Today’s news updates include: cops indicted for beating a cop; a former cop indicted for murder; possible fraud in a North Carolina Congressional election; and the new NAFTA.
Cops Indicted for Beating another Cop
In September of 2017, Jason Stockley, a white former St. Louis police officer, was acquitted of murder after he shot Anthony Lamar Smith, who was black. During the protests that followed the acquittal, three St Louis police officers beat a fourth officer who was in the protests working undercover.
The three officers have now been indicted in the beating of their colleague. The indictment says the officers used unreasonable force against someone who wasn’t posing a threat. The indictment includes texts sent between the officers before and after the protests. Dustin Boon, one of the indicted, sent a text saying, “A lot of cops gettin hurt, but it’s still a blast beating people that deserve it.
A fourth officer has been indicted for providing false statements in an attempt to help hide the truth.
A former Cop Indicted for Murder
A Dallas County, Texas grand jury has indicted former Dallas police Officer Amber R. Guyger on a charge of murder in the shooting death of Botham Jean. Mr. Jean, who was black, was watching television in his apartment when Guyger, who is white, shot him. Mr. Jean’s apartment was one floor above Ms. Guyger’s apartment. Guyger mistakenly believed Mr. Jean’s apartment was hers. Finding him inside, she drew her weapon and shot him twice.
Possible Fraud in a North Carolina Congressional Election
The North Carolina State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement declined to certify a very narrow win in the state’s Ninth Congressional District for Republican Mark Harris over Democrat Dan McCready. On a 7-2 vote, the Board decided to hold an evidentiary hearing on before December 21st to explore claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities related to absentee ballots in some rural parts of the district.
Voters have provided sworn affidavits indicating they were visited by people claiming to be be collecting absentee ballots. In Bladen County, 40 percent of requested absentee ballots were not returned. In neighboring Robeson County, 62 percent of requested absentee ballots were not returned.
The New NAFTA
Trump has signed the United States, Mexico, Canada agreement (which he hopes replaces NAFTA). Democratic politicians and some labor unions have already come out agains the deal, claiming it doesn’t do enough to raise wages in Mexico. Since the deal needs Congressional approval, there is certainly no guarantee it will ever become binding.