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After blocking public and media access to what may have been the final hearing for a federal lawsuit over a man s 2017 death in Phoenix police custody, a judge has not made a decision on whether the case will move forward in Arizona.
The death of Muhammad Abdul Muhaymin Jr., which a medical examiner ruled a homicide, garnered new attention and outrage last year. Muhaymin s death while being pinned to the ground by officers bore similarities to the death of George Floyd, whose killing by Minneapolis police touched off protests nationwide.
In 2017, Muhaymin tried to take his dog, Chiquita, with him to the bathroom at a city community center in west Phoenix. He told an employee, and later police, that Chiquita was a service dog and he couldn t leave her outside.
With the dawn of a new year and administration, local civil advocacy groups say they plan on kickstarting 2021 with pressure on lawmakers to address racial inequality, increase police oversight and enact other measures that would protect underserved communities.
Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro, Poder In Action and the W.E. Rising Project hosted many of the largest protests against police last year. The Arizona Republic interviewed leaders from each who outlined their respective goals and priorities for the new year many of which were intertwined.
Reallocate money from police budget to social programs
Chants to “defund the police” echoed across the streets of American cities after the police
Although the Maricopa County Attorney s Office admits its case against protesters accused of criminal street gang charges was deeply flawed, prosecutors have not permanently backed off from future prosecution, according to court records.
The Oct. 17 protest at which they were arrested was smaller than many others that filled Phoenix streets in 2020. But issues surrounding the case including misleading testimony to a grand jury, prosecutors with potential conflicts and now an unreliable police informant have kept it in the spotlight.
Advocates and their attorneys contend it s an example of political prosecution and illustrates the office s practices of systemic racism.
In 2020, many people across Arizona and the country participated in demonstrations against police use of force and the unfair treatment of people of color. Phoenix police arrested hundreds, including community activists.
Man Accused of Killing Teen Listening to Rap Music Found Dead in Jail Cell
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An alleged murderer named Michael Adams was reportedly found dead in his jail cell on April 17. The man was awaiting trial for the murder of 17-year-old Elijah Al-Amin, who he allegedly killed in 2019 for listening to rap music.
When arrested by the police, Adams reportedly told them that Al-Amin’s music he was listening to made him feel “unsafe.” The incident took place on July 4, 2019, and found Adams approaching the teen while he was standing near a soda machine early in the morning. Adams reportedly admitted to stabbing the teen, according to court documents.
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A group of about 40 people met in downtown Phoenix at the Cesar Chavez Memorial Plaza Friday evening to demand justice for multiple people killed at the hands of Arizona law enforcement.
The demonstration came after numerous protesters had their charges dropped by the Maricopa County Attorney s Office in relation to Black Lives Matter protests last summer, when many Arizona activist groups led dozens of protests.
Organizers said they held the protest to demand that the attorney s office reopen cases or charge law enforcement responsible for the police shootings.
The event had speeches from close family members of people who were killed by Arizona police such as Dion Johnson, Dalvin Hollins, Anthony Cano and Angel Benitez.