When They Still Don’t Care: The Death of #TamirRice

Last updated on: May 3, 2016 at 7:33 am by Andre E. Johnson

When They Still Don’t Care: The Death of #TamirRice 2016-05-03T07:33:45-05:00 Andre E. Johnson

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According to the New York Times, the family of Tamir Rice will receive $6 million from the city of Cleveland in the largest police-related civil lawsuit in the city’s history. The settlement “spares Cleveland the possibility of a federal civil rights trial” along with avoiding “the possibility of an even larger judgment.” The paper also notes that “the $6 million figure is in line with settlements in the deaths of Eric Garner in New York and Freddie Gray in Baltimore.”

However, to add the proverbial insult to (deadly) injury, Steve Loomis, the president of the Cleveland Police and Patrolmen’s Association issued a statement that smacks of insensitivity at best and downright cruelty at worst. Loomis thought he would offer some advice to the (still) grieving family of Tamir Rice when he wrote in a letter addressed to the media, “We can only hope the Rice family and their attorneys will use a portion of this settlement to help educate the youth of Cleveland in the dangers associated with the mishandling of both real and facsimile firearms.” Below is the letter.

Therefore, because of the drive by shooting performed by officer Timothy Loehmann and the indifference exhibited by DA Timothy McGinty who decided not to at least indict officer Loehmann for killing Rice, the citizens of Cleveland will have to pay up. In short, usually when these injustices happen, no one is on the hook except the citizens to make payment. However, as I continue to reflect on the death of Tamir Rice and all the others, I wonder what would happen if police brutality and misconduct settlements were taken from police budgets, pensions and retirement plans? When are we going to hold law enforcement officials and their unions accountable for the deaths of unarmed black people?

Andre E. Johnson is the Founder and Managing Editor of R3

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Andre E. Johnson

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Tamir Rice

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