memphis
Page: 2
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Scott Olson / Getty
Jason Whitlock doesn’t deserve a bit of our attention but we can’t stand by and ignore his latest head-scratching statement in the name of free thought. The sportscaster and political commentator called into question the various protests cropping up in the wake of a video going wide showing the murder of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five Black Memphis police officers.
Jason Whitlock, 55, tweeted out a question Friday night (Jan. 27) regarding the reaction to the footage of the five officers beating Nichols after a traffic stop, who later succumbed to his injuries on Jan 10. The city of Memphis continually urged its residents and outside observers to show restraint once the footage of the encounter went wide.
While the Memphis Police Department promptly fired and changed the five officers, most took note of the fact that action was swift when it came to these officers which stand in contrast to actions handed down to their white counterparts involved in similar incidents nationwide.
That fact was seemingly lost on Whitlock, and his tweet displayed his seemingly feigned curiosity as to why people are angered.
“Five police officers in Memphis appear to have committed a violent homicide. They’ve been fired and charged with second-degree murder. What is the protest about? What hasn’t happened?” Whitlock tweeted.
Shortly after that tweet, Whitlock shared a promo for his Blaze TV show, Fearless, which was centered around respecting law enforcement officers and the like. It was a clear shot at the encounter Nichols had with the elite SCORPION police unit in Memphis just mere yards from his home.
One of the most outlandish comments to come from Whitlock came from his appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show discussing the video and the passing of Nichols. While Whitlock was clear in calling the acts of the officers a crime, something he’s never done so swiftly in the past it seems, there was one point of contention that journalist Gretchen Carlson noted in a tweet.
Whitlock quote-tweeted with a response, writing, “What was crazy about my comment, Gretchen? What are the benefits of communities/neighborhoods run by matriarchal, baby-mama culture? You planning to relocate your intact nuclear family into one?”
There is no changing the sturdy, ham-fisted mind of Jason Whitlock and we’ll spare readers more of his asinine commentary. However, what we will share is how Twitter is cooking him and his ashy sew-in alive. Keep scrolling.
—
Photo:
Written By D.L. Chandler , Senior Editor Posted 8 mins ago @dlchandler123 D.L. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a Senior Editor […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
The family of Tyre Nichols and their lawyers including Benjamin Crump are speaking out against the Memphis police after seeing footage of him being brutally beaten at a traffic stop, leading to his death.
On Monday (Jan. 23), members of Tyre Nichols’ family and their lawyers spoke to the press about his death after privately viewing video footage of a confrontation with police officers from Jan. 7 when he was confronted at a stop 80 yards from his home. According to attorney Benjamin Crump, Nichols was beaten for three minutes, asking “What did I do?” Nichols would die of his injuries three days later.
Standing alongside Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, attorney Nicholas Romanucci, denounced the incident. “He was a human piñata for those police officers,”, he said. “Not only was it violent, it was savage.” He detailed seeing the officers restraining the 29-year-old, using a stun gun and pepper spray on him in the video footage.
The five Memphis police officers on the scene – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills and Justin Smith – were all fired after an internal investigation by the department found that they used excessive force. They, like Nichols, are Black. Crump stated in the press conference that this factor was immaterial to the case.
“It is not the race of the police officer that is the determining factor of the amount of force, it is the race of the citizen,” he said. “It is about the Black and brown citizens that get dealt excessive force from the police officers, whether they are Black, white or brown, and it has to stop.”
Investigations by the FBI and the Department of Justice in addition to those by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations have already commenced. The city of Memphis has promised transparency, which has led many to question when the footage of the incident will be released to the public.
“Family and the attorneys we have will not stop until we get justice,” said Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells. “And like I said from day one, justice for us is murder one, and anything less than that we will not accept.” Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said in a statement that he expects the video to be released either this week or next.
Written By D.L. Chandler , Senior Editor Posted 46 seconds ago @dlchandler123 D.L. Chandler is a veteran of the Washington D.C. metro writing scene, working as a journalist, reporter, and culture critic. Initially freelancing at iOne Digital in 2010, he officially joined the iOne team in 2017 where he currently works as a […]