MAYA BROWN/THE STATESMAN
Maya Brown, assistant news editor, is a junior journalism major with a minor in political science.
Every time I see a blue lives matter flag wavering in the wake of a cruel Black death, my stomach begins to compress. I cannot help myself from tracing down the complicated, yet broken system that is law enforcement in this country.
Months of increased momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement, daily protests and thousands demanding justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and the long list of Black people who have been wrongfully killed, have led to many wanting the same thing to defund the police.
John Eligon and Annie Karni, The New York Times
Published: 23 Jan 2021 08:46 PM BdST
Updated: 23 Jan 2021 08:49 PM BdST President Donald Trump signs the First Step Act and the Juvenile Justice Reform Act in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Dec 21, 2018. Trump doled out pardons to political allies and friends. But mixed in as well were cases that helped people serving overly harsh sentences. (Tom Brenner/ For The New York Times)
Darrell Frazier believed he had found a path out of his life sentence in federal prison, with a president whose allies had advocated a broad use of pardons and a new clemency initiative. Frazier thought he seemed like a perfect candidate.