"REVOLT Black News Weekly" takes on police tactical units' violence against Black people
The brutality of rogue police units was a main topic on Friday’s (July 21) episode of “REVOLT Black News Weekly.” Another alleged victim of the Memphis officers whose viciousness led to Tyre Nichols’ death has come forward to detail a violent encounter with the disgraced former cops, while two Black men in Mississippi suffered heinous abuse from a similar police unit. Global news anchor Mara S. Campo hosted the episode and also took a look at interracial dating, including an interview with “The Bachelorette” star Charity Lawson.
Starting in Memphis, “RBN” spoke with a woman who, like Nichols, was a victim of the infamous SCORPION Unit. Kadejah Townes detailed her encounter with ex-officer Demetrius Haley. Fortunately, Townes’ aunt recorded the incident on her phone, in which she could be seen being roughly detained by the cop. “I know that I was targeted,” said Townes, who claimed she was at a Walgreens in 2021 when she was swarmed by police. “I’m scared of the police; I don’t want to deal with them.”
No charges were ever filed against Townes, but she did suffer a dislocated shoulder on the same arm that Haley held. Haley was disciplined internally after Townes’ arrest, but for not writing up the proper paperwork. However, the case was never turned over to the county for a full review. As for the killing of Nichols, another officer, Justin Smith, is seeking a separate trial, citing that he wasn’t present for the entire attack. Also worth noting, Nichols’ family is suing the city of Memphis and the Memphis PD for $500 million for the wrongful death of the young man. Ben Crump is representing the family and is asserting that any city is responsible for any police force that terrorizes Black and brown communities.
Another lawsuit, one of the biggest in history, has been filed against a police force near Jackson, Mississippi. In that case, in a small town in Rankin County, officers have been accused of basically torturing two Black men — Michael Corey Jenkins, 32, and Eddie Terrell Parker, 35. Their lawyers claimed police officers entered their home and detained them for 2 1/2 hours. While reportedly being called racial slurs and being questioned about dating white women, the deputies allegedly waterboarded and tased the men multiple times, all while they were handcuffed. Jenkins was shot in the mouth, as an officer claimed he had a gun. However, only a BB gun was found on the scene, and officers conveniently never turned on their bodycams.
Jenkins was charged with possessing two grams of methamphetamines and assault of a police officer, while Parker was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct, which are both misdemeanors. As for the former officers, three of the five involved were part of a special response tactical unit. “They are described by Rankin County residents as the death squad, and when they show up, bad things are about to happen,” said Malik Shabazz, a lawyer representing the men in a $400 million lawsuit against the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.
According to The Associated Press, Deputy Hunter Elward and others who were present in the home were involved in at least four violent encounters with Black men since 2019, with two left dead. All of the officers involved in the assault on Jenkins and Parker have been fired, and the DOJ and FBI have opened a federal civil rights investigation into the incident.
A second topic that “RBN” featured was interracial dating and, specifically, the rising trend of Black women dating and marrying white men. Some of the famed Black women who have dated or married Caucasian men include Vice President Kamala Harris, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and renowned actress Quinta Brunson. Another woman who encompasses the trend is Charity Lawson, the star of “The Bachelorette’s” latest season, whose pool of 25 suitors includes plenty of white men and just nine Black men. “As I’ve gotten older, as I’ve gotten to know myself, I don’t like to say that I have a type because I connect with people for who they are,” Lawson told “RBN” correspondent Kennedy Rue.
There are facts that back up the trend. In 1980, 3 percent of Black women were married to white men. Fast forward to 2023, and that number is four times that at 12 percent. But don’t be confused — Black women have been the slowest group of women to dip their toes in the interracial dating pool, an obvious nod to their loyalty to Black men.
Historically, interracial dating in the Black community meant Black men dating white women. Times have changed with Black women being the most educated group in the country, but also the most likely to be unpartnered at 65 percent. Interestingly, interracial marriage has only been legal for about 50 years, and it was a Black woman and her white husband who won the case (Loving vs. Virginia) to legalize such unions in 1967.
Campos also held a spirited discussion with Black women who both date and don’t date men of other races, which made for some interesting commentary.
Be sure to watch new episodes of “REVOLT Black News Weekly” every Friday at 5 p.m. ET via REVOLT’s app. Plus, watch a quick clip from this week’s installment below.
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