George Floyd’s death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer last year became an international symbol of police brutality and the need for police reform, sparking thousands of protests.
A memorial for him was held last June in Hoke County. The man who delivered an impassioned eulogy at the service and who himself called for police reform may seem, in hindsight, an ironic choice.
That man was a cop Hubert Peterkin, the sheriff of the Hoke County Sheriff s Office.
On Wednesday, Peterkin, who is African American, reacted to the news that a jury had found former officer Derek Chauvin guilty of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death.
The event discussed the history of policing, systemic racism and Gascon’s first months as LA’s DA. (Nayeon Ryu | Daily Trojan)
After a summer of protests and discussions about policing in response to the Black Lives Matter movement, the election of Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón who campaigned as one of the country’s most progressive district attorneys was a major victory for activists. Gascón promised significant changes to the criminal justice system, including the end of the death penalty in LA, the end of charging children as adults and the end of sentencing enhancements. But during his first few months in office, his policies received significant pushback, primarily from law enforcement officials and prosecutors.
Thousands of mourners gathered just outside Fayetteville on June 6 to celebrate the life of a man whose death in police custody in Minneapolis had gripped the nation.
The private family memorial service and public viewing for George Floyd, who was born in Fayetteville, was held at the Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters in Raeford.
People stood in line for hours to walk past the gold casket with a spray of red roses on top that held Floyd’s body. The lines snaked throughout the parking lot, and traffic along U.S. 301 stretched for miles.
Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said it was quite an undertaking for a county with a population of 60,000.
Here s how detention centers in the Sandhills region will celebrate Christmas this year.
In Cumberland County, inmates can visit with family through an online system. Because of COVID-19, they are given complimentary five-minute phone calls each week, according to Sgt. Patrice Bogertey, a spokeswoman with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Each of the 441 inmates will receive a care package during the holidays. The packages are funded through the inmate welfare fund and include snacks, Bogertey said.
At the Hoke County Detention Center, visitations are online-only due to COVID-19 restrictions. Phone calls are considered recreation time, which allows an inmate to talk for up to an hour.
COVID-19 cases are surging in the state and now average more than 6,000 per day.
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper used his executive powers to issue a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. statewide curfew that began last Friday. The mandate requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and personal care businesses to close at 10 p.m. Anyone traveling to and from work, picking up food or taking care of a family member is excluded from the order. Now more than ever we need help with enforcement from our local partners to fight this raging pandemic, Cooper said. Taking steps now to protect our communities by enforcing safety precautions will help reduce transmission of the virus and save lives.