State Sanctioned Violence: Criminalizing Black Bodies

On this episode of American Origin Stories, we examine the history policing and law enforcement in the United States. Specifically, by focusing on the racialized origins and implementation of American policing, the disparate treatment and impact of the criminal justice system, and the enormous and lasting reach of incarceration, we will highlight the depth of state sanctioned violence against Black people.

Joining the conversation is special guest (and personal friend) Heather Brown, an attorney and former Public Defender in Hennepin County, where George Floyd was killed. She talks about her experiencing the in criminal justice system and the constant abuse that her clients suffered, not only at the hands of police officers, but also through the racist practices that make the system unfair for Black citizens.

Guest Bio:

Heather Brown is a federal-sector employment law Attorney in Washington, DC. Her work primarily focuses on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) law and employment discrimination.

Heather is committed to public service and empowering communities through legal outreach. Previously, she was an Assistant Public Defender in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Baltimore, Maryland. Heather is a proud alumna of Spelman College and Washington University School of Law.

Resources:

• Music from Storyblocks subscription

• 'She was only a baby': last charge dropped in police raid that killed sleeping Detroit child (Jan 2015)

• In Tamir Rice Case, Many Errors by Cleveland Police, Then a Fatal One

• Racism Won't Be Solved By Yet Another Blue Ribbon Report

• Christopher Commission Findings: EXCESSIVE FORCE

• The History of Policing in the United States, EKU School of Justice Studies, Gary Potter

• Elijah McClain Death in Colorado to Be Reinvestigated After Petition, Protests