Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Commission Finds Anti-Black Police Violence Constitutes Crimes Against Humanity Marjorie Cohn

 The International Commission of Inquiry on Systemic Racist Police Violence Against People of African Descent in the United States on Wednesday issued its long-awaited report on the U.S.’s police-perpetrated racist violence. The commissioners concluded that the systematic police killings of Black people in the U.S. constitutes a prima facie case of crimes against humanity and they asked the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to initiate an investigation of responsible police officials.

These crimes against humanity under the ICC’s Rome Statute include murder, severe deprivation of physical liberty, torture, persecution of people of African descent, and inhumane acts causing great suffering or serious injury to body or mental or physical health. All of the crimes occurred in the context of a widespread or systematic attack directed against the civilian population of Black people in the United States, as documented by the findings of fact in the 188-page report.

The 12 commissioners are eminent experts and jurists from Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean. I am one of four rapporteurs who helped draft the report. After 18 days of hearings and extensive research, the commissioners found that both U.S. law and police practices do not comply with international law....

Consortium News
Commission Finds Anti-Black Police Violence Constitutes Crimes Against Humanity
Marjorie Cohn | professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, former president of the National Lawyers Guild, deputy secretary general of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers and a member of the advisory board of Veterans for Peace
Originally at Truthout

1 comment:

lastgreek said...

Excited delirium (EXD), also known as agitated delirium, is a controversial syndrome described as a combination of psychomotor agitation, delirium, and sweating. It may include attempts at violence, unexpected strength, and very high body temperature.

That’s the excuse that is often used by police to justify unnecessary violence. Also used by the Minn. police union against George Floyd. No serious medical association recognizes it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excited_delirium