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Attorneys general in 14 states are urging federal intervention following Texas Governor Greg Abbot’s pardoning of Daniel Perry, who fatally shot a Black Lives Matter protester in 2020. Perry had been convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the lawyers called for an investigation into allegations that Perry violated the victim Garrett Foster’s federal civil rights by “killing someone for racial reasons in order to prevent him from exercising constitutional rights.” [KUT]
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Gun control advocates are pushing for Michigan’s Democratic-led Legislature to pass a law that would require the subjects of restraining orders to relinquish their firearms. Michigan is one of 12 states that do not have such a requirement for personal protection orders, according to Giffords. [Bridge Michigan]
Life has been upended in the no-stoplight, 900-person town of Sturgeon, Missouri, where last month a police officer shot and killed Teddy, a 13-pound blind and deaf pet dog, moments after arriving on the scene to help him find his owner. Outrage grew after the former mayor, who resigned without citing a reason, initially defended the now-suspended officer. After viewing video footage, retired police lieutenant James Crosby, who wrote the Justice Department’s manual on law enforcement dog encounters, said the shooting could be the “least justifiable dog shooting I’ve ever witnessed in my 30-plus years working with law enforcement.” [The Washington Post]
After getting caught while trying to steal a car, an 18-year-old in Philadelphia told the arresting officers that he had information about four murders. It was his first run-in with the police, and he was panicked. But he followed through, later testifying before a grand jury at a public trial; he now lives with ongoing threats to his safety. His actions helped multiple families see justice, and removed some of Philly’s most prolific shooters from the streets. [The Philadelphia Inquirer]
Starting July 1, it will be a misdemeanor in Colorado to knowingly carry a firearm on school grounds, polling places, or inside a government building. The law applies to the open and concealed carry of guns, but it carves out exceptions for law enforcement, military, and security personnel. Concealed carry permit holders will be allowed to keep their weapons in parking lots adjacent to banned locations. [The Denver Post]
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With Abuse Victims Trapped at Home, Detroit Moves Restraining Order System Online: The tool could be a model for making it easier for people to seek court protection from domestic violence, even beyond the pandemic. (May 2020)
