I just did a quick search for “Memphis” to make sure there wasn’t a threat about the horrible murder by the police in that city. There does not seem to be one. (There are threads about lots of bad things that have happened in that city. Tough town.)
The story of the murder of Tyre Nichols is well-known at this point. There simply cannot be any justification. It got even worse when we discovered the medical people were part of it. These are supposed to save lives.
But there is an under-reported development. It is sort-of related. The other day, a pair of policemen were called to a public library in the nice part of town. A homeless person (or an “unhoused person” if you prefer) was making trouble and was reported for trespassing. There was no fight it seems. The guy pulled out a gun and shot and wounded a policeman. His partner shot better and killed the trespasser.
I see today’s New York Times has an article detailing all the horrible stuff that has happened in Memphis of late. (But not the policeman being shot.) It is a hot mess.
The Memphis Police Department uses excessive force and discriminates against Black people, according to the findings of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation launched after the beating death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop in 2023.
Yet Memphis is 64% black. The Mayor is black as is the majority of the city council.
I find it rather odd that the black Mayor and majority black City Council decided to have a Police Department which discriminates against blacks.