Black Lies Matter

I’ve seen this poster of 100 names come across my social media feeds a few different times. These are supposed to be the names of 100 black people killed by systemic racism and inequality.

Seems like a lot, right? 100 totally innocent black people who were just walking along one day and were randomly murdered by white cops, who are also card-carrying members of the Nazi Party, for the crime of being black. We are told time and again to say their names and remember these injustices. You’ve all probably seen the PSA where the middle-class black mother is worriedly talking to her young daughter about being careful when she goes out because of the Nazi Cops. And the black middle-class family sitting down to eat dinner and then getting terrified because they see flashing Nazi Cop lights pass by their home. We have been told that it’s open season on black people and they are being gunned down in the streets by all these Nazi Cops.

Well, I took the time to go through each of these names and catalog exactly what happened to each person on this list. Suffice it to say, the vast majority of these names are anything but innocent victims of racist Nazi Cops. I wrote out brief summaries of each, but because we here at MOTW try to keep our articles short and concise, I’ll give you the TLDR breakdown of the numbers first. Then, if you have more time and are interested in shaking your head with disbelief at how ridiculous most of these are, you can read the summaries.

Now, for you mathematicians out there, you’ll notice that these numbers don’t add up to 100, and the reason why is that there is overlap on most of these. Like a guy high on drugs and mentally ill, both attacking the police and refusing to obey commands to show his hands or not move.

56 people on this list were actively fighting with the police or attacking them.
21 people on this list were high on drugs when they were killed.
4 of them died of drug overdose while in police custody.
4 of them died because of a lethal combination of drugs and being tased.
5 of them died from a lethal combination of severe health problems and being tased.
8 of them died from severe health problems while in police custody.
42 of them were killed while failing to obey commands to not move or to show their hands.
18 of them were actively threatening police.
19 of them had serious mental illness.
7 of them committed suicide, 6 of which were suicide by cop, 1 while in police custody.
A Taser was used to subdue 21 of them, 12 of these had little to no effect. Seems like a taser is useless unless the person has serious health problems or is on extreme amounts of drugs, then it’s lethal.
3 of these were totally innocent bystanders, who were just caught in the crossfire. They were not the target of the police who were shooting.
5 of these were shot in the crossfire because they were with a person who was actively attacking police.
18 of these involved non-white officers, but there may be more because not every case listed the race of the officer involved.
25 of these resulted in charges brought against the officers involved, 13 of which were found guilty.
43 of these resulted in cash settlements to the families. Though most of the last 25 of these have pending cases.
8 civil lawsuits were dismissed by the judges.
1 person choked to death on a bag of cocaine he swallowed.
1 73-year-old woman ran a stop sign and crashed with a police car.
Only 11 of these cases involved legitimate abuses of power by a cop, where the person killed by the cop posed no threat to the police or other people. Which means that 89 people on this list bore significant responsibility for their own deaths.

My verdict on this poster of 100 BLM names is that it is mostly bullshit. There is no epidemic of Nazi Cops killing innocent black people. There is an epidemic of criminal black people attacking police, abusing drugs, and having no regard for their community. Which reminds me: every last one of these people had family members quoted saying that their dearly departed loved ones were the most kind and gentle people they knew who would never take toxic amounts of drugs and then try to kill police officers. There is an epidemic of black communities lacking accountability. If you really care about Black Lives, you should be telling them to follow these simple rules.

Print this out. Hand it out at every BLM protest. Staple it to every street corner in black communities. Black people need to know this information. 89% of the people on this list would still be alive today if they had followed these rules.

Below are my write ups of each name on the list.

Eric Garner- A nearly 400 lb man, had already been arrested multiple times for selling untaxed cigarettes. When officers tried to detain him, he struggled with them, leading to the fatal choke hold. No charges are brought against the officers. The family settles a lawsuit for $5.9 million.
John Crawford III- Officers responded to a call about a man pointing a gun at people in Walmart. When officers command Crawford to drop the gun, he attempts to flee without dropping the gun, and then is shot. Only after is it discovered that the gun was a BB gun. No charges were brought against the officers. The family settles a lawsuit for $1.7 million.
Michael Brown – Brown steals from a convenience store and assaults the clerk. Officer responds and locates Brown. Brown assaults the officer while he is still in his SUV. The officer fires at Brown, hitting his arm. Brown flees and the officer pursues. Brown is shot again, fatally, when he charges at the officer. Eyewitness and forensic evidence all back this account. Grand Jury fails to indict officer in homicide charges. Family settles lawsuit with city for an undisclosed amount, of which insurance paid $1.5 million.
Ezel Ford- Officers approach Ford as part of investigative stop. Ford walks away from the officers when they approach him. As they follow him, he suddenly attacks them. He throws one officer to the ground and gets on top of him. Ford is shot while struggling with them and grabbing for an officer’s gun. Forensic and autopsy back officer’s account. Family settles lawsuit with city for $1.5 million.
Dante Parker- Attempts to break into an occupied residence while high on PCP. When officers attempt to detain him, he struggles with them and gets tased multiple times. Suffers cardiac episode while in custody. Parker was an obese man with cardiac disease. Family settles lawsuit for $250k.
Michelle Cusseax- Police arrive to take her away for mental health transportation. She raises a claw hammer above her head to attack them. They shoot her in self-defense. No charges against officers. City settles lawsuit for $1.5 million.
Luquan McDonald- Police respond to call about teen breaking into vehicles. McDonald, who is high on PCP and has been diagnosed with complex mental problems included PTSD, swings a knife at witnesses who try to stop him. When officers see McDonald, they command him to stop and remove his hands from his pockets. McDonald walks away and pulls his knife out of his pocket. Officer commands McDonald to drop the knife. McDonald ignores commands and keeps walking. McDonald strikes a police cruiser with his knife puncturing the tire. McDonald continues to try to walk away from police, getting boxed in. Reaches near waistband when officers shoot him. Officer is found guilty of murder and serves 6.75 years. Family settles lawsuit for $5 million.
George Mann- Mann is high on meth and locks himself in his neighbors’ garage, threatening to shoot anyone who comes in. Officers arrive and Mann struggles with them. They taser him and bring him outside, where he becomes unresponsive. A gun was found in the garage. No charges have been filed against the officers, and no record of a lawsuit was found.
Tanisha Anderson- Officers respond twice in a single hour to calls about the belligerent Anderson from her own family. Anderson had been in and out of mental facilities for years. Police escort Anderson to their vehicle where she sits, unrestrained, with her feet on the ground. Anderson gets agitated when her brother keeps yelling at her from their house. A struggle ensues and Anderson is cuffed and laid on the ground, where she becomes unresponsive. Autopsy report reveals she has serious heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and takes bi-polar medication. Officers are cleared of any wrongdoing. Family settles lawsuit for $2.5 million.
Akai Gurley- Officer Liang, a Chinese-American, is patrolling a pitch-black stairwell in a housing project. He flinches at a noise and accidentally fires his weapon. The bullet ricochets off the wall striking Gurley, on the floor below, who the officer did not see or know was there. Officer Liang is found guilty for criminal negligent homicide. Family settles lawsuit for $4 million.
Tamir Rice- Police are called about a man pointing a gun at people. Upon arrival officers shout to Rice, a 12 year old boy, to show them his hands. Instead Rice reaches into his pocket and is shot. He had a toy gun with the orange cap removed. There is no way to distinguish the Airsoft gun from a real gun without the orange cap. Grand Jury fails to indict the officer. Family settles lawsuit for $6 million.
Rumain Brisbon- An officer is on location when he is told by residents that a drug deal is going on at a nearby SUV. Officer approaches the SUV and Brisbon gets out and removes something from the rear of the SUV. Officer commands Brisbon to show his hands, Brisbon stuffs his hands into his waistband. Officer draws his weapon and Brisbon flees. Officer chases and commands Brisbon to get on the ground. Brisbon threatens the officer and a struggle ensues. During the struggle Brisbon reaches into his pocket. The officer tries to keep Brisbon from removing his hand form his pocket, and orders Brisbon to keep his hand in his pocket. Brisbon keeps trying to remove his hand and the officer begins to lose his grip. Officer decides that his only choice is to shoot Brisbon. It is later found that Brisbon had a bottle of Oxycotin in his pocket. Officer is not charged with the murder. Family settles lawsuit for $1.5 million.
Jerame Reid- A routine traffic stop where Reid is the passenger. Officer Days, and African American, asks for Reid’s ID. Reid opens the glove department where a gun is visible to the Officer. Officer instructs Reid multiple times to show his hands. Reid continues to move around inside car, not listening to commands to keep hands visible. Reid then tries to exit the vehicle. Officer commands Reid to stay put and a struggle ensues to keep his door closed. Reid forces door open and exits the vehicle when the Officer shoots him. Family settles lawsuit for $1.5 million.
Matthew Ajibade- Ajibade, suffering from bipolar disorder, has Sheriff’s Department called when he assaults his girlfriend. He is arrested and brought to jail. Video footage shows him fighting with deputies when they attempt to book him, breaking an African-American officer’s nose. Video also shows Ajibade being tased while in a restraining chair. Coroner’s report rules cause of death as blunt force trauma caused during the fight. Several officers are fired and two are charged. The deputies are acquitted. A judge dismisses the civil suit.
Frank Smart- Died while in custody. Smart was in restraints due to his seizures, for which he had received medical treatment for while in custody. Autopsy revealed that he died of “acute peritonitis due to colon perforation”, which is a natural cause. Family settles lawsuit for $950k.
Natasha McKenna- Mentally ill woman in sheriff’s custody. Due to a previous attack on police, McKenna was removed from her cell with her hands cuffed behind her back, legs shackled, and wearing a spit mask. She then began a 45-minute struggle, refusing to bend her knees to be placed into a restraint chair. 17 minutes into the struggle a sheriff tasers her 4 times. She suffers cardiac arrest but is resuscitated. Dies 5 days later when doctors determine that she is brain dead and remove her from life support. No charges are brought against deputies. Family settles lawsuit for $750k
Tony Robinson- Officers respond to call of Robinson jumping in front of moving cars and yelling at people. When the officer arrives Robinson charges him, punching him several times. The officer shoots Robinson dead. Robinson is found to have had Xanax, mushrooms, and marijuana in his system. No charges are brought against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $3.35 million.
Anthony Hill- PTSD Air Force vet who stopped taking his medication. Officers are called when Hill is running around his apartment complex naked, knocking on people’s doors and acting erratic. When officer arrives, Hill approaches him naked but unarmed. Officer commands Hill to stop, but Hill does not comply. Officer shoots him. This is the first entry in 18 names where there was no present danger to the officer who shot, and it is clear excessive force. The officer was charged and found guilty, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. A judge dismissed the family’s lawsuit.
Maya Hall (Ricky)- A transsexual prostitute and his boyfriend are shot dead attempting to ram a stolen car into a traffic gate at the NSA after a night of partying with their john. Cocaine and a gun are found in the car. No charges or civil suit.
Phillip White- Officers respond to a disturbance call. White is suffering from breathing distress when officers arrive and requests an ambulance. After speaking with the police, White walks to the police car and begins to pound on it and tries to open the back door, where the officer’s K9 unit is. The officer attempts to hold White off when White kicks him and a struggle ensues. White is wrestled to the ground and continues to struggle, reaching for the officer’s gun. Officers set K9 unit on White, then gets him restrained in cuffs. During the ambulance ride White suffers cardiac arrest due to PCP overdose. All the wounds from the struggle and the K9 unit are superficial. No charges are brought against the officer. Judge dismisses the family’s lawsuit.
Eric Harris (not to be confused with Columbine shooter of same name)- During a sting operation Harris tries to sell a gun to an undercover cop. Harris attempts to flee and is tackled by police. While he is being subdued, a 73-year-old reserve deputy mistakes his revolver for his taser and accidentally shoots Harris. In the video he immediately exclaims “Oh! I shot him!”. The reserve deputy is found guilty of manslaughter and is sentenced to 4 years. The family settles the lawsuit for $6 million.
Walter Scott- During a routine stop, Scott flees his vehicle on foot. A struggle ensues and the officer tases Scott. Video shows Scott grab at the officer’s taser, which falls to the ground, before fleeing. While he is fleeing the officer shoots him 8 times. The officer is sentenced to 20 years in prison. Toxicology showed cocaine and alcohol in Scott’s system. Family settles lawsuit for $6.5 million.
William Chapman II- Officer responds to shoplifter call at a Walmart. When the officer approaches Chapman, Chapman instigates a struggle. Chapman breaks free and the officer draws his weapon on him. The Walmart loss prevention officer stated that Chapman said, “What are you gonna do, shoot me?” And then made a jab-step toward the officer, causing the officer to react and shoot. The officer is charged with murder but found guilty on the lesser charge of manslaughter and serves 2 years. Family settles lawsuit for $1 million.
Alexia Christian- Two African-American officers find Christian in a stolen truck. The two officers cuff her and place her in the back of their cruiser without fully searching her, because there is no female officer present. Christian slips the cuffs and pulls out a gun from her pants and fires three shots at the police. The police then return fire, killing her. No charges against the officers, and no civil suit from the family.
Brendon Glenn- A bartender calls the police because Glenn is being disruptive. Officers approach Glenn and tell him to leave. He goes to another bar and begins yelling at their customers and gets shoved to the ground by the bouncer. The police attempt to cuff Glenn, who struggles with them. While he is trying to push himself up with both arms, one officer shoots him twice in the back. No charges against the officers. This is the second one in the list where a legitimate claim of excessive force can be justified. No charges are brought against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $4 million.
Victor Manual Larosa- Larosa, a drug dealer, is spotted by police driving a stolen car during an undercover sting. Larosa rams a police vehicle and then hits another officer with his car, sending him flying. Larosa rams 5 more cars and a building before fleeing on foot. Larosa attempts to steal another car and break into the owner’s house before feeling again. Officers catch up to Larosa, who whirls around while reaching for his waistband. He is shot and killed. No charges against the officers, and no civil suit by the family.
Jonathan Sanders- Sanders, who is out on bond for a cocaine arrest, exchanges words with an officer at a gas station. The officer suspects Sanders of drug possession and follows him. A struggle ensues and Sanders is placed in a choke hold for 30 minutes. During that time, he loses consciousness and dies. It is later discovered that he choked on a bag of cocaine that he had swallowed. No charges against the officer, and no civil suit.
Freddie Gray- Gray makes eye contact with a bicycle cop and then flees. The cop pursues. Other bicycle cops join in. Gray surrenders and is placed in a transport wagon without any safety restraint or seat belt, cuffed, face down. He is later found comatose due to broken spine and neck. Of six officers involved, 3 were African American. Video shows that Gray was able to stand and enter the vehicle on his own. All 6 officers were charged, but none were convicted. There was no legitimate reason found for the arrest of Gray. This is only the 3^rd legitimate claim of Police abuse, but clearly racism couldn’t possible be a factor. The family settles lawsuit for $6.4 million.
Joseph Mann- Mann, a mentally ill homeless man, is standing in the street waving a knife while high on meth. When officers approach and command him to drop the knife, he hurls a thermos at their vehicle. Officers try to bump him with their vehicle twice but fail each time. They pursue on foot and Mann waives the knife at them. They then open fire and kill him. No charges are brought against the officers. The family settles their lawsuit for $719k
Salvado Ellswood- Ellswood had just been released from prison for assaulting a police officer. Officer on foot patrol sees Ellswood living behind an office building. Officer approaches when Ellswood punches the officer. The officer tases Ellswood but it does not stop the assault. Finally, the officer draws his gun and fires, killing Ellswood. No charges against the officer, and no civil suit.
Sandra Bland- Officer Encinia, a Hispanic-American, has a history of pretext traffic stops, where he pulls people over for extremely minor infractions as a pretext to search their car. Bland is verbally combative with Encinia, which enrages him, and he pulls her from her car and cuffs her on the ground. Officer Encinia arrests her for assaulting an officer, claiming she kicked him. This is all caught on dash cam and Bland’s cellphone. In jail, Bland attempts to call several friends to post her bond, but no one answers. The next day she refuses breakfast at 630 a.m. At 730 a.m. she asks how to use her in-cell phone, but no record indicates she made a call. At 9 a.m. she is found hanging from the neck in a semi-standing position. Charges against the officer are dropped in agreement that he will quit law enforcement. Bland’s mother settles lawsuit for $1.9 million.
Albert Joseph Davis- Officers are called to respond to a large fight at an apartment complex. Davis flees and an officer pursues. When the officer catches Davis he fights them in an extremely violent struggle. During the fight the officer loses possession of his taser, gun, baton, spare magazine, wristwatch, and ball cap. The officer shoots Davis once, killing him. Davis is found with marijuana and cocaine on him. No charges against the officer. No civil suit.
Darius Stewart- During a traffic stop an officer discovers that Stewart has two out of state warrants, one for sexual assault. He places Stewart in his cruiser, uncuffed. After confirming the warrants, the officer asks Stewart to step out to be cuffed. At this point Stewart fights the officer. He reaches for the officer’s gun and grabs the officer’s handcuffs and begins to whip the officer with the handcuffs. The officer then fires once into Stewart, and a second time after Stewart stands, killing him. No charges against the officer. Judge dismisses the civil suit.
Billy Ray Davis- Hispanic Officer Lopez enters a store to buy some water. He then sees a man crossing the street, yelling, waving his arms. The man is bleeding from his head and mouth and acting erratically. The officer offers assistance to the distressed man, who then becomes aggressive toward the officer. Officer Lopez calls for backup. After additional officers arrive Davis is placed in hand cuffs, but flails and kicks violently. They then put him in leg restraints, but he continues to flop and roll around. The officers try to keep him on his side as much as possible. He then suddenly becomes unresponsive and is loaded into an ambulance, where he is pronounced dead. It is ruled that he was schizophrenic and died of cardiac arrest. No charges are brought against the officer. No civil suit.
Samuel Dubose- Campus police stop Dubose for failing to display a front license plate. When they ask for his ID he says he doesn’t have it with him. The officer tries to open the car door, but Dubose shuts it and then struggles with the officer while trying to drive off. The officer then fires into the car, killing Dubose. The officer claims that because he was struggling with Dubose with his left hand, he was being dragged by the car. The officer is charged and tried twice, with two mistrials. Family settles lawsuit for $4.5 million.
Michael Sabbie- Arrested for a domestic dispute, Sabbie’s intake forms indicate that he has high blood pressure, asthma, fluid around his heart, and is an insulin-dependent diabetic. He complains multiple times over three days that he can’t breathe. Twice he is brought to a nurse who does nothing to alleviate his symptoms, nor is he given any of his medications. At one point he disobeys a guard’s orders and the guard tackles him. A supervisor pepper sprays Sabbie. They rinse him off in the shower, but don’t decontaminate him. He is placed, cuffed and wet, in his cell. About 90 minutes later they go to his cell to photograph him for the purposes of documenting the use-of-force and he is dead with white foam coming from his mouth. His family sues literally everyone and eventually gets a settlement. At least two of the guards were African-American. This is a valid complaint, but it doesn’t involve the police. Several jail staff are cited with negligence and fired. The county settles for an undisclosed amount.
Brian Keith Day- Police arrive to investigate a trouble call at Day’s neighbors house. Day exits his home and “engages” the officers. Day then goes back into his home and comes out with a pellet gun and shoots an officer in the face. The officers return fire, killing Day. The pellet gun looked like a real gun. No charges against the officers. No civil suit.
Christian Taylor- Taylor, a university football player, drives to a car dealership while high on marijuana and synthetic hallucinogens. He begins to smash car windows at the dealership before driving his car through the show room window. Police arrive, but only a probationary rookie pursues Taylor inside. He orders Taylor to the ground, but Taylor charges him. The rookie opens fire, killing Taylor. The rookie is summarily fired. No charges against the officer. Family settles lawsuit for $850k.
Troy Robinson- Robinson is the passenger of a car during a routine traffic stop. The driver tells the police he has a gun in the car. When the police ask them to exit the vehicle so that they can retrieve the gun, Robinson flees on foot. As Robinson is scaling an 8 foot wall he is shot with a taser and falls. He suffers a broken neck and dies. There is no explanation for why he decided to run, as he had no warrants. No charges are brought against the officer. Family settles lawsuit for $3.35 million.
Asshams Pharaoh Manley- An officer is on patrol when he hears a car crash nearby. Manley attempts to flee the crash on foot. The officer pursues and a struggle ensues over the officer’s gun. Even after Manley is shot, he continues to fight with the police. A second officer tases Manley, and only after a third officer arrives are they able to subdue him. He dies later from his injury. Manley had expressed suicidal thoughts to his family recently and was high on opiates and marijuana at the time of the incident. No charges against the officer, and no civil suit.
Felix Kumi- An undercover cop in a gun buy sting gets robbed by the suspect. When the officer opens fire on the suspect, Kumi, an innocent bystander, is accidentally hit and dies. The officer is not charged with the murder, but he quits the force and suffers PTSD over it. The robber is charged with murder but found not guilty. The family settles for $1.1 million.
Keith Harrison McLeod- McLeod tries to buy narcotic cough syrup with a forged prescription. He flees on foot when the officer arrives but winds up in an enclosed lot. Video shows him charging the officer with an arm behind his back before swinging his arm out, then the officer shoots him. Witness testimony has McLeod threatening to kill the officer and the officer pleading with him “You don’t wanna do this.” No charges against the officer, no civil suit.
Junior Prosper- Prosper crashes a taxi on an interstate entrance ramp. Prosper flees up the ramp on foot. Responding officer, an African-American, chases Prosper into grassy area. Prosper fights with the officer. The officer attempts to tase Propser. Prosper bites the officer’s finger to the bone. Officer shoots Propser, who dies from the wound. Officer is charged with manslaughter but found not guilty. No civil suit.
Lamontez Jones- Jones, a convicted murderer with open warrants for armed robbery, was being contacted by a patrolman for disrupting traffic. Jones ran into the street and pulled a replica gun from his backpack. Two officers shot Jones, killing him. No charges against the officers. No civil suit.
Paterson Brown- Brown attempts to steal an off-duty cop’s car from a car wash while extremely high. The off-duty cop, an African-American, orders Brown out of the vehicle several times. Brown and the officer struggle over control of the door when the car moves forward and the officer shoots Brown in the thigh, which proves to be fatal. The officer is convicted and serves 3 months in jail. No civil suit.
Dominic Hutchinson- Police respond to a domestic violence call. Hutchinson shouts from within his home 3 different times that he has a gun. He then opens the door and rushes the police with a broken binocular in his hand. Police shoot him, in what is ruled a suicide by cop. No charges against the officers. No civil suit.
Anthony Ashford- Ashford is removed from the lobby of a Holiday Inn before he goes through the parking lot looking into the cars. An African-American officer approaches and Ashford charges at him, attacking him. Ashford attempts to grab the officer’s gun with both hands. Officer’s taser is deployed, hitting both. Officer shoots Ashford as he charges at the officer again. No charges against the officer. No civil suit.
Alonzo Smith- Smith runs through an apartment complex screaming that someone is trying to kill him. “Special Police” security guards respond. Smith climbs up a ladder onto the roof where the guards tackle him and cuff him. When police arrive Smith is already dead, having suffered cardiac arrest from massive amount of cocaine while being restrained. No charges against the security guards.
Tyree Crawford- Crawford is one of 6 occupants of a Jaguar that had been carjacked earlier that day. When police spot the car, the suspects attempt to flee, and the police pursue. Crawford attempts to flee on foot mid-chase and is struck by the pursuing police vehicle and killed. No charges against the officer driving, and no civil suit.
India Kager- SWAT Officers are planning a vehicle takedown of Kager’s boyfriend, Perry, a suspect in multiple violent crimes, including 2 murders, in the previous 26 days. Police suspect that Kager is taking Perry to commit another murder. They box in her car when she pulls into a 7-Eleven and throw a flash bang grenade. Perry begins shooting at the SWAT officers, hitting one in the vest. Officers open fire on the vehicle, killing both Perry and Kager. A jury finds two of the officers guilty of gross negligence and awards her family an $800k settlement.
La’Vante Biggs- Officers respond to a call about an armed suicidal male. A 1 hour standoff ensues, where police attempt to negotiate with Biggs to drop his gun. When Biggs charges toward the officers while holding his gun, they open fire killing him. Biggs was out on bond from an arrest earlier that day. Ruled a suicide by cop. Gun turned out to be an Airsoft revolver that looked identical to a real gun. No charges against the officer, no civil suit.
Michael Lee Marshall- Marshall, a homeless schizophrenic, is in jail for a minor disturbance at a motel. While in jail, Marshall is pushed by an officer to sit back down on a bench, but the video does not show the push to be overly aggressive. Marshall slumps and falls to the ground. Several officers surround Marshall, checking on him and attempting to revive him. They perform CPR but are unsuccessful. His death is ruled as choking on his own vomit. No charges against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $4.6 million.
Jamar Clark- Police and paramedics respond to a large fight at a birthday party. While Clark’s girlfriend is being treated by paramedics, Clark begins to fight with them. Police step in and Clark grabs one of their guns, from which DNA evidence is retrieved on the handle. Officers shoot Clark, killing him. No charges against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $200k.
Richard Perkins- Perkins, while high on near toxic levels of meth and morphine, approaches a group of 13 officers who are busy impounding vehicles. Video shows him lift his shirt and pull out a gun and point it at officers. The officers scatter and shoot Perkins. The gun is later found to be an Airsoft gun. No charges against the officers. Judge dismisses lawsuit.
Nathaniel Harris Pickett- Pickett, a mentally ill man, had been previously convicted twice of resisting arrest. A deputy sees Pickett jump a fence into a motel parking lot. The deputy tries to question Pickett, when Pickett gives him a false name. The deputy tries to arrest Pickett, then Pickett fights him. The deputy is struck multiple times by Pickett before finally shooting him. The deputy is treated for multiple injuries, including broken bones. A jury awards $33.5 million to Pickett’s parents, despite to shooting being ruled justified.
Bennie Lee Tignor- Police attempt a routine traffic stop on Tignor. Tignor does not immediately pull over but drives to a residence. He exits the vehicle and tries to enter the residence. Officer tries to stop him, and a struggle ensues. Dash cam video shows Tignor with a small caliber pistol in his hand. Officer draws his gun and shoots Tignor, killing him. No charges against the officer. No civil suit.
Miguel Espinal- Police attempt to stop Espinal for having illegally dark window tint. Espinal flees, hitting 2 cars, before driving the wrong way on a freeway, where he hits three more cars. Espinal runs on foot into some woods where an officer tackles him. Espinal fights the officer and attempts to grab his gun.Officer shoots Espinal, killing him. Officer is cleared in the shooting, and there is no civil suit.
Michael Noel- Noel, a schizophrenic, has police called by his mother to remove him from her home and bring him to a treatment facility. Police attempt to cuff Noel, but he breaks free and uses the partially secured cuffs as a weapon, striking officers. Both officers try to tase Noel, but there is no effect. They then shoot him once, killing him. This was the fourth protective order filed against Noel that year, and this order cited that Noel had been suicidal and hallucinating. No charges against the officers. No civil suit.
Kevin Matthews- Police are called to a gas station where Matthews is harassing a clerk to give him a Red Bull for free. Upon arrival officers ask Matthews to exit the gas station, but he flees and they lose track of him. About 12 hours later the next morning, another officer spots Matthews and is aware of the incident from the prior shift, as well as an open warrant for Matthews. He approaches Matthews to detain him and Matthews runs. The officer catches up to Matthews in the backyard of a residence, where an intense struggle ensues. The struggle ends in the driveway with Matthews in possession of the officer’s spare magazine, standing over the officer who is on his back. The officer fires his gun into Matthews 9 times. Responding officer notes that the shooting officer was all scuffed up and muddy, with multiple items from his belt strewn around. At one point Matthews had possession of the officer’s pepper spray, though the spray was found in the next yard. No charges against the officer. No civil suit.
Bettie Jones- Officers respond to a domestic violence call at the apartment upstairs from Jones. Jones opens the door for the officers to let them in. The assailant, LeGrier, charges down the stairs swinging a baseball bat at the officer, nearly striking him. The officer opens fire, inadvertently hitting Jones as well. Ruled accidental. The officer is charged with wrongful death but found not guilty. The city pays her family $16 million.
Quintonio Legrier- Legrier calls 911 3 times asking for help in a flat tone, saying that someone is trying to kill him. He only identifies himself as Q. His father, Antonio Legrier, also calls 911, in a panicked tone, saying that his son is trying to break into his bedroom with a baseball bat. When police arrive Legrier charges them with the baseball bat and they shoot him. Initially Legrier’s family is awarded $1.5 million, but a judge reverses it due to the legitimate threat on the officer’s life. Thought to be suicide by cop.
Keith Childress, Jr.- Police arrive to assist US Marshals in the arrest of Childress for convictions on armed robbery, burglary, assault, and kidnapping. Police issue 24 commands to Childress to surrender, but he fails to comply with any of the commands. When he walks toward them with a black object in his hand, they shoot him. The object is found to be a cellphone. The police had also issued multiple commands for Childress to “drop the gun” and warned him he would be shot. They also warned him multiple times to not walk toward them. No charges against the officers, and no civil suit.
Janet Wilson- Wilson, a mentally ill woman who is off her medication, goes to a shopping mall and screams at store employees. She attempts to flee when the police are called. Dash cam video shows her being pursued in a vehicular chase. Officers exit their vehicle and command her to stop her car. She stops, but then drives forward again, while an officer is standing near the front of the vehicle. Officers open fire, killing her. No charges against the officers, but the city agrees to a $1.5 million settlement.
Randy Nelson- A hospital calls police when a mentally ill man violently struggles with staff and refuses treatment. Body cam shows him fighting police and striking hospital staff. Police use a taser to subdue him. The use of the taser causes cardiac and respiratory arrest. Nelson is resuscitated, but 5 days later he dies. No charges against the officer. Family lawsuit dismissed.
Antronie Scott- Undercover police are tailing Scott for warrants on drugs and weapons. They call a uniformed cop to approach Scott. The officer approaches Scott and commands, “Show me your hands.” Scott whirls around too quickly and the officer shoots him. This is clear excessive force. The shooting officer is terminated and later dies from cardiac arrest. No civil suit found.
Wendell Celestine- Celestine is arrested on an unrelated event and brought to the hospital with hypothermia. He walks out of the hospital against doctors’ orders. 2 days later police find him in a parked car on a dead-end street and a violent struggle ensues. Celestine punches one cop and picks up another, slamming him on the ground. The police use a “sleeper” choke hold on Celestine and handcuff him. After he wakes, he continues to resist. Officers attempt to put him in a full WRAP device. He again loses consciousness and dies. He is found to have extremely high levels of meth in his system. Jury rules the death an accident. No charges or civil suit.
David Joseph- Joseph has increasing delirium, saying that Lucifer is after him and that he was one of the 3 Kings, but two of them had to die. Responding officer calls for backup before he even arrives. Officer was planning to hold Joseph until backup arrives. He gives Joseph multiple commands to “stop” that are ignored. Witness states that officer did not pull his gun until Joseph was 8 feet away, and shots were determined to have occurred from 2-3 feet away. The officer shoots Joseph when he charges at him, despite Joseph being naked and unarmed. Joseph is found to have been high on Xanax and Marijuana. The officer is fired. City settles lawsuit for $3.5 million.
Calin Roquemore- Roquemore flees police during a traffic stop. He leaves his vehicle in a trailer park and runs. Trooper runs after him into pitch black dark and when Roquemore trips, the trooper commands him to show his hands several times, but Roquemore does not comply. Trooper shoots him. Trooper administers aid and care to Roquemore while waiting for EMT. Roquemore dies on the way to the hospital. No charges against the officer. No civil suit found.
Dyzhawn Perkins- Perkins assaults 2 people in a grocery store. He then breaks into a residence and assaults an elderly couple. Police catch up to him at another residence, where Perkins jumps through a double-pane window to attack them. He fights with the troopers, grabbing for one of their guns. They shoot him and he dies. Family would not authorize the release of the toxicology report. No charges against the officers, no civil suit.
Christopher Davis- Davis rides along in his own car with his girlfriend’s cousin to buy drugs. Police are involved on a drug sting but backup officers arrive too early and spook the driver of Davis’ car. Officer Ortiz, a Hispanic-American, runs up on foot to stop the car from leaving, and winds up shooting into it, as the car is driving toward him. He only hits Davis, who dies. The shooting is ruled justified. No charges against the officer, civil suit dismissed.
Marco Loud- An off-duty deputy working as a security guard spots Loud attempting a carjacking in a Walgreens parking lot. Loud fights the deputy. The deputy attempts to tase Loud but fails. Loud grabs the taser and hits the deputy. The deputy draws his gun and shoots Loud. No charges, no civil suit.
Peter Gaines- Gaines, high on drugs, is seen by an officer damaging a street sign. The officer questions him from his car. Gaines seems agitated, curses the officer and screams “fuck life”. He then charges at the officer twice, and twice the officer tases him. The third time he charges, the officer shoots him. No charges against the officer, no civil suit found.
Torrey Robinson- Robinson suffers severe cuts while breaking into a home through the window. The homeowners find Robinson crawling on the floor bleeding, trying to get into another bedroom. They call 911 and the sheriff’s department and EMT respond. Deputies don’t want to cuff Robinson due to his condition, but wind up having to tase him a few times over 11 minutes until EMT arrives. Robinson loses consciousness and is taken to the hospital where he later dies. No charges against the deputies, no civil suit.
Darius Robinson- Robinson is jailed for failure to pay child support. While in his jail cell he becomes violent and agitated. When jailers open his cell to check on him, Robinson charges them. Jailers use pepper spray on him and place him in a choke hold. He later becomes unresponsive while handcuffed on the floor. Autopsy revels a broken neck, and rules cause of death as asphyxiation. No charges against any jailers. Family seeks $75 million.
Kevin Hicks- Hicks’ wife calls police to remove Hicks from their car after he strikes her repeatedly. Their child is present. She pulls into a gas station where an officer is waiting. The three speak outside of the vehicle. When the officer touches Hicks’ arm, Hicks attacks him. A fight ensues, where Hicks attempts to gain control of the officer’s gun. The officer shoots Hicks. The officer is treated for a bite and concussion. Surveillance captures the fight, but not the shooting. No charges are brought against the officer. The wife sues the city and police.
Mary Truxillo- Truxillo, a 72-year-old woman, fails to stop at a stop sign and is hit by an officer responding to a 911 call. She dies from the crash and he suffers a broken leg. Her family sues the department for wrongful death. No charges against the officer. The family files a civil suit.
Demarcus Semer- During a routine traffic stop police see and smell marijuana in Semer’s car. They order him to get out, but he puts the car in drive and tries to pull away. One officer, Holmes, is thrown to the ground by the car, injuring his knee. A second officer, MacNaught, jumps into the car to avoid getting run over. Holmes thinks that MacNaught is about to be run over so he shoots twice into the car. The bullets lodge into the car. MacNaught thinks that Semer is the shooter. Macnaught jolts Semer with his taser. Semer jumps out of the car and runs around to the front of the car. MacNaught thinks that Semer is coming to shoot him, so when Semer whirls toward him with an object in his hand, MacNaught fires his gun at him, killing him. Semer was holding a cellphone. No charges against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $300k.
Willie Tillman- Police pull Tillman over for driving without headlights at 2:30 a.m. When they ask him to exit his vehicle, Tillman dives into his car and tries to drive off. Both officers get into his vehicle and tase him. Tillman fights the officers and takes one of their tasers and uses it against them. Tillman wrestles one officer for his gun, where fingerprints are found from Tillman. Officer shoots Tillman 3 times. No charges against the officers. No civil suit.
Terrill Thomas- Thomas is arrested for firing a gun inside a casino. He suffers from bipolar disorder and is shortly moved into isolation. Thomas floods his first cell by stuffing his mattress cover into the toilet. Jailers cut off water to his cell. 7 days later he is dead from severe dehydration. 3 jailers, all African-American, are charged with murder. Family sues and wins $7 million.
Sylville Smith- Officers approach Smith while they suspect he is conducting a drug deal from his car. Smith flees and a short chase ensues, where body cam video shows Smith fall, and then pick up his gun from the ground. One of the officers, an African-American, shoots Smith once while Smith is throwing his gun over the fence, and a second time after the gun is out of Smith’s hand. After a trial it is ruled the second shot was justified. Officer is tried for murder but found not guilty. No civil suit.
Alton Sterling- Officers respond to a call that Sterling is threatening people with a gun as he sells CDs at a convenience store parking lot. Officers arrive to question Sterling, who refuses to comply. Officers instruct Sterling to place his hands on the hood of his car, which he refuses to do. They tase him and wrestle him to the ground. While on the ground the officers are not in control of Sterling’s right arm. He keeps trying to reach for his pocket where a loaded .38 is. Officers shoot him as he continues to try to reach for his gun. No charges against the officers. Civil suit is pending.
Philandro Castile- During a routine traffic stop Castile, after already handing the officer his insurance, informs the officer, a Hispanic-American, that he has a weapon. Castile had a legal permit to carry. The officer immediately instructs Castile to not move or reach for anything, but Castile continues to reach, saying that he is not reaching for his gun. Even Castile’s girlfriend says that he was reaching for his ID. Because he fails to obey the officer’s commands to not reach for anything, the officer shoots him 4 times, killing him. The gun is found by paramedics in Castile’s front pocket. The officer is found not guilty of manslaughter charges. Family settles lawsuit for $3 million.
Terrence Crutcher- High on toxic levels of PCP and TCP, Crutcher leaves his SUV running in the middle of the street, blocking traffic. Police respond to 911 calls as Crutcher approaches people claiming his SUV is going to explode. When police arrive, Crutcher does not respond to commands, keeps reaching into his pockets, refusing to show his hands, and walking towards his vehicle and reaching into it. Police open fire when he reaches into it. Video confirms this. The officer is charged with murder but found not guilty. Civil suit dismissed.
Paul O’Neal- O’Neal steals a Jaguar. The police spot him driving the stolen car and give chase. O’Neal strikes two police vehicles, a parked car, and a police officer with his car. Police fire at O’Neal while he is driving, but he is not struck by the bullets. O’Neal flees on foot and one officer pursues him into a backyard. The officer, a Hispanic-American, shoots him once in the back as he is fleeing. Two officers are fired for reckless shooting, but none are charged. City settles family lawsuit for $6.65 million.
Alteria Woods- Sherriff’s department execute a search warrant on the home of Andrew Coffee for his shooting of a corrections deputy. Coffee uses Woods as a human shield while shooting at the deputies. Deputies return fire, killing Woods. Coffee is not killed in the incident and is charged with Woods’ death. No civil suit found.
Jordon Edwards- Officers respond to a 911 call about several teens walking around drunk and a large party of over 100 people. Officers hear gun shots when they arrive, which creates panic, and partygoers flee. An officer opens fire on a fleeing car, killing Edwards. The officer is charged and found guilty of murder, and sentenced to 15 years. Family is planning a civil suit.
Aaron Bailey- Bailey, who is under house arrest for robbery, gets drunk and then goes out driving, intending to sell counterfeit cocaine. Officers run his plates and see his license is suspended. When officers pull Bailey over, they see he has multiple robbery arrests, and that his passenger is wanted for murder. When officers tell them to exit the vehicle, Bailey rolls up his window and drives off, leading the officers on a high speed chase before crashing. When officers arrive at the crash, Bailey ignores commands to show his hands and keeps rummaging around the center console. When Bailey reaches for the glove box, officers open fire, killing him. No charges against the officers. Family settles lawsuit for $650k.
Ronell Foster- Foster is seen riding a bicycle in a weaving pattern. Officer attempts to pull Foster over but Foster rides away. Officer pursues and a struggle occurs. Officer tases Foster, but it is ineffective. Foster grabs officer’s flashlight and attempts to hit him with it, forcing the officer to open fire, killing Foster. Body cam confirms. No charges against officer. City settles lawsuit with his family for $5.7 million.
Stephon Clark- Police respond to 911 call of a man, Clark, breaking into cars. They spot Clark in his grandmother’s driveway and order him to show his hands. Clark runs to the backyard, where the officers pursue, still shouting, “Show me your hands.” Clark then whirls around on the officers while holding a black object, and they shoot him. The object was a cellphone. Texts from Clark’s phone reveal he was suicidal and researching suicide methods. The city settles a lawsuit with his family for $2.5 million.
Antwon Rose II- Rose participates in a drive-by shooting, where he wounds one person. Police spot the vehicle used, which has bullet holes in it, and tell the occupants to exit the vehicle. Rose and another suspect flee. An officer fires 3 shots into Rose as he flees, killing him. Officer is arrested and charged with homicide but found not guilty. City settles lawsuit with his family for $2 million.
Botham Jean- An off-duty female officer returns to her apartment building but goes to the wrong floor and enters the wrong apartment. She kills Jean, who was the apartment leaseholder, while he is eating ice cream. She is found guilty of murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Because the officer was off duty, the family’s lawsuit against the city is dismissed.
Pamela Turner- A Hispanic-American officer goes to Turner’s apartment to arrest her for outstanding warrants. Turner, a schizophrenic, struggles with the officer as he tries to cuff her. Turner gains control of the officer’s taser, which can be heard activating on a video of the incident and tries to use it on the officer before he shoots her. The officer is indicted on aggravated assault chargers, the verdict of which is still pending.
Dominique Clayton- Clayton is killed by an officer, who was her former lover, when he breaks into her home and shoots her while she is sleeping. He was arrested and is standing trial for murder.
Atatiana Jefferson- Police respond to a call on a non-emergency line that Jefferson’s door was left open. They respond to the call around 2:30 a.m., by walking through her yard into her backyard. Jefferson is alerted by her nephew that someone is walking around the yard and she approaches the window with her gun. Police see her in the window and shoot her. Body cam does not show that her gun was visible in the window, just her face. Body cam does not show officer identifying himself as police before shooting. The officer was arrested and is facing murder charges. Her family is expected to receive a large settlement.
Christopher Witfield- Sherriff’s department is called when Witfield, a mentally ill man, is stealing raw chicken and eggs from the back of a convenience store. Witfield flees from the deputy. The deputy, an African-American, fires a warning shot into the ground while pursuing. He catches up to Witfield and a struggle ensues. Witfield bumps the deputy’s weapon, causing a discharge, which kills Witfield. A grand jury clears the deputy of wrongdoing. No civil suit found.
Christopher McCorvey- Police are called when McCorvey burglarizes several homes in an area. When they arrive and try to arrest him, he resists arrest. He flees on foot and jumps a fence. Officers chase him down and tase him several times to subdue him, but he continues to resist. Finally, they touch tase him and succeed in arresting him, but have to take him to a hospital for a cardiac event, from which he dies. McCorvey was obese. Family is expected to sue.
Eric Reason- An off-duty police officer, who is an African-American, is confronted by Reason in a parking lot over a parking dispute. Reason retrieves a gun from his car and brandishes it at the officer, threatening him. As Reason walks away toward his car, the officer draws his own weapon and fires at Reason, striking him. Reason then flees off screen from surveillance video, while still possessing his gun. The officer continues to shoot at Reason, killing him. The officer later dies of COVID-19. No civil suit.
Michael Lorenzo Dean- During a routine traffic stop, Dean does not immediately pull over. When he does pull over, the officer pulls his car in front of Dean’s to prevent him from leaving. The officer, a Hispanic-American, approaches Dean’s vehicle with his weapon drawn. The officer orders Dean to give him his keys. Dean hands the officer his keys, and while the officer is grabbing the keys with his left hand, his right hand jerks back, causing his gun to fire a single shot into Dean’s head. The officer has been charged with manslaughter. Family is expected to sue.
Breonna Taylor- Police execute a no-knock warrant on Taylor’s home to search for drugs because her ex-boyfriend traffics drugs from her home. Although the warrant is no-knock, police knock and announce themselves. Taylor’s boyfriend, who is also on the warrant for drug distribution, fires at police through the door, hitting one of them in the leg. Police return fire into the home, killing Taylor. The city settled a lawsuit with her family for $12 million dollars.
George Floyd- Police are called when Floyd is attempting to use counterfeit money at convenience store. Two initial responding officers, one Asian-American, the other Hispanic-American, approach Floyd in his own vehicle where he is behaving oddly. While sitting in his own car, before police ever touch him, body cam footage shows Floyd complaining “I can’t breathe.” Once the officers get Floyd out of his car and cuff him, he continues to complain that he can’t breathe. Officers notice Floyd’s erratic behavior and foam around his mouth. They ask Floyd if he is on anything. He says “no”. When they place Floyd in their car he thrashes around. Floyd falls to the ground at least once prior to the famous incident. After the two other officers arrive, including Chauvin, Floyd continues to complain that he can’t breathe. Video shows Floyd struggle with the police in the back seat of their cruiser before falling out onto the ground, where Chauvin kneels on his back and neck. Floyd continues to complain that he “can’t breathe” before he dies. Autopsy reveals that Floyd had a lethal dose of fentanyl in his system as well as meth. Autopsy also showed that Floyd was positive for COVID-19, which he had told officers about. He died of cardiac arrest. All four police officers involved were arrested and charged with murder and manslaughter. Floyd’s family is suing the city.