On March 16, 2014, Albuquerque police received a call complaining about a homeless man camping in the hills just above the city. After a tense three-hour standoff, the man was reported dead after being shot down, the entire thing caught by one of the officer's body cameras. The murderous actions of the officers, similar to other fatal shootings in recent Albuquerque news, sparked an uproar in the community. This lead the officers to be charged with murder, the first prosecution of murder for an Albuquerque policeman in the line of duty in 30 years. James Boyd, the murdered man, had a history of mental illness. Although he was camping illegally on the hillside, the shelter which he tended to stay in had long closed for the night, leaving him to take to the hills. The case is still being speculated and revised to this day.
Although this incident happened more than two years ago, it's a kind of case that is still very prevalent in today's society. With the sudden trend of minorities being shot down under questionable circumstances, it's common for a case such as Boyd's to happen suddenly and be broadcast everywhere. John Boyd, arguably a minority being homeless and mentally ill, wouldn't have had much representation or defense had it not been for the body camera. Similarly, the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin likely wouldn't have been publicized had it not been for media. This common thread of new technology has given a voice to those victims of police brutality who probably would've gone unnoticed.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/19/us/albuquerque-new-mexico-police-trial/index.html
I agree that technological and media advancements have helped raise awareness for issues in some cases, but I do not think that they are always a good influence, nor do I think that they focus on the right things a large percentage of the time. I had not heard of this event until just now, despite recent happenings and controversy to which this is extremely relevant. The fact that John Boyd was killed in these circumstances is not the only issue. Where else could he have gone? THere is a definite lack of consideration for homeless people in America. They are automatically labeled as lazy, and often little to no consideration is given to them. Tent cities are evacuated rather than given the decency afforded to other neighborhoods, and spikes are placed underneath highways to prevent homeless people from sleeping there. Tent cities could be protected as neighborhoods instead of torn down, but they are not. Where are these people supposed to go? How are they supposed to improve their own situations without having a place to sleep? It's similar to those small kingdom games where you build, collect resources, and level up. Some players spend money to advance faster, while others reach a standstill when they reach a certain level. But you have to have something. You can try to advance without the tutorial and starting resources, but it's nearly impossible. Homelessness in America is surrounded by a stigma. We do not want to think about it because it makes us uncomfortable, and we do not want to see it, so we look away. We do not want to be near it, so we make life increasingly difficult for homeless people, under the guise of protecting our cities. This is strikingly similar to segregation. I'm gonna stop typing now, but you get the idea. This turned into a bit of a rant, sorry. Respect other humans. Don't kill people. Don't treat others as subhuman for their financial situation or for any mental illnesses they may have. The basics.
ReplyDelete-Cal Thompson
This is so important that this is still being brought to light, especially at a time where police methods are being questioned and police brutality and bias are extremely prevalent. It really shows the importance of this that it's still in the news, even two and a half years later. Knowledge is power, and the media can help spread it.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad that the importance and helpfulness of body cameras for police officers has recently come to light. Body cameras make officers accountable for their actions and enhance public trust of authority.
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