They Fell Behind on Their Property Taxes. So the Government Sold Their Homes—and Kept the Profits.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear 94-year-old Geraldine Tyler's case challenging home equity theft.
Minneapolis
Cities Switch From Requiring Too Many Parking Spaces To Banning Too Many Parking Spaces
Nashville is the latest city to eliminate minimum parking requirements while simultaneously capping how much parking developers are now allowed to build.
Even at His Sentencing Hearing, Derek Chauvin Did Not Manage To Express Remorse for Killing George Floyd
Despite the stakes, the former Minneapolis police officer could not bring himself even to feign regret for his actions.
The Dangers of Rent Control on Display in the Twin Cities
St. Paul has seen a 61 percent decrease in building permits after the city imposed rent control on future housing.
Eliminating Single-Family Zoning Isn't the Reason Minneapolis Is a YIMBY Success Story
Housing production is rising and rents are falling. But newly legal duplexes and triplexes make up only a tiny fraction of new development.
Minneapolis Bans Police Use of No-Knock Warrants
After the tragic shooting of Amir Locke, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has made changes to the controversial practice. But are they enough?
Minnesota's Attorney General Says the Cop Who Killed Amir Locke Was Defending Himself. So Was Locke.
That perplexing situation underlines the hazards of police tactics that aim to prevent violence but often have the opposite effect.
A 93-Year-Old Woman Couldn't Pay Her $2,300 Tax Bill. The Government Sold Her Home and Kept the Money.
"This is very bad for property rights."
The Convictions of 3 Cops Who Failed To Prevent George Floyd's Death Underline the Duty To Intervene
The defendants unsuccessfully argued that their training was inadequate and that they understandably deferred to a senior officer.
Amir Locke's Death Demonstrates the Recklessness of 'Dynamic Entry' Tactics
Banning "no-knock" search warrants is not enough to prevent lethal confrontations between cops and people exercising the right to armed self-defense.
Amir Locke's Death Should Incense Anyone Who Cares About Gun Rights
The 22-year-old man was shot by a Minneapolis police officer during the execution of a no-knock warrant on which he was not named.
Did These Three Officers 'Willfully' Deprive George Floyd of His Constitutional Rights?
Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao are charged with federal crimes for failing to stop Derek Chavin from killing Floyd.
Developers Halt Projects, Mayor Demands Reform After St. Paul Voters Approve Radical Rent Control Ballot Initiative
Unlike almost every rent control law in the country, the ordinance passed by St. Paul voters includes no exemption for new construction.
Cleveland Votes for More Police Oversight, While Minneapolis Rejects Abolishing, Replacing Cops
The obvious lesson is that, yes, people want reform and better police conduct, not necessarily broad, vague plans to replace them.
Derek Chauvin Receives a 22.5-Year Sentence for Killing George Floyd
A jury convicted the former Minneapolis police officer of murder and manslaughter in April, nearly a year after Floyd's death set off nationwide protests.
Why Is the Justice Department Trying To Punish Derek Chauvin Twice?
The federal charges against Chauvin and three other officers involved in George Floyd's death are more about making a statement than seeking justice.
How Press Freedom—and Section 230—Led to Derek Chauvin's Conviction
Imagine a world in which media outlets were unable or afraid to post video of police and other authorities acting reprehensibly.
The Chauvin Verdict Is a Reminder That We Still Need To Abolish Qualified Immunity
Most victims of police misconduct never get to take their cases to court.
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.
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.
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.
Minneapolis Tells Residents With Riot-Wrecked Buildings They Can't Clean Up Until They've Paid Their 2020 Property Taxes in Full
After failing at the one thing people think they need from government, Minneapolis is getting tough on making damaged citizens pay up.
Leaked Footage Shows Aggressive Cops Terrifying George Floyd in His Last Minutes Before Death
The fatal encounter demonstrates why police reformers want more departments to train officers in de-escalation.
The Former Cop Who Killed George Floyd Will Get $50K Annual Pension Even if Convicted of Murder
The family of George Floyd probably won't be able to successfully sue Derek Chauvin in civil court because of qualified immunity, but they will help pay for the killer cop's retirement.
Minneapolis Police Chief Ends Contract Negotiations With Police Union
After George Floyd’s death, the city will bring in outside advisers to recommend changes to make policing more transparent and accountable.