Law enforcement’s misuse of lethal force continues to devastate families and communities, with cases like Ashtian Barnes’ tragically echoing the killing of Anastasio Hernández Rojas. Both highlight unaddressed systemic failures, underscoring the urgent need for accountability. Ricky Garza, Border Policy Counsel with the Southern Border Communities Coalition, who contributed to the article in the San Francisco Chronicle, puts it plainly: “We need accountability and justice.”
The article breaks down the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on police use of lethal force and the ongoing consequences for communities, especially those along the U.S.-Mexico border. The piece stresses how this decision deepens existing challenges for marginalized communities, where families continue to suffer from police violence and a lack of legal protections. Garza calls for urgent change and reform to hold law enforcement accountable and ensure justice for victims.
The fight for justice is far from over.
This op-ed was written by Roxanna Altholz, Director of the UC Berkeley School of Law’s Human Rights Clinic; Medha Raman, Dale and James J. Pinto Fellow at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights; and Ricky Garza, Border Policy Counsel for the Southern Border Communities Coalition.
Read more in the full article here: bit.ly/42oZ7YF