10 things you need to know today: August 14, 2016

From morning and into the night. a lot happened yesterday. Thanks for the info.

The Fifth Column

Gretchen Ehlke/Associated Press

THE WEEK

1. Violent protests, fires in Milwaukee after fatal police shooting Protest of a fatal police shooting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, turned violent late Saturday night as multiple local businesses, including a gas station and a bank, were set on fire. Some demonstrators also threw rocks at police officers, injuring one. The protest assembled in response to an incident Saturday afternoon in which police shot and killed a fleeing man armed with a stolen handgun after a traffic stop. The officer involved was reportedly wearing a body camera, but footage has yet to be released. Early Sunday morning, the Milwaukee Police Department tweeted that it was “restoring order” and “reducing deployments” in the neighborhood where the protest took place. Source: USA Today, CNN

2. Trump’s allies reportedly see him as ‘sullen,’ ‘erratic,’ and ‘exhausted’ by the campaign A report printed by The New York TimesSunday

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Gun Store Found Liable in $6 Million Lawsuit

Milwaukee police officers Graham Kunisch and Bryan Norberg

A Milwaukee, Wisconsin jury had to decide if a gun store was liable for a straw purchase that resulted in the gun being used in the shooting of two police officers. After 12 hours of deliberations, the jury decided that the gun store is liable.

In 2009, Milwaukee police officers Graham Kunisch and Bryan Norberg approached 18-year-old Julius Burton for riding his bike on the sidewalk. They struggled and Burton pulled a gun. Kunisch was shot 5 fives, including in the face, losing an eye. Part of his brain was removed. Norberg was shot in the mouth and still has bullet fragments in his cheek. Burton was arrested and charged.

Surveillance video showed that Burton and a friend went to Badger Guns a month before the shooting.  Burton gave his friend $40.00 to purchase the gun for him. Court records state that Burton gave that money to his friend to buy the gun because he was underage. The store clerk appears to help the friend fill-out the paperwork.

Burton testified at trial via video from the state prison. He testified that he went to Badger Guns for a handgun because “everyone” knew that was the place to go.

The Jeffrey Dahmer Victim Who Did Not Have To Die

My interest in certain cases continues long after the headlines cease. Such is the case surrounding Jeffrey Dahmer. His name is no doubt familiar to everyone reading this. His despicable mass murders, depraved mind, and his subsequent death at the hands of another prisoner, are general knowledge. However, there is something else about the case that stays with me, and it has to do with how his youngest victim met his death because of the homophobic and national origin bigotry of two Milwaukee Police Department officers.

Fourteen year-old Konerak Sinthasomphone did not have to die.

Konerak Sinthasomphone

 

Konerak Sinthasomphone’s family left the Nonkai refugee resettlement camp in Thailand, and came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin when Konerak was 3-years old. On May 26, 1991 when he was 14-years old, Konerak was playing soccer when Jeffrey Dahmer approached him.  Dahmer offered him money to come to his apartment to pose for Polaroid pictures. Konerak was reluctant, but changed his mind.

According to Konerak’s family, Konerak would not have recognized Dahmer as the man who, in 1988, was convicted of drugging and sexually fondling his then 13-year old brother.

“We never saw him. Police officers told us they were going to put him away for good,“ said Anoukone Sinthasomphone. “We never thought he was going to be out.“

The family was so convinced of what they were told by the police that they never went to court when Dahmer was tried and sentenced to 1 year of work release and 5 years of probation.

Three years later, and while on probation, Dahmer would visit grief upon the Sinthasomphone family again.