Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”
The killing of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, triggered a wave of nationwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality.
A new study showed that black people are more likely to get arrested in the United States than white people. While North Carolina’s racial disparities in the arrest rate are not as profound as the average national rate, Charlotte-Mecklenburg ranks as one of the worst counties in the state in terms of racial disparities.
In Charlotte-Mecklenburg, black people are arrested 71.6% more often than their white counterparts even though black individuals account for only 35.1% of the county’s population, the study showed. The study was conducted by ABC11 I-Team in collaboration with ABC News after reviewing over 5 million arrest records submitted to law enforcement agencies across the nation as well as the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Nationwide, black individuals were arrested at a rate five times higher than that of white individuals. On average, law enforcement agencies across North Carolina arrested black people at a rate of 2.5 times higher.
Black individuals are usually the ones being arrested, the ones being questioned by police, and the ones being charged with crimes. This apparent racial injustice was part of the driving force behind the nationwide George Floyd protests.
Related: Who can be held liable for your injury during a protest in North Carolina?
Racial Profiling and Police Misconduct in North Carolina
Racial profiling and other forms of police misconduct are not uncommon in Charlotte and other parts of North Carolina. Black people often become victims of wrongful arrests, police brutality, and other types of misconduct.
Fortunately, you can hold the police department responsible for the use of excessive force, racial profiling, and other forms of misconduct regardless of your race or skin color. It is advised to speak with a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney in North Carolina if you believe that you were arrested or charged based on your race or skin color.
Read: The most common claims that stem from police misconduct.
A police officer can violate your civil rights during an arrest, a traffic stop, or during any other encounter with law enforcement in North Carolina.
There are various types of police misconduct, including:
- Use of excessive force
- Police brutality
- Wrongful arrest
- Racial profiling
- Using a taser gun
- Physical assault
- Torturing a suspect
- Police shooting
- Unlawful search and seizure
- Mistreating a suspect in police custody
- Forcing a confession
- Planting or tampering with evidence
- Sexual assault
If your civil rights were violated by a police officer or you believe that you were arrested, apprehended, or charged with a crime based on your race or skin color, contact a criminal defense lawyer immediately. A lawyer can help you obtain compensation for the damages and losses caused by police misconduct.
Schedule a consultation with our knowledgeable attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, to discuss your legal options. Contact our lawyers to fight for justice. Call our lawyers at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, at (704) 370-2828 to evaluate your options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The criminal defense attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC make it their mission to zealously defend their clients on a wide range of criminal matters at both the state and federal levels. These matters may include any charge from traffic offenses; DWI/DUI; drug charges (from simple possession to possession with intent to distribute and trafficking); gun permit denials; weapons offenses; and property crimes (larceny, breaking and entering, robbery, fraud, embezzlement, white collar offenses); to sexually related offenses (indecent exposure; sexual assault, crimes against nature, removal from sex offender registry); and violent crimes (domestic violence; assault; manslaughter; homicide, murder). Other legal issues that Arnold & Smith, PLLC criminal clients may be facing include restraining orders, restraining order and probation violations, expungements; appeals; and immigration issues related to criminal charges. Our criminal defense attorneys are passionate about ensuring that individuals empower themselves by being informed about their constitutional rights, and stand at the ready to fight in the defense of those facing criminal charges.
Source:
https://abc11.com/arrest-data-naacp-police-brutality-black-people-arrested-more-often/6243206/
Image Credit:
https://www.freeimages.com/photo/handcuffs-1469317
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