Category: Uncategorized

65. The Defendant officers acted intentionally, knowingly, unreasonably, maliciously, negligently, recklessly, and in bad faith with deliberate indifference to the safety and rights of Breonna Taylor when they attempted to execute a warrant without the SWAT unit, proceeded with executing the warrant without probable cause, entered the home unannounced, entered the home without permission, entered the home without complying with the terms of the warrant, engaged in erratic gunfire and fired at Breonna, who was unarmed and posed no threat, in an intentional, erratic and deadly manner. These actions were objectively unreasonable.
…
69. The actions of the Defendant officers were made in bad faith, were performed with a corrupt motive, were outside the scope of the Defendants’ authority, were executed willfully and with the intent to harm, and were in violation of Breonna’s constitutional and statutory rights.
70. The Defendants knew or reasonably should have known that the actions taken would violate Breonna’s rights.
71. The Defendants’ actions were made with the malicious intention to cause a deprivation of Breonna’s constitutional rights.

Excerpts from a court filing with the Jefferson County [Kentucky] Circuit Court by the family of Breonna Taylor, against the three officers of the Louisville Metro Police Department responsible for her death on March 13. It is an utter travesty that this burden is falling on her grieving family, since state and local authorities refuse to seek justice for Breonna. The entire brief can be read here. I also recommend that you read Charles Pierce’s analysis in Esquire today, that points to likely collusion between LMPD and the Louisville real estate planning division in targeting Breonna’s neighborhood for excessive policing, in order to serve “a political need to clear out a street for a large real estate development project.” 

Recent hummingbirds. 

In terms of species diversity, I live in what is probably the best hummingbird habitat in the United States. All of these photos were taken at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary and at Beatty’s Guest Ranch in Cochise County, Arizona.

From top:

Female and male Anna’s hummingbirds in flight (Calypte anna).

Black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri 

♂).

Male and female broad-billed hummingbirds (Cynanthus latirostris).

Rivoli’s hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens 

♂). This bird was formerly called the magnificent hummingbird.

White-eared hummingbird (Basilinna leucotis

♂)

Gila woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis). Ha! This is not a hummingbird. I just wanted to see if you were paying attention. 

Please click any photo in the set for enlarged views. 

Today marks the twelfth anniversary of this tumblr. In all that time I have only inflicted 6,651 posts on you—not counting those that were doomed to be temporary because they were rantish and embarrassing, and a bunch of mp3 music files that I purged rather than risk a takedown request—so I don’t think I’ve been too demanding of your time. Of course now the whole world seems to be careening in strange new directions, I don’t know exactly what this space will become. I just hope I can keep up with the times.

To celebrate twelve years, here’s a dragonfly on a stick. 

Filigree skimmer (Pseudoleon superbus) at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Cochise County, Arizona. Hurrrah!

I think Arizonans are smart and have common sense and will demonstrate responsibility.

Arizona Governor and former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, Doug Ducey, at a press briefing belatedly announcing new restrictions on public gatherings and business closures in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases in the state. This is perhaps the most charitable and optimistic thing that anyone has ever said of Arizonans, whose judgement is arguable at best. After all, they did elect Doug Ducey. 

My letter to the business leaders of Aurora, Colorado

I am writing today because __________ is one of the largest and most influential businesses in Aurora. I want to ask: Is your organization doing all it can to demand justice for Elijah McClain? Since he was killed by the use of excessive and unnecessary force by the police and other responders in August 2019, the Aurora Police Department has deemed itself capable of fairly and impartially investigating itself. They are clearly mistaken in this belief. As a result, the police officers who assaulted Elijah McClain have not been held accountable. Though the officers involved have been only recently removed from normal duty, no police officers have been fired. None have been charged or prosecuted. The District Attorney has sided at every step with the Aurora Police Department, and failed to demand a full and independent inquiry into Elijah’s death. Elijah McClain is dead, and he and his family have been denied the justice that is their due. 

And now when people are gathering peacefully in Aurora to demand justice for Elijah and needed change to policing practices, the police seem incapable of responding in any way that does not further deny people their rights. They counter peaceful protest with unneeded force in full riot gear. As currently constituted the Aurora police seem to have abandoned their responsibility to protect the rights of the citizens that they are supposed to serve. 

I want to know, what is __________ going to do about it? Your organization is uniquely positioned to insist on justice for Elijah. Your company has a unique opportunity to demand change and accountability from the police department, the District Attorney, and from Aurora’s mayor and city council. 

You may think that I have no legitimate interest in what happens in Aurora, but the plain fact is that Elijah’s needless death diminishes everyone. Everyone has a responsibility to see that the racial profiling and institutional biases and aggressive police practices that led to his death are changed so it never happens again. That this tragic loss occurred in the community where you do business places a more pressing burden on your organization to insist on that change. I hope that __________ will make it clear to the Aurora Police Department and to the political leadership of your city that that change must be swift and decisive and effective. Use your influence in Aurora. An acknowledgement of the value of Elijah’s life requires nothing less. Defend him. His life matters. Black lives matter. 

Sincerely yours,

Michael Williams

Sierra Vista, Arizona

Resistance Recommendation

I don’t live in Aurora, Colorado, but I do have a list of Aurora’s largest private employers, courtesy of the Aurora Economic Development Council. They were even kind enough to supply web addresses.

I’m sending letters and emails to Aurora’s biggest employers asking what they are doing to demand accountability from the Aurora Police Department for the death of Elijah McClain. I’m asking them to explain as members of the community what they expect from their police department. Are they speaking out? Or are they quietly complicit while their police, dressed in riot gear, abuse their power to disrupt peaceful and legitimate protest of the original abuse of power. I want to know if they really believe black lives matter—that Elijah’s stolen life matters—or if they merely mimic advocacy for the sake of their corporate image. And I want them to know that they are being watched for signs of duty and responsibility for the community where they profit and do business. 

I’ll let you know if I get any responses. 

While I am getting to know individual birds at the Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, the birds are also beginning to recognize me. Yesterday, after filling their feeders at the food prep area, the hummers decided they couldn’t wait, so they perched on the nectar feeders and let me carry them to the garden. What next? 

Impatient Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) at Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary, Cochise County, Arizona.