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Montgomery, Ala. – Alabama’s legislators approved improved legal protection for police officers on Wednesday, changes that the Republicans said of showing support for law enforcement, but Democrats called “a green light to kill black people”.
The legislative of Alabama indicated the final approval the legislation This sets legal standards for the use of violence and provides immunity hearing. The draft law states that an official is “justified” when it comes to using physical violence as long as it does not act too constitutionally excessive violence or “ruthless” outside the official’s authority to discretion.
The Republicans, who described the legislation as the legislation “Back the Blue”, said it was necessary to provide a clear legal framework and to support the law enforcement officers who are faced with the making of decisions with split seconds.
“We ask you to take care of us, to protect us in our houses while we sleep at night. This bill will give you the assurances that we support you and return on the blue,” said Senator Lance Bell, a former deputy sheriff. Bell said, officials who act improperly can still be pursued by criminal law.
After an emotional debate, the approval was given in which black legislators read the names of Schwarzen, which were killed by the police and described their own encounters with law enforcement authorities.
“HB 202 is a license to kill black people. That is,” said Sen. Rodger Smitherman, a black democrat from Birmingham.
Smitherman said departments had very good officers, but they also have officers who are “racist against black” or make impulsive decisions because they are afraid.
Senator Merika Coleman, a black democrat of Pleasant Grove, said she fears that the legislation of “bad apples” will protect in police stations. She described her worries that someone could see her honor son one day because of his high frame and twisted locomotives as a threat.
“When this bill goes away and young black men, women, brown and other people are killed, they will have blood in their hands due to this law,” said Coleman.
Bell asked the opponents to “run a mile in the shoes of a law enforcement officer and find out what they have to do”. Smitherman replied: “Go a mile in the person’s shoes when the person is dead.”
The Alabama Senate approved the draft law in the last hour of the legislative period with 25-6 late evening. The House of Representatives accepted Senate changes. The legislation now goes to Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, who said she would sign it into the law.
“There is no question that Alabama supports the blue!” Ivey explained on social media after the law was adopted.
According to the existing state law, the police and civilians are currently entitled to a hearing “Stand Your Ground” in criminal matters in which a judge can determine whether the accused acted for self -defense. The legislation enables an immunity negotiation, in which a judge decides whether a case is due to whether the civil servant ruthlessly acts outside the framework of the law enforcement tasks. It would add similar protection in state civil lawsuits. It would also require the law enforcement departments to collect data that pursues the use of complaints.
The executive director of the Alabama Sheriff’s Association, Hoss Mack, said in April in favor of the law.
“This is of the same for the law enforcement agencies and the public. Let me repeat what this bill does not do. There is no general immunity for the law enforcement authorities,” said Mack, who was added that he had personally arrested civil servants who worked for him during his 39-year career in criminal prosecution.
Leroy Maxwell, a civil rights lawyer based in Birmingham, said that he was afraid that the legislation would encourage misconduct.
“Legislation like this paves the way to a police state in which the law enforcement authorities operated on the law and without fear of the consequences,” said Maxwell.
Civil rights lawyer Harry Daniels opposed to the law, however, the general effects on civil rights cases that could continue to be submitted to a federal court and will not be affected by the legislation.
“It is a lion without teeth. It seems big and bad, but it has no teeth and no claws,” said Daniels.