COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The dad and mom of a mentally ailing Black man who died in a South Carolina jail after he was shocked by workers who kneeled on his again till he stopped respiration are calling for state lawmakers to move each a hate crimes legislation and a invoice specifying extreme pressure by officers is against the law.
Jamal Sutherland’s dad and mom appeared Wednesday with members of the Black Legislative Caucus who’re sad the proposals have stalled within the Common Meeting.
“These payments will deliver accountability. Accountability brings penalties. And penalties deliver habits change,” James Sutherland mentioned.
The South Carolina Home handed a invoice final yr permitting prosecutors to seek additional prison time for anybody who commits a violent crime fueled by hatred of the sufferer’s race, sexual orientation, gender, faith or incapacity. South Carolina and Wyoming are the one states and not using a hate crimes legislation.
The invoice handed the Home after an extended, tenacious battle and made it to the Senate flooring. However senators have made no effort to take it up. The clock is ticking — if the invoice doesn’t move earlier than the Common Meeting’s session ends in Might, the hate crime proposal goes again to sq. one.
Ten senators, all Republican, have a written objection to the invoice which makes it tough to debate. Republican Senate leaders have mentioned a hate crimes legislation is pointless as a result of there are already punishments for crimes like homicide and assault and a federal hate crimes legislation took care of essentially the most egregious instances, just like the killing of 9 Black church members in a racist assault on a Charleston church.
The invoice known as the “ Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act ” after the pastor and state senator killed along with his parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in 2015.
Longtime civil rights advocate the Rev. Nelson B. Rivers mentioned it’s absurd the hate crime invoice nonetheless sits within the Senate.
“There isn’t any center floor on this. You’re both for it or you might be in opposition to it. Why are you supporting hate? Who would stand on the aspect of hate?” Rivers mentioned.
Jamal Sutherland’s dad and mom additionally known as for the Common Meeting to move two payments filed after his loss of life. One would particularly make using excessive force when arresting or detaining somebody a criminal offense.
Prosecutor Scarlet Wilson known as the actions of the jail officers “damning,” however mentioned they weren’t in opposition to the legislation as a result of the officers have been following their poor coaching to be aggressive with inmates and the state had no particular extreme pressure legislation. The officers were fired.
Sutherland, 31, had been booked in the Charleston County jail the day earlier than his loss of life in January 2021 on a misdemeanor after officers arrested him whereas investigating a battle at a psychological well being and substance abuse heart. His loss of life gained nationwide consideration after county officers launched video of the incident months later.
The second invoice supported by Sutherland’s household would ban the usage of pressure to get a mentally ailing individual to attend a bond listening to and require a psychological well being analysis if somebody seems to wish one earlier than a bond listening to.
Amy Sutherland requested for lawmakers to move the bill named for her son so she will have some consolation that one other mom received’t undergo like she has.
“I’ve to relive it again and again as a result of my state wont do the fitting factor,” she mentioned.
The household additionally known as for state or federal prosecutors to evaluate the choice by native prosecutors to not cost the jail officers.
Wilson has mentioned the legislation left her no alternative however to not cost the officers, however she welcomes any evaluate and appreciates the household’s resolve and perseverance.
Rivers, standing with a few dozen lawmakers, mentioned his a long time of combating for civil rights in South Carolina leaves him unhappy, however not stunned that the state is without doubt one of the final to have a hate crimes legislation.
“Why is it so arduous, at all times so arduous in South Carolina to do what’s proper? We simply can’t get a vote,” Rivers mentioned. “Now we have to battle, we now have to plead, we now have to march, we now have to protest as a result of in South Carolina doing what’s proper is a tough factor.”
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Observe Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP.
