Lawmakers invoke memory of Charleston victims in passing police reforms

HARTFORD, Conn. – The state House of Representatives opened Monday’s special session with a moment of silence for the nine people killed by a gunman at a black South Carolina church on June 17 and invoked their memory again when they passed a bill to address the use of excessive of force by police officers.

The incident in Charleston was not perpetrated by a police officer, but it was a hate crime and members of the Connecticut legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican caucus have been trying to pass the “Excessive Force” bill and — as well as the so-called “Second Chance Society” bill — to address disparate treatment of people of color by law enforcement and the courts. They got what they wanted Monday as both bills passed both chambers.

State Rep. Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) said the Emanuel AME Church pastor and South Carolina Sen. Clementa Pinckney died because he advocated for the use of body cameras after Walter Scott, an unarmed black man, was shot in the back by North Charleston police officer Michael Slager in April. The church shooting occurred one week after legislation requiring mandatory police body cameras was signed into law by South Carolina’s governor.

See the complete story at CT News Junkie.