Source: Joshua Lott / Getty
Big Facts
The two white Baton Rouge police officers responsible for the shooting and killing of Alton Sterling will not face federal charges. Neither Sterling’s family nor Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome had been informed of the decision before the news was reported by The Washington Post. “No one in my office or the governor’s office has been notified by the U.S. attorney’s office of a decision or timeline,” Broome said in a statement. “When I know something, the people of Baton Rouge will know, and we will get through it together.”
Community members gathered around the Triple S Food Mart where Sterling was killed upon hearing about the decision. Kosher Weber, a 21-year-old Baton Rouge resident, told The New York Times regarding the news: “I’m not surprised, because it happens all the time. Where do things go from here? There’s no justice. There’s no nothing.”
Big Lies
Another day, another White House briefing, except this time—after White House Director Mick Mulvaney addressed Trump’s “good government shutdown” tweet and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly’s expressed his “shock” over the Democrats’ celebration of the blocked border wall funding (why are we even still talking about this!?)—Press Secretary Sean Spicer silently exited the press room. Turned around. Walked out. Up and left.
Calls of his name echoed throughout the room, but not a single pause was given on his behalf. Perhaps he just really wasn’t in the mood yesterday. Considering Trump’s recent (and stunning) Andrew Jackson statements, Trump’s recent call with Putin—hell, Trump’s entire first 100 days—we can think of a few reasons why he probably was just like: “Nah.” Lying takes energy, and he looked pretty tired.
Big News
Roy Oliver, the Texas police officer who fatally shot 15-year-old Jordan Edwards has been fired, reports The New York Times. Jonathan Haber, police chief of the Balch Springs Police Department, made the announcement on Tuesday, stating at a news conference: “You have my assurances that my department will continue to be responsive, transparent and accountable.”
According to NYT, Oliver had been with the department since July 2011. Although Haber declined to specify the violations leading to Oliver’s termination, he reportedly said the decision “was based in part on the department’s internal affairs investigation, which has been completed, and the body-camera footage from the two officers at the scene, Mr. Oliver and an unnamed officer.”
For more content like this, be sure to follow CASSIUSLife.com.