RantCrush Top 5: June 6, 2017

The Las Vegas police officer who used a chokehold on an unarmed black man, killing him, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter. The man, Tashii Farmer, reportedly approached Officer Kenneth Lopera and his partner inside a Vegas hotel early on May 14, saying that someone was chasing him. He then ran off into a restricted area of the hotel. Lopera ran after Farmer, punched him several times, tased him seven times, and used a so-called “rear naked choke,” commonly used in mixed martial arts. Farmer died from suffocation.

According to department protocol, a taser can only be used a maximum of three times. The chokehold Lopera used is also not protocol. Yesterday, the coroner’s office released its report that said Farmer died from homicide, and Lopera was charged. He reportedly believed Farmer was trying to commit a carjacking. But police said there was no evidence that Farmer committed a crime, and that he would not have been charged with one if he had survived.

Tashii Farmer was unarmed. Died after being tased, punched, put in a chokehold.

Police said he wouldn’t have been charged if he’d survived. pic.twitter.com/M3AMP39LBC

— Fusion (@Fusion) May 19, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.