Baltimore police shot Jawan Richards in 2016 when they stopped him for not wearing his seatbelt. Richards didn’t know it, but the event was caught by a spy plane the police had secretly been using. Now his lawyers are saying the recording shows something different than what police say.
Richards’ attorneys filed a motion to vacate his plea because of new information regarding the surveillance plane. Things just don’t add up. His lawyers are hoping to illustrate that the police version of events is inconsistent with what they said actually happened - and that’s not all.
The officers involved have a history of corruption. Officers Hankard and Vignola, who shot Richards, were implicated in a scandal that involved police robbery, drugs, and more. Both have been charged for planting evidence. This problem is too common among Baltimore police.
The actions of the involved officers are much like the actions that involved their scandal, according to lawyers. They say police pulled up and shot Richards in seconds, and omitted facts about what really occurred. Black people have been systematically targeted by this police force.
Even though spy planes, body cameras, and other forms of surveillance may catch police misconduct and inconsistencies, they are used against Black people too. It’s good when there’s evidence, but when it comes from a spy plane, it’s worth asking why they’re even spying to begin with!