town near you?
Tennessee's Lawmakers Respond to Police Reform Protests by Threatening Voting Rights and Gun Rights
The new law features harsher penalties, 12-hour detentions, and other invitations to abuse government power
When You Say Yes to Hate: Dispatch From Portland
The situation in Portland on Day 87 is not getting better.
What About…Defunding the Police?
There is an underlying belief that the active presence of a police force of the kind we are familiar with prevents the explosion of crime. But history and modern criminology suggest otherwise.
