logo
US Cop Drags & Bashes Black Man In Viral Assault Video; Officer Stripped Of Duty Amid Outrage

US Cop Drags & Bashes Black Man In Viral Assault Video; Officer Stripped Of Duty Amid Outrage

Time of India6 days ago
A Florida police officer was stripped of duty after a viral video showed him punching 22-year-old William McNeil Jr., a Black man, during a February traffic stop. McNeil, seated and calm, asked for a sergeant after being pulled over for not using headlights in daylight. Without warning, another officer smashed his window and punched him in the face. The incident, now under internal investigation, has reignited debate on racial profiling and police brutality in the U.S.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Ex-cop who mistook Black man's phone for gun gets 15 yrs to life for murder
Ex-cop who mistook Black man's phone for gun gets 15 yrs to life for murder

Business Standard

timean hour ago

  • Business Standard

Ex-cop who mistook Black man's phone for gun gets 15 yrs to life for murder

A former Ohio police officer convicted of murder in the shooting of Andre Hill, a Black man who was holding a cellphone and keys when he was killed, was given a mandatory sentence Monday of 15 years to life. Former Columbus officer Adam Coy shot Hill four times in a garage in December 2020, as the country reckoned with a series of police killings of Black men, women and children. He told jurors that he feared for his life because he thought Hill was holding a silver revolver. Coy, who is being treated for Hodgkin lymphoma, told the court Monday he plans to appeal the verdict. I feel my actions were justified, Coy said. I reacted the same way I had in hundreds of training scenarios. I drew and fired my weapon to stop a threat, protect myself and my partner." Prosecutors said Hill followed police commands and was never a threat to Coy. In victim impact statements Monday, Hill's sisters and ex-wife described the 47-year-old as a gentle man who had never met a stranger. His grandchildren called him Big Daddy." Police body camera footage showed Hill coming out of the garage of a friend's house holding up a cellphone in his left hand, his right hand not visible, seconds before he was fatally shot. Almost 10 minutes passed before officers at the scene rendered aid. Coy, who was fired afterward, had a lengthy history of citizen complaints, although most were declared unfounded. Weeks later, the mayor forced out the police chief after a series of fatal police shootings of Black people. Columbus later reached a $10 million settlement with Hill's family, and the city passed a law requiring police to give immediate medical attention to injured suspects. The local Fraternal Order of Police chapter said it would continue to support Coy, for both his sake and that of every officer who acts in good faith under department protocols. While this incident was a heart-rending mistake, it wasn't murder, said Brian Steel, president of FOP Capital City Lodge 9.

New law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants, Ciara among first
New law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants, Ciara among first

News18

time9 hours ago

  • News18

New law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants, Ciara among first

Dakar(Senegal), Jul 28 (AP) US singer Ciara is one of the first public figures to become a citizen of Benin under a recent law by the small West African country granting citizenship to descendants of slaves. The Grammy-winning performer's acquisition of citizenship at a ceremony Saturday in the city of Cotonou is part of a broader initiative by Benin to attract the Black diaspora, acknowledge the country's role in the transatlantic slave trade, and promote tourism focused on slavery-related sites of remembrance. 'By legally recognizing these children of Africa, Benin is healing a historical wound. It is an act of justice, but also one of belonging and hope," Justice Minister Yvon Détchénou said at the ceremony. Here's what to know about Benin's efforts to welcome slave descendants: Benin's afro-descendant citizenship law In September, Benin passed a law granting citizenship to those who can trace their lineage to the slave trade. It is open to anyone above 18 who doesn't already hold other African citizenship and can provide proof that an ancestor was deported via the slave trade from anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Beninese authorities accept DNA tests, authenticated testimonies and family records. Last week, the government launched My Afro Origins, the digital platform that processes applications. While Benin is not the first country to grant citizenship to descendants of slaves, its citizenship law carries added significance, in part because of the role it played in the transatlantic slave trade. A national reckoning with its role in the slave trade. European merchants deported an estimated 1.5 million enslaved people from the Bight of Benin — a region that includes present-day Benin, Togo and parts of Nigeria — to the Americas. Beninese kings actively participated in capturing and selling slaves to Portuguese, French, and British merchants. The former kingdoms and the communities they raided still exist today as tribal networks. Benin has long been working to reconcile with its legacy of complicity. It has openly acknowledged its role in the slave trade, a stance not shared by many other African nations that participated. In the 1990s, it hosted an international conference to examine how and where slaves were sold. In 1999, then-President Mathieu Kérékou apologized to African Americans during a visit to a church in Baltimore. 'Memorial tourism" Alongside this national reckoning, 'memorial tourism" around the legacy of the slave trade has become a key approach of Benin's government to attract afro-descendants. Memorial sites are mostly in Ouidah, one of Africa's most active slave-trading ports in the 18th and 19th centuries. They include the Slave Route, which was the path marking slaves' final journey to ships, and the Door of No Return, a haunting doorway that opens to the Atlantic Ocean where they left Africa, and their families, for the last time. Sindé Chekete, the head of Benin's state-run tourism agency, said these sites give afro-descendants the opportunity to learn about and honor the struggles and resilience of their ancestors. 'It may inspire some people to say I want to return to Africa and choose Benin to understand this history'," Chekete said. Following her citizenship ceremony, Ciara toured the historic city, where she walked the Slave Route to the Door of No Return. 'Between emotion, reflection, and heritage, I experienced a profound return to what truly matters," she said. (AP) RD RD view comments First Published: July 29, 2025, 01:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

A new law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants. Ciara is among the first
A new law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants. Ciara is among the first

Hindustan Times

time11 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

A new law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants. Ciara is among the first

DAKAR, Senegal — U.S. singer Ciara is one of the first public figures to become a citizen of Benin under a recent law by the small West African country granting citizenship to descendants of slaves. A new law in Benin grants citizenship to slave descendants. Ciara is among the first The Grammy-winning performer's acquisition of citizenship at a ceremony Saturday in the city of Cotonou is part of a broader initiative by Benin to attract the Black diaspora, acknowledge the country's role in the transatlantic slave trade, and promote tourism focused on slavery-related sites of remembrance. 'By legally recognizing these children of Africa, Benin is healing a historical wound. It is an act of justice, but also one of belonging and hope,' Justice Minister Yvon Détchénou said at the ceremony. Here's what to know about Benin's efforts to welcome slave descendants: In September, Benin passed a law granting citizenship to those who can trace their lineage to the slave trade. It is open to anyone above 18 who doesn't already hold other African citizenship and can provide proof that an ancestor was deported via the slave trade from anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa. Beninese authorities accept DNA tests, authenticated testimonies and family records. Last week, the government launched My Afro Origins, the digital platform that processes applications. While Benin is not the first country to grant citizenship to descendants of slaves, its citizenship law carries added significance, in part because of the role it played in the transatlantic slave trade. European merchants deported an estimated 1.5 million enslaved people from the Bight of Benin — a region that includes present-day Benin, Togo and parts of Nigeria — to the Americas. Beninese kings actively participated in capturing and selling slaves to Portuguese, French, and British merchants. The former kingdoms and the communities they raided still exist today as tribal networks. Benin has long been working to reconcile with its legacy of complicity. It has openly acknowledged its role in the slave trade, a stance not shared by many other African nations that participated. In the 1990s, it hosted an international conference to examine how and where slaves were sold. In 1999, then-President Mathieu Kérékou apologized to African Americans during a visit to a church in Baltimore. Alongside this national reckoning, 'memorial tourism' around the legacy of the slave trade has become a key approach of Benin's government to attract afro-descendants. Memorial sites are mostly in Ouidah, one of Africa's most active slave-trading ports in the 18th and 19th centuries. They include the Slave Route, which was the path marking slaves' final journey to ships, and the Door of No Return, a haunting doorway that opens to the Atlantic Ocean where they left Africa, and their families, for the last time. Sindé Chekete, the head of Benin's state-run tourism agency, said these sites give afro-descendants the opportunity to learn about and honor the struggles and resilience of their ancestors. 'It may inspire some people to say 'I want to return to Africa and choose Benin to understand this history'," Chekete said. Following her citizenship ceremony, Ciara toured the historic city, where she walked the Slave Route to the Door of No Return. 'Between emotion, reflection, and heritage, I experienced a profound return to what truly matters,' she said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store