Category: Criminal Justice Reform
Op-Ed: Justice system reform is impotent unless you eliminate racist practices
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Chief Defender Keir-Bradford Grey shares her thoughts on the need to eliminate racist practices that plague our entire justice system.
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Councilmember Thomas Introduces Driving Equality Bill
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PHILADELPHIA–Councilmember Thomas will introduce this bill aimed at combating the issue of Driving While Black. 43% of Philadelphia residents are Black but Black people make up 72% of the drivers pulled over for alleged motor vehicle code. After the stop, Black drivers are twice as likely to be searched but are 35% less likely to be found with contraband.
The Driving Equality Bill will promote fairness by reducing the racial disparities within these stops, promote safety by reducing community trauma and improving police-community relations, promote efficiency by refocusing officers’ time and resources on solving real crime.
“I’ve been pulled over more times than I can count and it never felt like it was keeping me or my community safer,” said Councilmember Thomas. “We need to improve police-community relations and, at a time of economic crisis, ensure that we are not wasting a single dollar of taxpayers’ money. My Driving Equality Bill will promote fairness, safety and efficiency and reduce the number of people pulled over for ‘fitting a description’.”
Under the Driving Equality Bill, police officers would no longer be able to stop a driver for a trivial code violation that does not pose a risk to public safety, such as tinted windows or a missing tail light. However, officers would still be able to stop a driver for dangerous violations, such as driving while intoxicated. Philadelphia needs to improve police-community relations and, at a time of economic crisis, ensure that we are not wasting a single dollar of taxpayers’ money. The Driving Equality Bill (the first bill of its kind out of a major city) will achieve these goals.
“By allowing the police to focus on more serious motor vehicle code violations and real crimes, the Driving Equality Bill will reduce the opportunities for the tension, conflict and tragedy that too often happen when traffic stops go bad,” said Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, “It’s exciting and inspiring to see Philly’s leaders taking bold, proactive and progressive steps to take the targets off the backs of Black people. We look forward to seeing Councilmember Thomas and others on policing and other justice system reforms that are more fair, more cost-effective, and more impactful on public safety.”
Law enforcement has claimed that motor vehicle stops are a good tool for keeping communities safe. Police officers have continued to use motor vehicle stops while Philadelphia has seen a record number of homicides and instances of gun violence – this is an inefficient and ineffective practice. On average, only .147% of motor vehicle stops result in the discovery of a weapon.
The Driving Equality Bill will be introduced in City Council this Thursday, October 29th, by Councilmember Thomas and is cosponsored by Councilmembers Jones, Gilmore Richardson, Quinones-Sanchez, Brooks, Johnson, Gauthier, Gym, Parker and Henon.
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More on “Driving Equality”
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1604003696858{background-color: #eeeeee !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/ljdv6jVdFF4″ title=”Driving Equality Press Conference”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text]NEWS STORIES:
Philadelphia Inquirer:
Philly City Council bill aims to curb police stops of Black drivers for minor infractions
WHYY-FM:
Philly City Council bill would ban police traffic stops for minor violations[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Keir Bradford-Grey on Shooting of Walter Wallace, Jr.
October 15: A People’s Vision of Public Safety
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Join us on October 15 to share your thoughts about how the justice system can contribute to public safety, especially in our most vulnerable communities.
Hosted by: Keir Bradford Grey, Chief Defender, Defender Association of Philadelphia
WHEN: Thursday, October 15 | 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Via Zoom: zoom.us/j/91333487253 Passcode: 489866
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Click here to download and share the event flyer
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RSVP for the town hall on our Facebook Page:
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Keir Bradford-Grey on Passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg
PHILADELPHIA—“The news of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing has dealt a crushing emotional blow to those of us who practice law with the goal of advancing equal rights for every citizen.
‘RBG’ is an icon in so many ways— a hero whose work impacted the lives of millions of people; a pioneer for women in the legal profession; a shining example of moral and professional integrity; and an illustration of strength, longevity, and courage in difficult times.
“Justice Ginsberg’s amazing legacy is secure. It’s now up to all of us to carry it forward by practicing, in our work and personal lives, what we’ve learned from her incredible career and contributions to our nation’s democracy.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey Testifies on Law Enforcement & Public Safety
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/452621725″ title=”Watch video of Keir Bradford-Grey’s testimony below”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”40px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Defender’s written testimony submitted for the record can be downloaded here.
On August 27, Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey testified before PA lawmakers about the role law enforcement plays in public safety. In her testimony, she emphasized the need to build more trust between police officers and communities of color, have more transparency from police departments, and more accountability for officers found guilty of misconduct.
“It was great to speak with and interact with lawmakers and law enforcement people from across Pennsylvania,” said Bradford-Grey, “We know that our communities will only become safer when we see more transparency and accountability from those sworn to protect and serve. And, while we understand that we’re not always going to agree, getting to our ultimate goal requires the kind of dialog we had at the hearing.”
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Keir Bradford-Grey: We Need Real Alternatives to Cash Bail
Defender’s Statement on Philly Prison Conditions
A recent story in the Philadelphia Inquirer contained an internal e-mail communication from a Defender attorney about concerns related to visiting clients in prison during COVID-19. While we are, of course, concerned about the safety of our staff and our incarcerated clients during the pandemic, the views expressed in the e-mail in no way reflect the feelings of all Defender attorneys, nor the Defender’s commitment to providing full representation to all of our clients, no matter where they are.
In our visits, we have found that the Philadelphia Department of Prisons staff and management are taking the coronavirus very seriously, and are doing all they can to implement and enforce safety protocols. We have set up our own internal reporting for Defender staff to share their safety concerns, and we will share these concerns with the prisons as they arise.
In the meantime, we’re working collaboratively with our justice system partners to increase attorney-client access and facilitate the safe release of as many of our clients as possible.
POWER Town Hall Series: Imagining Civilian Oversight of Police
Part 6: September 23, 2020
Part 6 (September 23) of the series was “The Best Of” the Town Hall Series sponsored by #POWER #LiveFree
The full video is below.
Part 5: September 9, 2020
For Part 5 (September 9) of the series, members of the Philadelphia City Council’s Public Safety Committee joined the conversation to express their support for a meaningful civilian oversight with real authority and funding.
The full video is below.
In Part 4 of “Imagining Civilian Oversight of Police,” The panel was joined by activists from Oakland who shared their experiences building community-law enforcement cooperation to increase public safety.
In part 3 of the virtual town hall series, Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey and Mike Mellon, from the Defender’s Police Accountability Unit joined State Rep. Donna Bullock, Harvard University’s Aaron Bekemyer, and Chantelle Helm, from Black Lives Matter- Louisville to discuss statewide legislative obstacles to meaningful police reforms
The full video is below
In part 2 of the virtual town hall series, Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey joined Hassan Bennett; author Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve; and Chicago Alderman Carlos Ramirez Rosa.
The full video is below
Part 1: Chief Defender Keir Bradford-Grey joined a nationwide panel of clergy, activists, elected leaders, and justice system reform experts to discuss how to bring more accountability to police departments in Philadelphia and elsewhere.
The full video is below