LAWYER’S CLOSING ARGUMENT.
I LOVE IT.
THAT’S SOME OF THE FUN STUFF.
THERE’S PLENTY MORE TO GET TO.
KENDRICK, I KNOW YOU HAVE A
WORKED A LOT ON THESE ISSUES AND
THOUGHT ABOUT THEM.
IN THIS YEAR OF PROTEST, WHAT
ELSE IS ON YOUR MIND?
>> MAN, JUST, YOU KNOW,
ORGANIZING AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE UTILIZE WHATEVER PRIVILEGE WE
HAVE TO LIBERATE FOLKS.
EVEN IN MY ART AND THINGS THAT I
LOVE TO DO, I DO MY BEST TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE ALL DOING THAT
EVEN WHEN WE’RE BY OURSELVES,
WE’RE WORKING TO LIBERATE UR
MENTAL HEALTH AND FIGHT FOR
THOSE WHO NEED THE RESOURCES.
>> HOW CAN YOU FELT WATCHING
THESE PROTESTS THAT ARE PUSHING
A LOT OF BIG DEMANDS THAT RANGE
FROM THE BASICS LIKE THIS SHOULD
BE TRACK AND DOCUMENTED SO IN A
DEMOCRACY WE KNOW WHAT THE
POLICE ARE DOING.
THAT’S STRAIGHTFORWARD TO THE
BIGGER DEBATES OVER CUTTING OR
DEFUNDING POLICE.
>> SO, I’M AN ABOLITIONISTS.
I BELIEVE THAT AT THE ROOT OF
THESE SYSTEMS IS OPPRESSION.
SLAVE CATCHING IS THE FOUNDATION
OF POLICING AND I USUALLY LEAN
ON THE ANALOGY THAT WE LEARN IN
CHURCH THAT A BAD SEED PRODUCES
A BAD TREE, PRODUCES BAD FRUIT.
ALL THESE VIDEOS AND BRUTALITY
AND MURDERS THAT YOU SEE BY
POLICE ARE THE BAD FRUIT THAT
STARTED WITH SLAVE CATCHING AND
IT’S THE CONTINUATION OF THAT
LEGACY.
IT NEEDS TO BE UPROOTED AND
THOSE ROOTS NEED TO BE BURNED
AND NEEDS TO BE RESOILED AND A
NEW SEED NEEDS TO BE PLANTED
THAT’S ACTUALLY ROOTED IN
ACCOUNTABILITY AND CARE FOR OUR
COMMUNITIES.
A NEW SYSTEM IS NECESSARY THAT
HAS A FOUNDATION AND SOMETHING
GOOD SO IT CAN BE A GOOD SEED
THAT PRODUCES A GOOD TREE, THAT PRODUCES GOOD FRUIT.
PRODUCES GOOD FRUIT.
>> JOYCE.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY BELIEVES
THE POLICE SHOULD BE GUARDIANS
OP
OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS WE HAVE
THIS NATIONAL CONVERSATION AND
THAT INSTEAD OF LETTING THIS
MOMENT GO AND LETTING GEORGE
FLOYD’S DEATH NOT HAVE MEANING,
WE USE IT TO BRING ABOUT A REAL
TRANSFORMATION SO OUR POLICING
SYSTEM WORKS FOR EVERY ONE AND
SO THAT WE FINALLY BEND THE
MORAL ARC IN THE CRIMINAL
JUSTICE SYSTEM.
>> SOMETHING THAT I KNOW YOU
BOTH CARE ABOUT FROM YOUR WORK
IS WHETHER OR NOT THINGS THAT
ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE BOARD
AND FAIR OR WHETHER THEY ARE
RACIAL DISCRIMINATION.
HARSH SENTENCEING, WE’LL PUT UP
AN EXAMPLE PMP.
SOMEONE APPEALED A SENTENCE OVER
LIFE OVER STEALING SOMETHING.
THIS WAS IN LOUISIANA.
IT’S BEEN UPHELD.
YOU HAVE BLACK LIVES MATTER
PROTESTERS IN UTAH WHERE THEY
COULD FACE MANY YEARS OR LIFE.
I’M CURIOUS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT
HOW WE STILL HAVE THIS OVER
ZEALOUS SENTENCING.
>> PROSECUTORS HAVE A LOT OF
DISCRETION WHEN THEY BRING
CHARGES AND THAT CABINS THE
JUDGE’S AUTHORITY OVER THE
SENTENCE STHATHEY IMPOSE.
IT’S TIME TO HAVE A CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW WE USE OUR RESOURCES
AND WHETHER PROSECUTORS ARE
PROSECUTING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
CASES THAT HELP THEIR
COMMUNITIES MOVE FORWARD AS
OPPOSED TO SOME OF THESE CHARGES
THAT LOOK RETALIATORY AND
DISMISSIVE.
WE DON’T KNOW ALL THE
CIRCUMSTANCES BUT IN UTAH THIS
IS OVER BUYING SOME RED PAINT
FOR A PROTEST.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALWAYS WAIT
AND HEAR THE FACTS BUT ON ITS
FACE THESE ARE VERY DIFFICULT
AND DISTURBING CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> KENDRICK, WE’RE GOING TO YELL
CUT IN 25 SECONDS BUT I GIVE YOU
THE LAST WORD.
>> I DO BELIEVE IT’S
RETALIATORY.
IT SEEMS LIKE A FASCIST MOVE TO
DISCOURAGE PROTESTS AND THAT
CALLS
ADDS TO THE CALL TO DEFUND THESE
PROGRAMS AND MOVE IT TOWARD
COMMUNITY CARE AND SYSTEMS THAT
HELP AND HEAL THE COMMUNITY SO
WE DON’T HAVE TO CONTINUE SEEING
THESE PROBLEMS AND TALKING ABOUT
THESE AND WE CAN GET TO THE
OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT
IN LIFTING PEOPLE UP.