On Friday, February 4, The University of Minnesota Black Law Students Association released the following open letter, addressing the killing of Amir Locke during a police raid in Minneapolis.
The University of Minnesota Black Law Students Association mourns the death of Amir Locke.
Minnesota murdered Philando Castile in 2016. Minnesota murdered George Floyd in 2020. Minnesota murdered Daunte Wright in 2021. These three recent murders joined a long list of state-sponsored violence against Black people in Minnesota.
Now, as we pay heed to the murder of Amir Locke, we also reckon with the legacy of intersectional police violence that permeates the Black communities of Minnesota along the lines of gender, sexuality, ability, religion, class, and so much more. Since 2000, Minnesota has murdered at least 57 Black residents.
The murder of Amir Locke occurred before 7 a.m., barely two days into Black History Month. A Minneapolis SWAT team executed a no-knock warrant for a reason unknown, using an apartment key. The police shot and killed Amir Locke nine seconds after entering the apartment. The news articles covering the death of Amir Locke do not include photos of Amir Locke, but rather the gun he was carrying–as if to justify his death.
The University of Minnesota Black Law Students Association requests that the parties who chose to execute a no-knock warrant, before sunrise, be terminated from their positions with the Minneapolis Police Department immediately.
Are we not exhausted? Police are seven times more likely to use force against Black men than their White peers in Minnesota. Eighty percent of police stops in Minneapolis involve Black drivers. Police kill Black Americans during encounters at a rate of 3 to 1 compared to white peers. Eight percent of Minnesota is Black. 12.4 percent of America is Black. While Minnesota has had 57 recorded Black deaths at the hands of police since 2000, all of us are hurting. When will we make systemic changes to protect Americans?
While Minnesota has had 57 recorded Black deaths at the hands of police since 2000, all of us are hurting. When will we make systemic changes to protect Americans?
The sacrifices of Black Americans have long been taken for granted, dating back to 1770, when Crispus Attucks was the first person to die in the name of American freedom. Slave labor funded the U.S.’ rise to become an international power. Ten percent of the Union army was composed of Black men, fighting not only for freedom, but also to keep this country whole. Black women were crucial to the fight for universal suffrage. More than 370,000 Black men fought in World War I. More than 2.5 million Black men served in World War II.
Black Americans fought for all of our equal rights, and yet frequently, our white peers benefit the most. This disturbing irony seen in the history of Black Americans building this nation but not being able to feel safe in the comfort of our own homes must be addressed.
The Black Law Students Association demands action. We refuse to support a system that disproportionately targets Black bodies and executes them without reservation. Fire the men and women who decided a 7 a.m. no-knock warrant was appropriate. Release the details of the warrant in full. We built this country; we deserve better than living in fear.
Justice C. Shannon 2L, BLSA, UMN Law
Elizabeth Bovell 2L, BLSA, UMN Law
Dahlia Wilson, 1L, BLSA, UMN Law
Louica Alexandre, 1L, BLSA, UMN Law
2L, BLSA, UMN Law
Dylan Saul, 2L, ACS, UMN Law
Tobi Ladipo, 1L, BLSA, UST Law
Samia Osman, 2L, BLSA, MLSA, UMN Law
Mercedes G. Molina, 2L, LLSA, JLI, NLG, UMN Law
Leah Reiss, 2L, JLSA, UMN Law
Akeem Anderson, 2L, BLSA & LLSA, UMN Law
Zack Taylor, 2L, JLSA, UMN Law
Heather Chang, 3L, APALSA, LLSA, JLI, UMN Law
Eura Chang, 3L, APALSA, UMN Law
Ryan Liston, 1L, NLG, UMN Law
Selma El-Badawi, 1L, MLSA, UMN Law
Faith Hemingway, 2L, NLG, UMN Law
Mohammad Ziny, 1L, MLSA, NLG, ACS, UMN Law
Maurice Hicks, MS1, UMN Med
Emily Moss, 3L, ACS, UMN Law
Ingrid Hofeldt, 3L, UMN Law
Victor Sikeley, 3L, BLSA, UST Law
Amy Cohen, 1L, JLSA, UMN Law
Brandie Burris 3L, BLSA, UMN Law
Journal of Law & Inequality, Editorial Board
Madelyn Cox-Guerra, 2L, LLSA, UMN Law
Emily Curran, 3L, OutLaw, UMN Law
Ujjoyini Bhowmik, 2L, UMN Law
Fabiola Gretzinger, 3L, LLSA, WLSA, MJIL, UMN Law
Patrick Murray, 3L, LLSA, UMN LAW
Natalie Bielenberg, 2L, WLSA, UMN Law
Sydney Goggins, 3L WLSA, UMN Law
Job Okeri, 1L, BLSA, UMN Law
Tayla Moore, 1L, BLSA, UMN Law
Morgan Zuehlke, 1L, UST Law
Mollie Clark, 1L, MLSA, UMN Law
Jessica Keller, 2L, UMN Law
Jon Erik Haines, 3L, JLI, UMN Law
Anika Reza, 2L, ALP, UMN Law
Alexander Goudie-Averill, 1L, UMN Law
Kira Le, 1L, UMN Law
Yousef AlMesad, 2L, UMN Law
Maysa Alqaisi, 2L, MLSA, UMN Law
Theresa Green, 2L, WLSA, UMN Law
Jordan Hughes, 3L, UMN Law
Haashir Lakhani, 3L, JLI, MLSA, UMN Law
Ryann Freeman, 2L, ALP, Racial Equity and Justice Committee, UMN Law
Zach Fisher, 1L, EELS, UMN Law
Julia Imperatore, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Molly Nelson-Regan, 2L, LLSA, WLSA, UMN Law
Sarah Cohen, 2L, APALSA, WLSA, UMN Law
Amanda Maharg, 1L, WLSA, Outlaw, UMN Law
Alida Weidensee, 2L, If/When/How, UMN Law
Sam Marquardt, 3L, WLSA, UMN Law
Molly Dunn, 1L, UMN Law
Katie McCoy, 3L, UMN Law
Hannah Fereshtehkhou, 3L, UMN Law
Megan Mullenbach, 1L, UMN Law
Sadie Betting, 2L, OutLaw, UMN Law
Kim Ortleb, 2L, UMN Law
Annie Brooking, 1L, Outlaw, WLSA, UMN Law
Ashley Meeder, 3L, UMN Law
Bethany Jewison, 1L, UMN Law
Sophia Zink, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Maria Saracino-Lowe, 2L, EELS, UMN Law
Sierra Paulsen, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Rachel Emendorfer, 1L, UMN Law
Emma Redinger, 1L, UMN Law
Lucy Dougherty, 1L, MJF, WLSA, ALP, UMN Law
Kari Thoreson, 2L, WLSA, UST Law
Angel Lockhart, 3L, BLSA, University of Chicago Law School
Molly Novak, 2L, Anti-Racism Alliance, WLSA UST Law
Erin Abramovitz, 3L, WLSA, UMN Law
Emma Kruger, 1L, UMN Law
Mary Fleming, 2L, If/When/How Board, UMN Law
Christina Luna, HSOCA
Joseph Scanlon, 2L, JLI, UMN Law
Nicholas Taylor, 1L, NLG, UMN Law
Allyson Barkley, MPP/JD Duke University
Hanna Day, 1L, WLSA, CLA, UST Law
Alena Carl, 3L, TORT, UMN Law
Yastril Nañez, 3L, LLSA, UST Law
Marina Cruz, 1L, LLSA, UST Law
Micayla Bitz, 1L, UST LAW
Lee Owen, 1L, UMN Law
Alex Kautza, 1L, UST Law
Courtney Annakin, 1L, UST Law
Alexandria Dolezal, 3L, UMN Law
Katin Liphart Massad, 1L, If/When/How, UMN Law
Fionna Ek, 1L, OUTLaw, UMN Law
Kendra Saathoff, 3L, UMN Law
Amelia Lizarraga, 1L, Law Council, UMN Law
Zanna Tennant, 2L, UMN Law, MJLST
Ian Mallery, 1L, NLG, UMN LAW
Tessa Wright, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Julia Silverstein, 2L, PCTLA, UMN Law
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Jess Palyan, 3L, CJP, UST Law
Rachel Pokrzywinski, 3L, JLI, UMN Law
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Ayesha Mitha, 2L, SALSA, MLSA, UMN Law
Katherine Bogart, 1L, UST Law
Linnea VanPilsum-Bloom, 3L, JLI, UMN Law
1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Kaitlyn Falk, 3L, UMN Law
Sarah Davidson, 1L, UST Law
Anna Barton, 2L, ARA, CJP, FGLSA, ILSA, WLSA, UST Law
Gabi Bartlett, 2L, ARA, ELS, WLSA, UST Law
Meghan Holden, 3L, Mitchell Hamline
2L, UST Law
Alex Jones 1L, WBI, UMN
Lily Hastings, 2L, First-Gen Law, WLSA, Outlaw, MJF, ARA, UST Law
Sovay Anderberg 2L UMN Law
Emily Newman, 3L, UMN Law
Mirtha Montoya, 2L, LLSA, UST Law
Madi Dale, 3L, UMN Law
Shonice Pooniwala, 2L, Transfer Representative, UMN Law
Giuseppe Tumminello 1L, EELS, LLSA, UMN Law
1L, OUTLaw, UMN Law
Abbie Maier, 3L, JLI, UMN Law
Sarah Coleman, 2L, JLSA, WLSA, Outlaw, JLI, UMN Law
Margaret Behen, LLM, WLSA, UMN Law
Eleanor Khirallah, 2L, UMN Law
Mara Sybesma, 3L, UMN Law
Sarah Brickson, 2L, ALP, UMN Law
Christiane Dos Santos, 3L, CJP, LLSA, UST Law
Srishtee Dear, 2L, WOCC, UMN Law
3L, EELS, TORT, UMN Law
Gabriela McCormack, 2L, LLSA, ARA, UST Law
Grace Moore, 2L, JLI, UMN Law
Spencer Rojas, 1L, LLSA, UMN Law
Andrew Biddison, 2L, OutLaw, JLI, UMN Law
Josie Rosene, 3L, CJP, UST Law
Sarah Murtada, 3L. CJP, UST Law
Payton Yahn, 3L, UST Law
Jocelyn Rimes, 2L, BLSA, JLI, UMN Law
Haley Wallace, 2L, OutLaw, UMN Law
Bailey Martin, 2L, JLI, CJL, UMN Law
Cedar Weyker, 2L, JLI, UMN Law
Natalie Dess, 1L, NLG, NUSL
Alexa Johnson-Gomez, 1L, MJF Board, UMN Law
Anne Bolgert, 3L, JLI, UMN Law
Megan L. Stembridge, 3L, UMN Law
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Taylor Steele, 1L, CJL, UMN Law
Tyler Blackmon, 1L, ACS, UMN Law
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Rachel Pretti, 1L, EELS, WLSA, UMN Law
Layni Sprouse, 2L, JLI, WLSA, UMN Law
Claire Colby, 2L, UMN Law
Michael Splendore, 3L, UMN Law
Kenneth Cooper, 2L, JLI, UMN Law
Tori Kee, J.D., Staff Attorney UST Law
Cassie Buehler, 3L, ACLU, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Lexie Robinson, 2L, UMN Law
The Anti-Racism Alliance, UST Law
Morgan Twamley, 3L, UST Law
Lena Brakel, 3L, UST Law
Reghan Lynch, 3L, UST Law
Alayna O’Bryan, 2L, ALP, CJL, UMN Law
Yemaya Hanna, 3L, BLSA, UMN Law
Eve Grabau, 1L, UMN Law
Berina Altshuler, 3L, UST Law
Laura Milstein, 2L, UMN Law
Leah Nowak, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Jennifer Melton, 2L Representative Law Council, UMN Law
Melissa Watton, 2L, MJF Student Chapter, UMN Law
Hannah Schacherl, 2L, WLSA, UMN Law
Arianna Fjelstad, 1L, ARA, UST Law
Haille Laws, 3L, Law Council, UMN Law
Ajang Ekinde, 1L, BLSA, UST Law
Zoe Psiakis, 3L, UMN Law
Tony Sanchez, 2L, U
Skylar Peyton, IL, UST Law
Kaylyn Stanek, 2L, UMN Law
Evan Dale, 1L, NLG, UMN Law
Abby Ward, 1L, UMN Law
Hayley Steele, 2L, UMN Law
Marra Clay, 3L, UMN Law
Kalen Best, 2L, CJP, WLSA, MJF, CLA, UST Law
Emanual Williams, 2L, BLSA, UMN Law
Julia Brady, 3L, UMN Law
Jessica Bontemps, 3L, BLSA – UMN Law
River Lord, 3L, UMN Law
Austin Northagen, 2L, UST Law
Shaylma Salinas, 1L, UST Law
Eva Kendrick, 3L, MJF, UST Law
Mallory Harrington, 2L, BLSA, JLI, UMN Law
Sara Witty, 3L, UMN Law
Sean Smallwood, 2L, UST Law
Sarah Phillips, 1L, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Lanie Krause, 2L, WLSA, UMN Law
Jake Polinsky, 2L, JLI, JLSA, UMN Law
Breanna Ohl, 1L, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
William Myers, 1L, ACS, UMN Law
Emma Peterson, 2L, UMN Law
Lindsay Maher, 1L, UMN Law
Sara Engemann, 2L, ELS, Moot Court, UST Law
Mason Medeiros, 2L, EELS, UMN Law
Jacque Randolph, 1L, UMN Law
Ellen Morrissey, 2L, WLSA, UST Law
Anna Brekke, 2L, UST Law
Ashley Lundin, 2L UST Law
Javier Romay, 2L, UST Law
Jake Brekke, 2L, UMN Law
Emily Nielsen, 3L, UST Law
Leslie Bellwood, 3L, TORT, WLSA, UMN Law
Francesca O’Neill, 3L, UST Law
Hanna Weil, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Grace Anderson, 2L, JLI, OutLaw, UMN Law
Gordon Unzen, 1L, NLG, UMN Law
Abby Frerick, 1L, NLG, SELLA, UMN LAW
Olivia Carroll, 2L, EELS, MLR, UMN Law
Ellen Brady, 2L, UMN Law
Elena Modl, 3L, SALSA, WLSA, UMN Law
Kailee Martens, 3L, OutLaw, UMN Law
Jamie Smith, 1L, UMN LAW
Toni Hoffer, 1L, UST Law
Alexandria Yakes, 3L, UMN Law
Xavier Roberts, MPP Candidate, Duke University
Cierra Johnson, 1L, UMN Law
Lauren Butler, 1L, WLSA, UMN Law
Vanessa Hird, 2L, UMN Law
Timothy Lee, 1L, NLA, PSG, OutLaw, UMN Law
Michaela McNichol, 1L, Outlaw, WLSA, UMN Law
Katja Lange, 2L, UMN Law
Madison Wadsworth, 2L, UMN Law
Carly Michaud, 3L, HLBA, UMN Law
Mollie Wagoner, 3L, MLR, UMN Law
Dominic Detwiler, 1L, UMN Law
Andrew Nicotra Reilly, 2L, UMN Law
Thor Hawrey, 3L JLI, UMN Law
Ambika Patpatia, 1L, ALP, UMN Law
Avram D. Scarlett, HSOCA
Olivia Fried, 1L, UMN Law, Outlaw, ALP
Madyson Turner, 2L, UMN Law
Joshua Hamel, 3L, TORT, Law Council, UMN Law
Jackie Cuellar, 2L, HLBA, UMN Law
Alex Feltes, 2L, UMN Law
Jordan Lee, 2L, UST Law
Abbey Kost, 2L, UST Law
