Michael Brown's mother is running for Ferguson City Council.
Michael Brown's mother could soon have oversight over the police department connected to her son's death, if voters inLesley McSpadden, 39, is among three candidates running in Ferguson's 3rd Ward on Tuesday. She faces incumbent Keith Kallstrom and Fran Griffin, who has been active on several Ferguson boards.
McSpadden, who spelled her first name "Lezley" for an autobiography but said she otherwise goes by Lesley, is new at being a candidate but has been at the edge of politics since her son's death. She's been front-and-center in the national Black Lives Matter movement. She endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in early 2016, at a time when Clinton was fending off a primary challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
In the aftermath of Brown's death, Ferguson's criminal justice system drew heavy criticism for its treatment of poor and minority residents. Police were accused of singling out blacks for unnecessary traffic stops and harassing them on the street. The municipal court was accused of heaping on fines for minor offenses.
Not everyone believes she's ready for a council seat. LaTasha Brown, president of the Southeast Ferguson Neighborhood Association, said she was concerned that McSpadden has largely run for office from afar rather than getting in touch with the community.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
This Alton Brown Hack Will Make Sure You Never Burn Popcorn AgainAlton Brown Uses A Metal Bowl To Make Perfect Popcorn. Here's How.
Read more »
ACLU: Transfer transgender inmate to women's prison or face lawsuit“The current situation is not only illegal but it is untenable for Ms. Zayre-Brown.'
Read more »
This 36-year-old makes over $150,000 'playing with guitars' for just 5 hours a dayThis 36-year-old makes over $150,000 'playing with guitars' for just 5 hours a day. via CNBCMakeIt
Read more »
Newsom seeks to halt parole for some murderers and serious offenders. What does that signal?Gov. Gavin Newsom, despite support for prison reform, has sought to block parole releases of murderers and serious offenders at a rate much higher than former Gov. Jerry Brown. It might signal that he sees political risks with parole decisions.
Read more »
Watch: Jussie Smollett's lawyer asked about political interference in client’s caseCNN’s Don Lemon asked “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett’s lawyer Patricia Brown Holmes about suspicions of political interference in the case after all charges against her client were dropped.
Read more »
A new way to sniff out Parkinson’s diseaseSCIENTISTS HAVE found a way to identify Parkinson’s disease with help from a “super-smeller”, a person with an exceptionally sensitive sense of smell. Also, Kate Brown of MIT tells us what she uncovered during decades of researching the Chernobyl disaster. And Chinese scientists may have worked out how to recharge pacemakers.
Read more »
2 California Supreme Court justices say the state’s death penalty system doesn’t workTwo weeks after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on executions, two justices on the state’s highest court called California’s death penalty “an expensive and dysfunctional system” that delivers neither justice nor timely closure.
Read more »
'This Is Us' recap: Can Randall and Beth's marriage survive?Spoiler alert! This week's episode of 'This Is Us' was all about Randall (Sterling K. Brown) and Beth (Susan Kelechi Watson), from their first date to their wedding to their current fights.
Read more »