Hands Up Don't Shoot

Freddie McCollum Jr was attacked in his own home by police officers because he forgot his wallet while driving.  India was an innocent passenger in a bad situation.  It ended with a hail of bullets killing her, and barely missing her infant son.

Support the show

A teenager with dreams and hopes for the future. Those dreams and hopes shattered like the glass of her car window prior to officers taking her life. Listen to the story of how Tyisha Miller’s cousin's call for help ended in a tragedy. A father with two children and a new job. A man who loved his family and BBQ. Listen to how William Green’s death with all its inconsistency resulted in a Maryland county settling with his family for $20 million.

Support the show

A pair of friends were down on their luck.  They were followed in their car by a police officer, and that turned into a 62-car police chase.  At the end of the chase, 13 officers riddled their bodies with bullets.  Listen to the story of Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell.

Support the show

A young black child who was labeled as a man and had his childhood taken from him by police. Listen to hear how a toy caused his death. A college-educated, professional woman who was full of life. Her death was an accident as a cop muttered, “Damn” at her mistake. Listen to how her life was taken from her during a routine traffic stop.

Video release of Tamir Rice’s shooting

Support the show

Henry Dumas was an up and coming author and poet, with drafts of written work just waiting to be seen by the world.  But that opportunity was cut short when he was fatally killed by a police officer in a train station under mysterious circumstances.  Henry Dumas is a name we should all know, but unfortunately, he wasn’t given the chance to showcase his work himself.  With the help of fellow creative writers, his short stories and poems have been published for the world to experience.


Knees of a Natural Man: The Selected Poetry of Henry Dumas
Echo Tree: The Collected Short Fiction of Henry Dumas
Goodbye Sweetwater: New & Selected Stories 

Support the show

Both of these stories begin with mental illness and end with death.  Listen to find out how Daniel Prude and Natasha McKenna unconventional methods of being restrained led to brain damage and their eventual, untimely deaths.

Police release video of Natasha McKenna death - full video 

Virginia Sheriff Releases Footage of Natasha McKenna's Death - 8 minute video

Mental Health Resource

Support the show

A simple gas station trip turned traumatizing for Stephanie Washington. Innocent of this alleged crime, she became the target of gunfire due to incorrect information from the dispatch. Listen to how dispatch’s error resulted in her becoming paralyzed. Prince Jones was a father and a friend. His death came at the end of 16 miles. Listen to how he was tailed and gunned down by undercover cops.

Videos of the Stephanie Washington Shooting
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/hamden_officer_arrested/

Between the World and Me (Book)
https://amzn.to/3t1vdUS

Between the World and Me (Movie)
https://amzn.to/3t1vdUS

Support the show

A sleeping child with a love of fairy tales and princesses; reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty. On a tragic day, her dreams and her life were destroyed by a single bullet. Listen to learn how Aiyana Stanley-Jones was cast in a role that she couldn’t prepare herself for. The story of Timothy Thomas, Jr. is one of racial profiling. He became a target and the police hit the bulls-eye in his death. Listen to how his death sparked the Cincinnati Riots and Civil Unrest of 2001.

Crooked Smile on Amazon
https://amzn.to/2RNeKGZ

Support the show

This week has been a tough one for me.  I wanted to go a little off schedule and share my sadness and frustration with what's been going on.  I briefly touch on what happened with Daunte Wright and Caron Nazario.

Graphic: Body camera video shows deadly shooting of Daunte Wright

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgAUrDTUk4Q

Officer fired after drawing gun on Army lieutenant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueeHKti5loA

Daunte Wright called his mother right before he was shot. This is what he said

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/13/us/daunte-wright-family-reaction/index.html

Army officer sues Virginia police over violent traffic stop
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/caron-nazario-army-officer-sues-virginia-police-violent-traffic-stop/

5 Things to Know Before Recording the Police
https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/5-things-you-should-know-video-recording-police

Support the show

This name was in headlines all across the world: Sandra Bland.  Sandra Bland was a young woman from Illinois who decided to go back to her alma mater in Texas where she had graduated 6 years before.  Listen to find out how what was supposed to be a simple traffic stop ended with Sandra dying in her jail cell.


Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland
https://amzn.to/3dRCkdl

Sandy Speaks
https://www.youtube.com/c/SandySpeaks/videos

Sandra Bland Arrest Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9t1N2wRvjc

Support the show