The Problem of Police Brutality: The Case of Gregory Gunn

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
References

Introduction

The problem of police brutality in the U.S. has been known for quite a while. Moreover, the fact that these acts of violence have been selective, with Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) being the most common targets for uncalled police brutality, has become notorious (Fiscus, 2021). Over the past decades, multiple instances of police officers being unjustifiably violent toward BIPOC people have been registered. The case of Gregory Gunn, a 58-year-old African American man, represents one of the numerous atrocities that law enforcement has committed over the past decade. Although justice was finally served to the officer who committed the crime, the verdict and the following settlement with Gunn’s family prove the presence of systemic injustice in U.S. law.

Discussion

Gregory Gunn was an African American man born in 1964 and living in Montgomery, Alabama. He lived with his mother and worked as an accountant in a local company (Fiscus, 2021). On the night when the murder occurred, Greg was walking home from a card game with his friend when he was stopped by a police officer. Officer Aaron Cody Smith stopped him under the pretext of a robbery committed in the vicinity by an African American man (Fiscus, 2021). After Gunn attempted to escape, Smith used his Taser on him and started hitting him with his baton, which led to Gunn receiving injuries incompatible with life.

The narratives of the police and the community in regard to the incident above were strikingly different, which implies that racism was likely to be the main pretext for Smith to act in the described way. Specifically, while the officer justified his actions by the fact that Gunn resembled the suspected perpetrator and that he fled after having been asked to stop for a search, the community introduced a different interpretation of the event (Fiscus, 2021). According to the local perspective on the issue, Gregory was stopped for no other reason than being Black (Fiscus, 2021). Furthermore, community members believe that the officer used his power to express his racist attitudes and aggression toward a helpless victim (Fiscus, 2021). The specified point of view is supported by the fact that Greg was hit with a Taser three times, attacked with a baton, and brutally shot five times (“Day 1: Jury hears from witnesses in the murder trial for Montgomery officer,” 2019). Therefore, the case under analysis represents an abhorrent instance of blatant racism. Though the names of actual witnesses have not been disclosed, several people were in proximity to the victim and the offender when the murder occurred.

The obituary issued after the death of Gregory Gunn was succinct and incorporated primarily factual information regarding the funeral. Unfortunately, the obituary did not provide any information about Gunn’s personality or his role in the community: “Gunn, Mr. Gregory, a resident of Montg., AL expired Thurs., Feb.25, 2016. Funeral services will be held Sat. Mar. 5, 2016, at 2:00 PM” (“Gregory Gunn obituary,” 2016). However, arguably, the specified choice was made to spare Gunn’s family members the pain and provide them with the solace of being left undisturbed at the time when they suffered a tremendous loss.

The described crime was followed by a trial during which Smith was accused of manslaughter and later found guilty on the specified charge. The trial ended in him being sentenced to 14 years in prison, which was considered a triumph of justice for a state as conservative and notorious for its racist attitudes as Alabama (Fiscus, 2021). However, the specified outcomes still appear to be quite mild, especially given the fact that Smith’s verdict was based on a lesser charge of manslaughter than the initial one (Fiscus, 2021). Therefore, the outcomes of the trial could be regarded as questionable in terms of their fairness. Furthermore, no disciplinary action was applied to Smith, which further proves the problem of systemic racism in Alabama.

Conclusion

Finally, the media response that the murder of Greg Gunn received deserves to be mentioned. Although the case was initially deemed to be minor in the community, it was covered by multiple news outlets, making it quite infamous across the entire U.S. (Fiscus, 2021). As a result, the tragic story of Greg Gunn’s murder received its own Wikipedia page. Thus, the murder of an innocent African American man was made public instantly, leading to the public condemnation of Smith’s actions and a rise in awareness regarding racism and violence in the police.

Despite the fact that the officer who murdered Greg was finally convicted, the 14-year sentence and the following settlement that the lawyers reached with the deceased’s family indicate the presence of deeply-seated injustice in U.S. law. The fact that a crime as egregious as one of Gunn’s was treated with such carelessness and disdain proves that the problem of racism permeates U.S. society and the American justice system to this day. Therefore, efforts to mitigate the specified problem must be continued, with a clear focus on developing legal standards for preventing police brutality against BIPOC people.

References

Day 1: Jury hears from witnesses in murder trial for Montgomery officer. (2019). WSFA. Web.

Fiscus, K. (2021). ‘Justice has prevailed’: AL Court of Criminal Appeals upholds A.C. Smith’s conviction, 14-year sentence. Montgomery Advertiser. Web.

Gregory Gunn obituary. (2016). Legacy.com. Web.

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The Problem of Police Brutality: The Case of Gregory Gunn

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