The Morning: A disappointing policing change

Plus, the Fed, the Supreme Court and video games.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 14, 2023 By German Lopez Good morning. We're covering the mixed results of police cameras — as well as the Fed, the Supreme Court and video games. The body camera of an officer in Worcester, Mass. Kylie Cooper for The New York Times Mixed results In 2017, New York City police officers killed Miguel Richards in his own apartment. They claimed that the killing was justified because Richards was holding a knife and what looked like a gun. The officers' cameras recorded the incident. But for years, no one outside of the New York Police Department could view the full footage. In 2019, a judge ordered the release of the videos. They showed no sign that Richards was holding a firearm, and revealed that the officers didn't take basic steps to de-escalate the situation and did not administer immediate aid after shooting him. The N.Y.P.D. has not disciplined the officers for the shooting. The story demonstrates the mixed results of police-worn body cameras: Many people hoped they would help hold police officers accountable for wrongful shootings. But there has been a basic problem, as Eric Umansky found in an investigation for The Times Magazine and ProPublica: Police departments have often prevented the public from seeing the footage and failed to act when it showed wrongdoing. The promise of cameras Michael Brown Sr., center, attends a memorial service for his son, Michael Brown Jr. Whitney Curtis for The New York Times Over the past decade, police departments have equipped their officers with body-worn cameras. The policies came largely in response to public backlash to police killings, particularly the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. The idea was straightforward: Cameras would help hold police officers accountable. If they did anything wrong, the cameras would catch it. And officers would be deterred from doing anything wrong because they would know they were on video. That logic has not held up in many cases, such as Richards's. The key problem is that police departments largely control the footage. They can decide what to release, as well as when to do so. So they will often show only videos or parts of videos that corroborate an officer's story or help justify a shooting. "We just said to police departments, 'Here's this tool. Figure out how you would like to use it,'" Seth Stoughton, a former police officer who's now a law professor at the University of South Carolina, told Eric. "It shouldn't be a surprise that they're going to use it in a way that most benefits them." Consider the N.Y.P.D.'s policy. In 2013, a federal judge ordered New York officers to start piloting the use of cameras. Surveys indicated that the public supported the idea. But when the N.Y.P.D. established the policy, it decided that no video would automatically become public. To obtain footage, people would have to submit a request through an opaque and slow process. The N.Y.P.D. would decide what to release. Refusal to release An officer turning off his body camera in New York last year. Bryan R. Smith/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Some places make it easier to obtain police videos, or at least use them to hold officers accountable. In Chicago, the civilian oversight board has direct access to police camera footage and can release it publicly. The board has cited such videos in the firing of several officers for misconduct. But that is not the norm. In June 2022, 79 police killings were captured by police cameras nationwide. In the year and a half since, the police has released video in only 42 percent of those incidents. Police departments can refuse to release videos for longer, if ever. Five years after an officer in Montgomery, Ala., sicced his dog on a burglary suspect and killed him, the department still has not released the footage, citing the potential for "civil unrest." And three years before Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 by kneeling on his neck, police cameras recorded Chauvin using the same tactic. But officials did not release that video until six years later, after Floyd's death. "Chauvin should have been fired in 2017," said Robert Bennett, a lawyer who represented previous victims. The widely seen video of Floyd's killing came from a bystander, not a police camera. Read Eric's full investigation, which includes more examples and thoughts from experts about how to improve the situation. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE LATEST NEWS Economy The Federal Reserve signaled it would cut interest rates next year as its effort to reduce inflation shows signs of success. Stocks surged after the Fed announcement, and the Dow Jones industrial average reached a new high (though it was somewhat higher last year after adjusting for inflation). Business Tesla recalled nearly all cars it has manufactured in the U.S. since 2012. Regulators have urged the company to make sure drivers remain attentive while using its Autopilot system. Roofing is dangerous work, and federal law bars anyone under 18 from doing it. Yet migrant children perform the job across the U.S., a Times investigation found. Climate Near Stockton, Calif. Nathan Weyland for The New York Times As the world warms, California is re-examining water claims that have gone unchallenged for generations. Oil industry executives largely backed COP28's agreement to move away gradually from fossil fuels. Supreme Court The justices agreed to hear a case that would determine access to the abortion pill mifepristone. The court also agreed to hear a case considering the scope of an obstruction law used in Jan. 6 rioter cases. It could invalidate many of those convictions — and delay the federal case against Donald Trump. More on Politics House Republicans voted to approve a formal impeachment inquiry of President Biden, despite having found no evidence of crimes in their yearlong investigation. The Senate approved an $886 billion defense bill in a bipartisan vote. It includes a 5.2 percent pay raise for military personnel and rejects right-wing policy demands from the House. A federal judge froze Trump's trial on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election. Trump's lawyers asked an appeals court to move slowly in considering his claim that he is immune from prosecution. Israel-Hamas War In Rafah, Gaza. Mustafa Thraya/Reuters Displaced Gazans are pressuring Egypt to open its border. A top Biden adviser, Jake Sullivan, is traveling to Israel to try to ease tensions with the U.S. and to encourage peace talks to restart. International Vladimir Putin is giving a big annual news conference. He will take questions, but they will be tightly controlled. Japan wants to build a stronger military to counter threats from China and North Korea. Its aging population poses an obstacle. The Korean War displaced hundreds of thousands of North Koreans seven decades ago, and they haven't been able to return. The Washington Post photographed their lives. Other Big Stories Researchers pinpointed what they believe is the primary cause of morning sickness in pregnant women: a single hormone. Pharmacies have been sharing patient records with law enforcement without a warrant, a congressional investigation found. The Education Department added six colleges to its investigation into campus discrimination. Opinions Biden's dedication to a bipartisan democracy while his approval numbers languish show Americans want an authoritarian, Charles Blow argues. Giorgia Lupi recounts her nearly 1,400 days living with long Covid and documenting her symptoms. Here are columns by Pamela Paul on authors' identities and Carlos Lozada on Liz Cheney. All encompassing. Entertaining. Appetizing. Discerning. And sporting. No matter what you're into, it's all in The Times. Subscribe today to enjoy everything we offer. MORNING READS Jean Patrick Niambé, known as Dofy, recording in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times Old world, young Africa: Africans are contributing to the evolution of the French language — one joke, rap and book at a time. Social Qs: "How can I stop my in-laws from making impromptu visits?" PowerPoint: Some kids are presenting their Christmas lists on slide decks. Family history: Here's what to know about how alcoholism runs in families and how to guard against it. Lives Lived: Acclaimed in Britain, Michael Blakemore had the unique distinction of winning Tony Awards for best direction of a musical and best direction of a play in a single season, for his Broadway productions of "Kiss Me, Kate" and "Copenhagen." He died at 95. SPORTS N.B.A.: The league suspended Draymond Green of the Warriors for striking the Suns center Jusuf Nurkic. Green's future with his team is in doubt. New record: Giannis Antetokounmpo set a franchise record with 64 points in the Bucks' win over the Pacers, but a postgame controversy marred the night. College athletes: A federal judge in West Virginia issued a temporary restraining order against the N.C.A.A., granting some transfers immediate eligibility. Football: The N.F.L. announced it would stage a first game in Brazil next year. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ARTS AND IDEAS Watching a PlayStation VR demo in 2018. Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press End of an era: The annual E3 expo, a major video game showcase, is shutting down. For years, the event attracted tens of thousands of visitors who came for the chance to play coming games and meet the developers who made them. In recent years, though, the conference lost its relevance. Major companies like Nintendo and Sony stopped going, instead announcing their new games through social media, and the internet allowed fans to try new games from home. More on culture Oprah Winfrey, who has discussed dieting publicly for decades, revealed she has been using a prescription weight-loss drug. "Its most distinctive quality is that it's nice": Read a review of "Wonka," a musical origin story about the first business ventures of the young chocolatier. Late night hosts have questions about the Biden impeachment inquiry. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Bake a cheesy spinach gratin. Sleep better with the right sleeping pills. Freshen up your laundry routine. Be the best secret Santa. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangram was magazine. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku and Connections. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. — German Correction: In yesterday's newsletter, we misstated the charges against two men accused of killing birds in Montana. They were charged with shooting 3,600 birds, including eagles; not with shooting 3,600 eagles. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Editor: David Leonhardt News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Lauren Jackson, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018