Police Brutality

“I remember my uncle calling me and he said, ‘I need you to sit down,’” Maestas recalled through tears. “And I knew right when he said that, something was wrong with Elisha.”

How far has America come in enacting meaningful police reform since George Floyd’s murder nearly one year ago? That question faces renewed scrutiny with the rare verdict against ex-police officer Derek Chauvin. Nearly 1,000 miles from Minnesota, criminal justice experts say Colorado has set a bold example for the entire nation when it comes to impactful police reform.

Current and former elected officials praised the guilty verdicts, but added there is more work to be done.

This is the fifth story in the Mountain West News Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....

This is the fourth story in the Mountain West News Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....

This is the second story in the Mountain West News Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....

This is the first story in the Mountain West News Bureau series " Elevated Risk ," a project powered by America Amplified , a public radio initiative....

Salt Lake City is considering rezoning a downtown property where artists have painted murals of people killed by police. Although the city council hasn’t yet decided how the property will be developed, members of the public called in to a recent council meeting to express their concern about the murals possibly being torn down.

More than 40 people were arrested in Salt Lake City over the weekend when peaceful protests against police brutality and racial injustice turned violent…