The shocking murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of the police is a painful reminder of the systemic issues that plague American law enforcement. As a European, it is difficult to understand how it must feel to live in a country where the very people who were sworn in to protect you can threaten your safety, especially if you are black. Police violence takes the lives of innocent citizens whose taxpayer dollars are used to fund them.
The senselessness, the nightmarish brutality, the heartbreak another family suffers needlessly.
A young man lays dying while calling out for his mother when he should have been sitting at her dinner table. All at the hands of monsters sworn to protect and to serve.
It’s true this is a horror played out in few other countries and certainly not one that’s considered as advanced as the United States. The obsession with firearms is an anathema that is a cancer to our society.
Thank you for your clear analysis of this loathsome curse.
I think sunsets will remind me of Tyre Nichols for a while.
The title you wrote “breaking the cycle of brutality: Tyre Nichols murder and the need for systemic reform” says it all and your article also explain the very sad situation and the solution to it.
Lizzi Pi always has her finger on the pulse of your breaking reports on Substack. Your analysis and hers are spot on. The release of the videos, body cam footage just put fire on the sensationalism in the media that will not let this young, loved, talented father RIP. Two oddities about this instance are that the violence was perpetrated by Blacks on one of their kind. The other is that firearms were not used to murder him. It was a brutal beating with “nightsticks” and “pepper spray” all the while kicking him on the ground while he was already subdued for what crime remains elusive.
It is the most tragic in recent weeks while we have seen four mass shootings in less than a month’s time, unrelated but indicative of the violence permeating our culture. There are more firearms in America than there are people and yet despite President Biden’s best efforts, legislation to bring a semblance of peace has not passed our governing bodies due almost entirely to the lobbyists for the NRA who choose the “right to bear arms” over the very real human right to life. This must change if we are to survive as a society. I understand that the five Black officers were immediately fired and are facing charges of assault, kidnapping, and first degree murder. May their pending arraignments and trials bring justice to Tyre and his mourning family. One can only hope this public outrage is enough to turn the tide toward justice for all victims of senseless violence and loss of innocent life. The time is now or we are surely LOST 😡.
I suppose very long, likely lifelong, sentences can be expected for the five and I would welcome that. But more people are guilty here. How is it possible that not even one in these five protests at the very first sign of abuse by a colleague? People much higher up are responsible for a culture of violence, this can't be an incident, there is a structure in place that explains how this could be possible and those responsible for that structure should be prosecuted. I expect that soon stories will appear of these monsters having misbehaved in various ways in the past, those in leading positions that did tolerate that are guilty too.
There are so many links in the chain of violence and racism, corporate power and greed, from 1619 to the present day that I am unable at this moment to bring clarity out of chaos, in part due to the overwhelming grief and sensationalism encouraged by the media for their own profits; there are no easily dissected answers. I am reminded that we are an imperfect colonized nation guilty of genocide of indigenous peoples, followed by the desire of the Founding Fathers who sought a more perfect Union while increasing their own wealth by impregnating slaves who were property. The education of our children has long been lacking in truth; the endeavor to hide both the origins of our nation and the liberal components that have flourished recently increases the “volume” of hate rhetoric while capitalism rewards the trillionaires and leaves thousands homeless in our streets. I am aware many nations, democracies or otherwise, have histories that are not pretty. Germany comes to mind; the contrast of Hitler’s Nazi atrocities versus the now support for Ukraine. Time changes people and perceptions as they (hopefully) learn from history. I will attempt for myself to ferret out how we came to this point, but it will take more than today. One salient point I will offer now is the rapid arrest of these five BLACK officers, charged with assault, kidnapping, and second degree murder in very short order. I see what comes next: these officers were BLACK. So why are so many WHITE perpetrators of similar incidents still
waiting to be identified, arraigned, punished for similar crimes? Do you see the riots on our horizon? So very many pieces to this messy puzzle. We’ve come a long way since Trump but here he is, knocking on the door of the White House yet again. But it’s the younger more dangerous followers of the same playbook I fear most. There is no denying that playbook originated with Putin and his spies. Heaven help us! And to the observers in the big, wide World?
Yes, we are struggling. And we are determined to win this fight. I refer you to the speech by Hakeem Jeffries, minority leader and rising star as he thanked Nancy Pelosi for her service as Speaker of the House of Representatives; as the gavel was passed to MAGA power obsessed McCarthy whose tenure will be short, abysmal, and will accomplish nothing. Jeffries comments can be viewed in alphabetical sequence on YouTube. About 01/07/2023. Thank you, Alexander. I will get to concise soon, I hope.
Thank you Judith, I recognize a lot of all you wrote, and I too was impressed with that amazing speech of Hakeem Jeffries. I think it was only recently that I saw him speaking for the first time and I believe we might see much more of him of in the future.
I agree Alex. This perpetuation of violence by law enforcement is systemic and top down. These so called "elite" Scorpian Squads or Jump Out Units have no place in American Policing. There is nothing elite about beating a man to death. It is heinous.
Imagine if there were no cameras on these 5 officers? Even with body cams on, they showed not even basic humanity. Senseless & tragic.
I hope justice for Tyre is swift and encompasses all who continue to let this happen. The alternative is too heavy a weight to bear.
You see the situation clearly. I wish that I could publicize this statement for the entire nation to read. Every word is accurate, and I agree 100%. The problem in US is the right-wing control, funded in large part by the National Rifle Association, one of the most powerful PACs in the nation, which is filled with people who prefer things this way. The top Republicans in power receive massive campaign funds from the NRA, and so they are incentivized to keep this unjust system in place. Liberals and progressives push for change to outlaw campaign funding, but it is unlikely that the right-wing SCOTUS would rule in that direction. Unlike liberal democracies—which the US is not—the US appoints SC justices for life, financializes political campaigns, and militarizes the so-called public servants. So we have an impasse, all due to the obsessive greed for power and wealth.
What rarely gets talked about is the personality type in the U.S. so often attracted to law enforcement. There is no “better training” that will get sociopaths to act differently. Screening before entering the academy is necessary (as you mention in later comment). Then improved training. 🙏
Yes, so true, many scary types there. Although I have also met some very nice and helpful policemen in the U.S. It’s a mix of good and bad (and I know of my privilege) but it shouldn’t be such a mix. They should all be good.
After hearing Tyre Nichols’ mother request people to watch, I figured the least I could do was watch the 4 segments. I was stunned then angered to see there were 8-10 officers there (not just the 5 fired & charged) plus the EMTs who were supposed to aid him, yet all stood around trying their pathetic excuses out on each other. Thank goodness for the body cams w/audio and the street light camera which recorded everything. I’m glad another officer was charged today.
As most Republicans are financially backed by the NRA, passage of the George Floyd Justice Act will be difficult for re-passage by the House and passage by the Senate. The only hope is that people in each state contact their elected officials and demand passage. We must try.
I couldn't watch it, but I expect so many people higher up are to some extent responsible for this tragedy. It's about getting the right structures in place: selection procedures, training, education, compliance mechanisms, and so much more. I doubt that all those will ever be prosecuted, or that the real lessons will be learned, and that lays the foundation for the next tragedy.
I just learned that the same police chief had a similar “elite” police group when she was chief in Georgia. That group too was disbanded after a similar incident.
Correction to my earlier reply regarding the charges against the killers of Tyre; the five officers who murdered this young man were charged with second degree murder which would be standard practice in that there seems to be no evidence of premeditation.
The senselessness, the nightmarish brutality, the heartbreak another family suffers needlessly.
A young man lays dying while calling out for his mother when he should have been sitting at her dinner table. All at the hands of monsters sworn to protect and to serve.
It’s true this is a horror played out in few other countries and certainly not one that’s considered as advanced as the United States. The obsession with firearms is an anathema that is a cancer to our society.
Thank you for your clear analysis of this loathsome curse.
I think sunsets will remind me of Tyre Nichols for a while.
Thank you, Lizzie
The title you wrote “breaking the cycle of brutality: Tyre Nichols murder and the need for systemic reform” says it all and your article also explain the very sad situation and the solution to it.
Thank you for writing about this. I was not aware. I watched one of the videos. It is horrible!
A modern day and still not civilized, or even trying to be civilized.
Lizzi Pi always has her finger on the pulse of your breaking reports on Substack. Your analysis and hers are spot on. The release of the videos, body cam footage just put fire on the sensationalism in the media that will not let this young, loved, talented father RIP. Two oddities about this instance are that the violence was perpetrated by Blacks on one of their kind. The other is that firearms were not used to murder him. It was a brutal beating with “nightsticks” and “pepper spray” all the while kicking him on the ground while he was already subdued for what crime remains elusive.
It is the most tragic in recent weeks while we have seen four mass shootings in less than a month’s time, unrelated but indicative of the violence permeating our culture. There are more firearms in America than there are people and yet despite President Biden’s best efforts, legislation to bring a semblance of peace has not passed our governing bodies due almost entirely to the lobbyists for the NRA who choose the “right to bear arms” over the very real human right to life. This must change if we are to survive as a society. I understand that the five Black officers were immediately fired and are facing charges of assault, kidnapping, and first degree murder. May their pending arraignments and trials bring justice to Tyre and his mourning family. One can only hope this public outrage is enough to turn the tide toward justice for all victims of senseless violence and loss of innocent life. The time is now or we are surely LOST 😡.
I suppose very long, likely lifelong, sentences can be expected for the five and I would welcome that. But more people are guilty here. How is it possible that not even one in these five protests at the very first sign of abuse by a colleague? People much higher up are responsible for a culture of violence, this can't be an incident, there is a structure in place that explains how this could be possible and those responsible for that structure should be prosecuted. I expect that soon stories will appear of these monsters having misbehaved in various ways in the past, those in leading positions that did tolerate that are guilty too.
There are so many links in the chain of violence and racism, corporate power and greed, from 1619 to the present day that I am unable at this moment to bring clarity out of chaos, in part due to the overwhelming grief and sensationalism encouraged by the media for their own profits; there are no easily dissected answers. I am reminded that we are an imperfect colonized nation guilty of genocide of indigenous peoples, followed by the desire of the Founding Fathers who sought a more perfect Union while increasing their own wealth by impregnating slaves who were property. The education of our children has long been lacking in truth; the endeavor to hide both the origins of our nation and the liberal components that have flourished recently increases the “volume” of hate rhetoric while capitalism rewards the trillionaires and leaves thousands homeless in our streets. I am aware many nations, democracies or otherwise, have histories that are not pretty. Germany comes to mind; the contrast of Hitler’s Nazi atrocities versus the now support for Ukraine. Time changes people and perceptions as they (hopefully) learn from history. I will attempt for myself to ferret out how we came to this point, but it will take more than today. One salient point I will offer now is the rapid arrest of these five BLACK officers, charged with assault, kidnapping, and second degree murder in very short order. I see what comes next: these officers were BLACK. So why are so many WHITE perpetrators of similar incidents still
waiting to be identified, arraigned, punished for similar crimes? Do you see the riots on our horizon? So very many pieces to this messy puzzle. We’ve come a long way since Trump but here he is, knocking on the door of the White House yet again. But it’s the younger more dangerous followers of the same playbook I fear most. There is no denying that playbook originated with Putin and his spies. Heaven help us! And to the observers in the big, wide World?
Yes, we are struggling. And we are determined to win this fight. I refer you to the speech by Hakeem Jeffries, minority leader and rising star as he thanked Nancy Pelosi for her service as Speaker of the House of Representatives; as the gavel was passed to MAGA power obsessed McCarthy whose tenure will be short, abysmal, and will accomplish nothing. Jeffries comments can be viewed in alphabetical sequence on YouTube. About 01/07/2023. Thank you, Alexander. I will get to concise soon, I hope.
Thank you Judith, I recognize a lot of all you wrote, and I too was impressed with that amazing speech of Hakeem Jeffries. I think it was only recently that I saw him speaking for the first time and I believe we might see much more of him of in the future.
I agree Alex. This perpetuation of violence by law enforcement is systemic and top down. These so called "elite" Scorpian Squads or Jump Out Units have no place in American Policing. There is nothing elite about beating a man to death. It is heinous.
Imagine if there were no cameras on these 5 officers? Even with body cams on, they showed not even basic humanity. Senseless & tragic.
I hope justice for Tyre is swift and encompasses all who continue to let this happen. The alternative is too heavy a weight to bear.
You see the situation clearly. I wish that I could publicize this statement for the entire nation to read. Every word is accurate, and I agree 100%. The problem in US is the right-wing control, funded in large part by the National Rifle Association, one of the most powerful PACs in the nation, which is filled with people who prefer things this way. The top Republicans in power receive massive campaign funds from the NRA, and so they are incentivized to keep this unjust system in place. Liberals and progressives push for change to outlaw campaign funding, but it is unlikely that the right-wing SCOTUS would rule in that direction. Unlike liberal democracies—which the US is not—the US appoints SC justices for life, financializes political campaigns, and militarizes the so-called public servants. So we have an impasse, all due to the obsessive greed for power and wealth.
What rarely gets talked about is the personality type in the U.S. so often attracted to law enforcement. There is no “better training” that will get sociopaths to act differently. Screening before entering the academy is necessary (as you mention in later comment). Then improved training. 🙏
Yes, so true, many scary types there. Although I have also met some very nice and helpful policemen in the U.S. It’s a mix of good and bad (and I know of my privilege) but it shouldn’t be such a mix. They should all be good.
After hearing Tyre Nichols’ mother request people to watch, I figured the least I could do was watch the 4 segments. I was stunned then angered to see there were 8-10 officers there (not just the 5 fired & charged) plus the EMTs who were supposed to aid him, yet all stood around trying their pathetic excuses out on each other. Thank goodness for the body cams w/audio and the street light camera which recorded everything. I’m glad another officer was charged today.
As most Republicans are financially backed by the NRA, passage of the George Floyd Justice Act will be difficult for re-passage by the House and passage by the Senate. The only hope is that people in each state contact their elected officials and demand passage. We must try.
I couldn't watch it, but I expect so many people higher up are to some extent responsible for this tragedy. It's about getting the right structures in place: selection procedures, training, education, compliance mechanisms, and so much more. I doubt that all those will ever be prosecuted, or that the real lessons will be learned, and that lays the foundation for the next tragedy.
I just learned that the same police chief had a similar “elite” police group when she was chief in Georgia. That group too was disbanded after a similar incident.
Structural indeed. Responsibility also means not hiring someone with such a track record.
Well put! Truly heartbreaking.
💔
Correction to my earlier reply regarding the charges against the killers of Tyre; the five officers who murdered this young man were charged with second degree murder which would be standard practice in that there seems to be no evidence of premeditation.
Thank you. Beautifully put.
Thank you. It’s so terribly sad