When I caught up with Castill a week ago she told me about the city stone walling her.

This is appalling!

To understand the hardships this family has endured only for "the system" to turn it's back on the Hightower family at EVERY turn isn't surprising but is still deeply wrong. It lays bare a deep disconnect between the most liberal cities and Black Americans.

Venmo: @C-Lite

southseattleemerald.com/2020/1…

#HerbertHightower

In My Own Words: Justice For Herbert Hightower Jr. | South Seattle Emerald

by Castill Hightower The year 2004 was one of the hardest years my family ever faced. That September, we lost my brother Herbert Hightower Jr. and our lives instantly changed.

^{Editor (South Seattle Emerald)}

From our discussion I realized a few things I hadn't thought about before.

First off, there were almost NO police use of force reviews in Seattle until almost the 2010's. There were PLENTY of cases of excessive force mind you, just no official avenue for even milquetoast review.

This means families were suddenly faced with a loved one killed by cops and all expenses of burying them. Few if any had the money to hire their own lawyers, investigators and get autopsies.

#HerbertHightower

So if there's no documentation of police killings... there's no need to investigate the cops who kill people.

We all know who did it, we just can't investigate now without evidence that should have been collected on day one.

#HerbertHightower #SPD #F12 #Seattle

The 2nd thing I realized after talking to Castill is that even if you want to say that -some- people are murdered by the cops because they so perfectly planned a scenario where the cops had to kill them.

In the US people call this "suicide by cop".

But isn't it strange then that in WA state it is largely ILLEGAL to assist someone's suicide without significant medical review?

If killing a suicidal person were a legal defense why is it so legally complex to do it?

doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistica…

Tired of watching cops brutalize protesters?

You know what's even worse? Until a court ruling PROVING the cops at fault it's unlikely anyone's medical bills will be paid for by the government.

What if I told you a Black organizer already passed a law to fix this?

Check this out 👇🏿

joinalocal.org/castill-script

Venmo: "C-Lite"
Cashapp: $CLitee

📸 @TooMeanToBean

#MutualAidRequest #APP #ACAB #FreePalestine #BlackLivesMatter #Seattle