Philando Castile

Philando Castile’s Death Inspires Black Economic Movement

December 11, 2017 Cirien Saadeh, theuptake.org Create! Black Capitalism, New Economy, Philando Castile

The death of Philando Castile was a turning point for many Minnesotans, who were once again forced to face Minnesota’s structural oppressions and deal with the aftermath of another death of a Black man by police hands. It was a turning point for Me’Lea Connelly, a former security firm manager and single mother who lives in Minneapolis. “We have to find another tool for resistance aside from the bodies of Black youth,” said Connelly, director of the Association for Black Economic Power (ABEP), which formed after the death of Philando Castile. “What a lot of people don’t know, after the lights went down at the [4th Precinct] Occupation, those kids were psychologically, socially, and physically abused, they were traumatized. We were right in the middle of trying to recuperate from that when Philando was killed,” said Connelly. That trauma inspired Blexit—a Black independence movement conducted through economic boycott—and ABEP. In the Twin Cities, economic organizing has often taken the form of legislative policy or (successful) efforts to pass higher minimum wages or guaranteed earned sick & safe time. But in the last few years, there has been a shift.

Philando Castile’s Family Settles Lawsuit With City For $3 Million

June 27, 2017 John Baco, www.usatoday.com Resist! Lawsuit, Philando Castile, police brutality

By John Bacon for USA TODAY - The mother of Philando Castile, a black motorist shot by a Minnesota police officer a year ago, agreed to a $2.995 million settlement with the city of St. Anthony, lawyers announced Monday. Valerie Castile will be paid with insurance funds, and "no taxpayer monies" will be involved, according to a statement issued by the city and the family's lawyers. Castile, 32, was fatally shot at a traffic stop in July 2016 by officer Jeronimo Yanez. Multiple videos of the shooting and its chaotic aftermath emerged, thrusting the case into the national spotlight. Earlier this month, a jury acquitted Yanez, 29, of manslaughter and other charges in the case, setting off days of protests. "The death of Philando Castile is a tragedy for his family and for our community," the joint statement says. "The parties moved expeditiously to resolve potential civil claims ... in order to allow the process of healing to move forward for the Castile family, for the people of St. Anthony Village, and for all those impacted by the death of Philando Castile throughout the United States."

Castile’s Killer Acquitted; Forensics Contradicted His Case

June 17, 2017 Jeremy Stahl, www.slate.com Resist! Philando Castile, police brutality

By Jeremy Stahl for Slate - Philando Castile’s killer, police officer Jeromino Yanez, was acquitted of manslaughter and two counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm on Friday. The case of Castile’s shooting last July in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota had sparked mass protests after his girlfriend Diamond Reynolds posted a dramatic and wrenching video of the shooting’s aftermath. The video, taken with Reynolds’ 4-year-old daughter in the car, included footage of Castile lying in a puddle of blood after he was struck five times from seven shots. Castile had informed the officer that he was carrying a firearm, for which he had a permit. Shortly thereafter, Yanez opened fire. In his opening statement, Yanez’s defense attorney claimed that Castile was holding his gun when he was shot. “He has his hand on the gun,” Engh reportedly said during opening arguments. “The next command is, ‘Don’t pull it out.’ … [Yanez] can’t retreat … But for Mr. Castile’s continuous grip on the handgun, we would not be here.” The prosecution argued that the 32-year-old school cafeteria supervisor with no violent criminal record was reaching for his driver’s license—as Yanez had instructed—and not his gun when he was shot.

I Can’t Watch Another Police Killing

July 21, 2016 Joshua Serrano, www.otherwords.org Resist! Alton Sterling, killed by police, Philando Castile, police brutality

By Joshua Serrano for Other Worlds - Philando Castile and Alton Sterling became the latest black Americans to turn into Twitter hashtags when videos of their deaths at the hands of police circulated on social media. But I couldn’t bring myself to watch them. I still remember the helpless frustration I felt, my stomach twisting in knots, as I watched the video of Eric Garner being choked to death while screaming “I can’t breathe.”

Following Horrific Violence, Something More Is Required Of Us

July 11, 2016 Michelle Alexander, www.billmoyers.com Strategize! Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, Police violence

By Michelle Alexander for Moyers and Company - I have struggled to find words to express what I thought and felt as I watched the videos of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile being killed by the police. Thursday night, I wanted to say something that hasn’t been said a hundred times before. It finally dawned on me that there is nothing to say that hasn’t been said before. As I was preparing to write about the oldness of all of this, and share some wisdom passed down from struggles of earlier eras, I heard on the news that 11 officers had been shot in Dallas, several killed from sniper fire.

Thousands March On U.S. Capitol Following Police Shootings

July 9, 2016 John Zangas, www.dcmediagroup.us Resist! #BlackLivesMatter, Alton Sterling, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Philando Castile, police brutality

By John Zangas for DC Media Group - Washington, DC–The shootings of two Black men by police caught on cell phone video prompted thousands to protest at the White House and Capitol building on Thursday night. Infuriated by lack of action to curb police violence against Blacks, a crowd of hundreds even pushed past barricades and attempted to ascend the Capitol steps. Several members of Congress left a floor session to address the protesters. Thousands assembled at the White House following the release of streaming video posted by the girlfriend of Philando Castile, who was shot by a Minnesota police officer during a traffic stop.

Why Alton Sterling And Philando Castile Are Dead

July 8, 2016 Kai Wright, www.truth-out.org Educate! #BlackLivesMatter, Alton Sterling, Black Lives Matter (BLM), Philando Castile, police brutality

By Kai Wright for The Nation - Alton Sterling and Philando Castile are dead, joining a long roll call of black people killed by officials acting in the name of public safety. And so the nation now begins a process so familiar as to have become rote. Many of us will want desperately to know more about these men's lives, not merely their deaths. After each of the many executions we have collectively mourned, I have grasped for those kinds of details -- some reminder that black lives do actually matter, to somebody.

Daily movement news and resources