OVO Sound boss Drake‘s dad is demanding justice for slain Colorado man Elijah McClain. The hip-hop veteran’s day one Dennis Graham has penned some emotional words about laws needing to change to stop the killing of innocent Black people.
Dennis x Elijah
On Thursday, Graham relied on his Instagram page to unload pure emotions. The veteran musician publicly called out the legal system and United States government to start taking action to make the slayings end once and for all.
“I took my other post down because I am Tired of posting things about American people being constantly killed and the government is letting it continue like it’s something that has to go through f*cking Congress to stop, Also there are too many powerful people in the United States that can step up and put an end to this, and they’re not saying a word because they don’t want to risk losing what they have, Every Athlete, Movie Star,Every entertainer Every Doctor, Lawyer Pastor , Priest,All Good Police People, Every major company that we spend our money with, This world that we live in is letting this sh*t happen to People of color and not saying a damn word about it, THERE ARE TOO MANY OF US NOT TO BE ABLE TO STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY, Damn Congress, Senators and the Government it is time for this shit to stop” -Dennis Graham’s Instagram
High-Key Details
Social media has flexed its power at getting change done. An overwhelming amount of posts have ultimately forced law enforcement to look into last year’s disgusting slaying.
A recent social media outcry demanding Colorado officials launch an independent investigation into the 2019 death of a 23-year-old Black man in police custody has prompted Gov. Jared Polis to announce his administration will reexamine the case. In a series of tweets Wednesday, Polis wrote, “a fair and objective process free from real or perceived bias for investigating officer-involved killings is critical.” Polis added that he is having lawyers “examine what the state can do and we are assessing next steps.” (CNN)
Wait, There’s More
There’s all types of drama connected to last year’s death investigation. A former police officer getting asked to investigate McClain’s death ultimately had the power to reject the request.
After an internal investigation, the Aurora Police Department found the officers involved in the stop had acted within the bounds of acceptable policy and training. The local district attorney declined to prosecute any criminal charges related to McClain’s death. The city had proposed an independent review of the case, but after the first man chosen to head the inquiry turned out to be a former police officer, Aurora officials scrapped that effort and asked the city manager to nominate a different investigator. (Washington Post)
Before You Go
Elijah’s death dates back to August 2019. Law enforcement ultimately took his life after initially putting him into their possession off a 911 call about a suspicious person in the area he was walking in.
Last August, police officers in Aurora, Colorado, approached 23-year-old Elijah McClain as he walked home from a convenience store. The Aurora Police Department later said that a 911 caller had reported a “suspicious person” in a ski mask, and that when officers confronted McClain — who was not armed and had not committed any kind of crime — he “resisted arrest.” In the 15 minutes that followed, the officers tackled McClain to the ground, put him in a carotid hold, and called first responders, who injected him with ketamine. He had a heart attack on the way to the hospital, and died days later, after he was declared brain dead. (The Cut)