ACLU of ConnecticutKonto zweryfikowane

Fact check: In at least 10 cases of police violence in CT, *even prosecutors* noted the appropriateness of the "objectively reasonable" standard for police uses of force (i.e. a standard not based in what the police employee says they felt/saw in the moment).

Jazmarie Melendez of @Justice4JaysonN just spoke so many hard truths to power. Jayson Negron should still be alive today. No one should have to go through what Jaz and her family have gone through.

Belated shout out to @ConnConnection for holding space for people with disabilities in her testimony about this bill. As Kathy's testimony made clear, systemic ableism means more than half of people killed by police have some kind of disability. https://namiillinois.org/half-people-killed-police-disability-report/ …

Belated shout out to @CTJJA for holding space for youth, especially Black and Latinx youth, in their testimony about this bill.

The @TrialLawyersCT testimony offers a serious fact check to the policing political machine's misrepresentation of qualified immunity. Example: "The Harlow decision was not about police misconduct. It involved an employment case and discipline of a presidential aid."

Rhonda Caldwell of Hamden Action Now held serious space for Black and Latinx people who have been killed by police in Connecticut.

Fact check: Complying with police orders or requests does not guarantee someone's safety in an encounter with police. Remember Philando Castile. Remember Daniel Shaver. Remember others killed by police in Connecticut and across the country whose names we may never know.

Almost hard to believe we have to say this, but fact check: the solution to ending police violence is NOT training police in how to use other forms of violence.

If you live in Waterbury Bethel Danbury Hartford Wilton your local police have testified against police accountability today. If you live in Connecticut: state police have done the same. (we'll update this list again later today)

Shout out to @_jennaasun with @mfolct for bringing and and facts while testifying in support of the police accountability bill. Jenna mentioned Eric Garner. Today marks 6 years since Eric Garner was killed by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo. Police violence is not new.

Thank you, Rev. Pawelek, for holding space for Jay Soto, who was killed by police in Manchester in April. https://cga.ct.gov/jud/related/20200717_LCO%20No.%203471%20An%20Act%20Concerning%20Police%20Accountability/Testimony%20-%20Rev.%20Josh%20Pawelek.pdf …

A legislator just praised the Enfield police department's history. Another spoke positively about internal affairs investigations. Police can't police themselves. The story of former Enfield police officer Matthew Worden is an example. Page 10 here: https://www.acluct.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/bargained_away_2020.pdf …

"This about being Black. This is about the criminalization of Black and brown bodies." - Kimberly Rice, testifying in support of the police accountability bill.

Kerry Ellington is holding space for the names of young Black and Latinx people who have been killed by police in the past three years. And calling for stronger use of force standard. Every one of the people she has named should still be alive today.

"This must be strengthened with a racial justice lens ... There is a political cost to doing nothing ... This is not a matter of politics. This is a matter of life, death, in my communities, in Black and brown communities." - Kerry Ellington

"When we say “defund the police” we also mean “invest in community.” - Marcus Spinner https://cga.ct.gov/jud/related/20200717_LCO%20No.%203471%20An%20Act%20Concerning%20Police%20Accountability/Testimony%20-%20Marcus%20Spinner,%20MSW.pdf …

Roll call: Glastonbury Middletown New Haven Waterbury Danbury Southington Bethel East Windsor Hartford Norwalk Cromwell Wilton Waterbury Watertown New London Redding Bridgeport Farmington police from these municipalities submitted testimony against the police accountability bill.

Thomaston and Waterbury first selectman & mayor testified against eliminating qualified immunity. Berlin, a town councilmember testified against the bill. Sherman, the first selectman testified against the bill.

State level: a state police employee, the State Police Union, CT Chiefs of Police Association, Fraternal Order of Police, UPSE Union, COPS Division, Teamsters Local No. 1035 also testified against all or parts of the bill.