On poverty, power and public policy

At The Root is a new MLK50 series that highlights daily radical actions. As the author and activist Angela Davis said, “radicalism means simply grasping something at the root.” This visually driven function will appear repeatedly. To suggest ideas for At The Root, please email to andrea.morales@mlk50.com to visual director Andrea Morales 

Rico Washington knew that sometimes he would over-fuel. When he drove through the city from his home in North Memphis, this awareness stayed with him. As a black man, he knew the risk of being stopped by the police.

On a Saturday morning last month, volunteers canvassing votes in the Douglas community found Washington and told him DeCarcerate Memphis' brake light clinic in Douglas Park. Washington brought his electric blue Kia for inspection. Clinic volunteer Josh Adams inspected the car and found that both brake lights had burned out. Adams replaced them in just a few minutes. 

The organization questioned the idea that increased law enforcement would lead to safer streets and aimed to end the racial and class prejudices used in the justice system. This is the first in a series of clinics to address a common excuse for police stopping: malfunctioning brake lights.

According to a recently published New York Times investigation, in the past five years, US law enforcement agencies have killed more than 400 unarmed drivers or passengers who were not suspected of violent crimes during traffic interceptions. Although the probability of a police officer dying during a traffic stop is less than one in 3.6 million, the perceived danger is used as a justification for the use of force in these encounters. The investigation stated: "This dangerous assumption has been greatly exaggerated, but it has become deeply ingrained in police culture and court precedent-leading to impunity for most police officers who use lethal force while parking." 

Saturday, November 6th: 10am-2pm, Orange Mound Tower, 2205 Lamar Avenue

Saturday, December 4th: 10 am to 2 pm, the First Congo Church at 1000 South Cooper Street

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The 19-year-old Darrius Stewart is a passenger in a car that was stopped in Hickory Hill in 2015 because the headlights were not working. Memphis police officer Connor Schilling detained Stewart, claiming that he had a valid arrest warrant. The encounter ended with Schilling shooting Stewart. 

Burnt out brake lights are part of the reason why Philando Castile was pulled in Minnesota. A broken taillight caused Walter Scott to be stopped in South Carolina. Samuel DuBose was driving a car with missing tags when he was stopped in Ohio. All three men were shot dead by the police during the parking.

Volunteer Kathy Yancey Temple said: "We have seen such deaths across the country starting from a simple transportation station." "This is no longer justified. It never makes sense. ."

A recent study ranked police use of force as the sixth leading cause of death for black youth. 

Replacing light bulbs and Adams’ labor is free for Washington or anyone else who uses the clinic’s products. This service behavior helps Washington avoid encounters that could be fined up to around $60. 

"[The police] may do the most and may find out more problems with my car so they can add more to the ticket," Washington said. "That will only make my situation worse, worse than my taillights go out."

This story is written by MLK50: Justice through News, a non-profit newsroom focused on poverty, power, and policy in Memphis. Support independent journalism by making a tax-free donation today. MLK50 is also supported by these generous donors.

MLK50: Justice Through Journalism is a non-profit Memphis newsroom that focuses on poverty, power, and public policy-issues that Dr. Martin Luther King is deeply concerned about. Contact us info@mlk50.com