Cops Still Killing Black People in 2016 But The Media And The Nation Has Stopped Paying Attention

Media Madness for The Trumpster has caused  the lives of black lives lost at the hands of the police to pushed to the back burner. The total Trumptastrophe of the master of the soundbite, has taking over every form of media in 2016. I want to say its about ratings and to a degree is it. We can always rely on Donald Trump for providing us with the most ridiculous and outrageous quotes that generate great ratings.

It could also be a conscious effort of the corporate controlled mass media, to defuse the ever growing Black Lives Matter Movement nationwide. It could also be that we as a people have become so desensitized to the many police killings, that we are not even paying attention anymore ourselves. Whatever the case, what I can tell you is the police haven’t stopped killing unarmed citizens, especially blacks, it’s just no longer leading on the nightly news anymore. Here are just three examples of black lives lost in the month of February 2016, that many of you probably have never heard of.

David Joseph Killed By Austin, Texas Police February 8th 

On Feb 8th, David Joseph, who was completely naked and standing in the middle of the street, was laying dying on the asphalt after Austin, Texas Police Officer Geoffrey Freeman shot him through the heart, after just seconds of verbal contact. Joseph a 17-year-old known to his friends as Pronto, was never a threat to Officer Freeman or anyone else.

Medical examiners would officially describe Joseph as African-American, 5 feet 7 inches tall and 146 pounds. Freeman, 46-years-old and also black, stood at the same height, but was nearly 100 pounds heavier than the teen. A toxicology report later found traces of marijuana, the prescription drug Xanax and an antihistamine in Joseph’s system. It’s still unclear what drove him to strip off his clothes and run around the neighborhood.

According to a statement from the Joseph family, “Toxicology results only showed an antihistamine, marijuana, and Xanax” in David’s system. “The autopsy also clearly shows there was some distance between Officer Freeman and David when the shots were fired, because there was no gunshot residue found on David’s body. The evidence from the medical examiner shows there was no up-close struggle where Officer Freeman had to pull his gun,” said Attorney Jeff Edwards.

David Joseph is one of the nearly 300 people police have shot and killed so far this year, according to The Washington Post’s unofficial tally. And like the rest of the names on that list, and unlike Eric Garner, Mike Brown or Akai Gurley, most likely you’re probably never heard of Joseph or his story.

That’s because there was no mention of Joseph on CNN, Fox News or MSNBC on the day he died, or on any day since, according to a Huffington Post review of programming. Instead, according the the Huffington Post, cable news gleefully reported that Donald Trump had called his Republican opponent Texas Sen. Ted Cruz a “pussy.”

The term was flung into the political orbit just a day before the New Hampshire primary as Trump was discussing Cruz’s apparent hesitation during the last GOP debate on whether he would support waterboarding. The schoolyard insult prompted numerous segments, including “experts” speculating on whether the billionaire’s vulgarity would sink his candidacy. (It didn’t.)

Sleeping Black Couple Killed In Car by Inglewood Police, February 23rd

An African-American couple, Kisha Michael, 31, a single mother of three sons, and Marquintan Sandlin, 32, a single father of four daughters, both asleep the early morning of Sunday, Feb 23rd, were shot and killed by Ingelwood Police.

Both the man and woman who were mortally wounded during an officer involved shooting were unconscious when Inglewood police first responded to where they were sitting in a car, said Inglewood, California Mayor James Butts Tuesday, February 23rd  in response to questions about the incident.

“Obviously at some point they were conscious because somebody felt threatened,” said Butts, a retired law enforcement officer who previously had served as police chief in other cities. He said it is important for police to finish their investigation, and verify facts, before commenting further.

Police previously had stated responding officers saw the woman had a gun, retreated to behind cover, and then gave orders for the couple to exit the vehicle.

Friends and family of the two victims said they didn’t know why either would be in possession of a gun. The specific reason why deadly force was used is still unknown at this time. Officers initially claimed that the couple was combative and that the woman had a gun in her hand. However, there was never an indication of a gun being pointed at the officers. Police who were on the scene were not harmed. Michael’s sister later said that she never owned a gun.

The murder is another incident which proves that some police officers believe that they can violate human rights without consequence. The nation won’t be able to move forward on the issue of police brutality and murder until lawmakers hold all police accountable for unprovoked violence on citizens. There are too many incidents of Blacks being killed by police, most of whom were never a threat to officers or the public.

Instead, a father of four and a mother of three are now dead because police officers could not find a way to wake up a couple who had the right to be parked on the side of the road.

24-Year-Old Akiel Denkins Killed by Raleigh Police Office, February 29th- Officer Not Charged With A Crime

Another name you may not be familiar with is 24-year-old African-American unarmed male, Akiel Denkins who was shot and killed by Senior Raleigh Police Officer D.C. Twiddy in the chest, both arms and right shoulder, on Feb. 29th. Rolanda Byrd, Denkins’ mother, said her son was shot in the back while running away from police near Bragg and East streets.