National

Scott Murder Indicative of ‘Culture Of Abuse’

Published

11 years ago

April 10, 2015

Oakland Post

(Courtesy of The Charleston Chronicle)

By Barney Blakeney
Special to the NNPA from The Charleston Chronicle

CHARLESTON, S.C. – North Charleston Branch NAACP President Ed Bryant said Thursday the April 4 shooting death of 50-year-old Walter Scott by a North Charleston police officer is indicative of the culture of abuse that exists in the department when it comes to Blacks.

“What we’re seeing is a culture of abuse,” Bryant said at a news conference. “The video of Mr. Scott’s murder shows the officer slowly walk up to the man he’s just shot in the back numerous times. He doesn’t administer aid or even call for EMS.”

A witness captured the disturbing video account of officer Michael Slager firing eight times at Scott as he ran away. Slager had allegedly stopped Scott for a broken brake light. Initially Slager reported that Scott had fought him and wrestled his taser from him, an account that was proven untrue by the video.

Slager said Scott tried use the taser against him when, in fear, he shot Scott. But the video, which doesn’t show any struggle between the two men, only shows Scott running away from Slager who draws his service weapon and fires repeatedly as Scott runs away, eventually falling after the final round struck him.

Although they expressed concern that Scott was unarmed and running away from the officer, leaders of local civil rights organizations had taken a wait-and-see approach to the shooting before the video of the incident was made public Tuesday. But the video that has drawn national attention to the incident gives incontestable evidence Slager fabricated details. On Tuesday, Slager was formerly charged with murder and was forced to trade his police uniform for prison stripes.

In recent years, complaints against North Charleston police officers averaged about 20 per year in the department of approximately 340 sworn officers. About 25 percent are sustained, an equal number are exonerated and most are determined unfounded. But Bryant says the statistics don’t reflect the reality of the abuse perpetrated against minority citizens.

Racial profiling is blatant, Bryant said. Only 64 of the department’s approximate 340 sworn officers are African American. Blacks are subjected to traffic stops at a rate twice that of Whites in the city.

In 2004 after North Charleston police officers had completed a three-day diversity training workshop, several officers who entered a local law firm didn’t reflect that training. Lisa Cotton was one of two Black female attorneys in the office intimidated by officers attempting to arrest a suspect who had come there as a potential client.

More alarming, the abuse has had deadly results, Bryant contends. In 2000, North Charleston police shot to death Edward Snowden, an African American who had been assaulted by three White men outside a video store. Snowden was returning videos to the store when, without provocation, he was attacked by the men who were leaving a bar in the same strip mall.

In 2003, Asberry Wylder was killed by a North Charleston police officer ‡responding to a call about a shoplifter. Police cornered Wylder in a lot across the street from the store then shot him to death after Wylder allegedly stabbed an officer.

Referring to the video of shooting captured by a bystander, NAACP branch president Bryant said, “He (Slager) commands Scott, who was lying there dying, to put his hands behind his back then handcuffs him although Scott was unresponsive. After that he walks back and apparently picks up the taser gun, and comes back to Scott’s body and drops it. Slager most obviously was more concerned about covering his own butt than that man’s life.”

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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Published

1 week ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.