Police

DNAinfo Chicago reports: Why are so many police dashcam videos silent? Chicago Police Department officers stashed microphones in their squad car glove boxes. They pulled out batteries. Microphone antennas got busted or went missing. And sometimes, dashcam systems didn’t have any microphones at all, DNAinfo Chicago has learned. Police officials last month blamed the absence of audio in 80 percent …

Twitter is conflicted as to whether a gun is seen. I’m not seeing one. NBC News reports: Unsettling footage obtained exclusively by NBC News shows the moments leading up to the fatal police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott in Charlotte, North Carolina. The footage, taken by Scott’s wife, does not clearly show the exact moment he was shot by police …

Tulsa’s Fox affiliate reports: The Tulsa County District Attorney has filed first degree manslaughter charges against Officer Betty Shelby with the Tulsa Police Department. Shelby shot and killed Terence Crutcher on Sept. 16 in north Tulsa. Video released showed Crutcher with his hands up. Tulsa County DA Steve Kunzweiller said a warrant was issued for Shelby’s arrest and arrangements are …

TIME Magazine writes: The idea that Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the national anthem is unpatriotic fails doubly: first, in a mistaken notion of what real patriotism is, and second in missing a larger point. For one, the idea that to not stand while the anthem is played signals a lack of allegiance to one’s nation is simplistic to …

Talking Points Memo reports: Glenn Reynolds, a conservative USA Today columnist and University of Tennessee law professor known by the moniker Instapundit, was suspended from Twitter on Wednesday for urging drivers to hit protesters blocking a highway in Charlotte, North Carolina. Reynolds tweeted a link to a live video stream of demonstrators stopping traffic on I-277 during the chaotic second …

CNN reports: Violent protests raged in Charlotte for the second night over the police shooting of an African-American man, prompting the North Carolina governor to declare a state of emergency. One person was left on life support after getting shot by another civilian Wednesday night during the unrest, the city tweeted. Earlier, the city had said the person had died. …

The Huffington Post reports: For his role in spearheading a protest movement and amplifying an ongoing discussion about racial inequality in America, Colin Kaepernick has been rewarded with death threats. On Tuesday, the 49ers quarterback told reporters, in no uncertain terms, that killing him would only reinforce the importance of his message. “If something like that were to happen, you’ve …

NBC News reports: Hillary Clinton continues to hold a large national lead over Donald Trump, 50 percent to 42 percent, weeks after the Democratic National Convention. Clinton’s 8-point advantage is virtually unchanged from her 9-point lead last week, and she has seen similar margins since the end of July. These results are according to the latest NBC News|SurveyMonkey Weekly Election …

The Hill reports: Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager Robby Mook said they still haven’t found a person to play Donald Trump in mock debates. “It’s very hard to find someone to mimic the reckless temperament and the hateful instincts and divisive instincts of Donald Trump,” Mook said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “Preparing for a debate with him is …

Buzzfeed reports: Ugandan police interrupted the Mr. and Miss Pride Uganda pageant at Kampala’s Venom nightclub on Thursday night, detaining several well known LGBT activists for about three hours before releasing them without charge. Around 20 to 25 people were arrested, those detained told BuzzFeed News after their release. That number included Pepe Julian Onziema and Frank Mugisha of Sexual …

As we were impressed that only 24 were arrested at the RNC. CBS Philadelphia reports: Bernie Sanders’ devoted followers were careful to pick up after themselves and wore hats embroidered with a dove to remind everyone to remain peaceful. And the police, instead of hauling demonstrators off to jail, issued them $50 tickets for disorderly conduct and released them with …

The Baltimore Sun reports: Prosecutors dropped all remaining charges against three Baltimore police officers accused in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray in a downtown courtroom on Wednesday morning, concluding one of the most high-profile criminal cases in Baltimore history. The startling move was an apparent acknowledgement of the unlikelihood of a conviction following the acquittals of three other …

Politico reports: Donald Trump’s campaign wasted little time depicting Hillary Clinton’s new running mate as a continuation of the “rigged system,” casting Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine as “Corrupt Tim” and attacking him for supporting President Barack Obama’s policies. “Tim Kaine is Hillary’s VP pick. The ultimate insiders – Obama, Hillary, and Kaine. Don’t let Obama have a 3rd Term. Contribute,” …

From the New York Daily News: Helmeted cops with high-powered guns have been posted at police precincts around the city to protect cops, the Daily News has learned. The move comes after three cops were killed in Baton Rouge Sunday and five in Dallas on July 7 in retaliation, authorities say, for recent high-profile fatal police shootings of black men …

In a press conference that aired live this afternoon, investigators revealed that the primary weapon used in yesterday’s ambush attack on Baton Rouge police was an IWI Tavor SAR 5.56 rifle. The weapon sells for about $1800 and according to review sites it will “readily convert” to accept AR-15 magazines, some of which hold 100 rounds. The NRA is surely …

Via White House press release: I condemn, in the strongest sense of the word, the attack on law enforcement in Baton Rouge. For the second time in two weeks, police officers who put their lives on the line for ours every day were doing their job when they were killed in a cowardly and reprehensible assault. These are attacks on …

CNN reports: The head of Cleveland’s largest police union is calling on Ohio Gov. John Kasich to temporarily restrict the state’s open carry gun laws during this week’s Republican National Convention following Sunday’s shooting in Louisiana that killed three officers and wounded at least three others. “We are sending a letter to Gov. Kasich requesting assistance from him. He could …

Yes, yes, YES. Vulture reports: Pro tip for anyone who’s been bummed about the absence of Jon Stewart during this election cycle: Make sure to watch Monday’s edition of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The former host of The Daily Show will appear on Colbert’s CBS 11:35 p.m. program to help kick off two weeks of live editions timed …

The Dallas Morning News reports: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick wants President Barack Obama to choose his words more carefully when it comes to police and racial matters. During a televised town hall Thursday, Patrick implored Obama to more strongly condemn those who call for the deaths of officers. He also urged the president to grant a national law enforcement group’s …

The Raleigh News & Observer reports: Gov. Pat McCrory signed controversial legislation Monday regulating the release of recordings from police body and dashboard cameras. There were growing calls for McCrory to veto the legislation because it makes it difficult for the public – including people involved in a recorded police action – to see it. But the Republican governor said …