IMPD officer suspended for remark after police killed man
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department suspended a detective whose remarks about the body of a man fatally shot by another officer sparked criticism, the police chief says.
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Indiana legislator accused of racist Facebook post, again
A white Indiana state lawmaker who was accused of posting something racist on Facebook last year is defending himself again after he posted a meme that showed black children in diapers dancing with the caption, “We gon’ get free money!”
Indianapolis chief: No bodycam video of 2 police shootings
Indianapolis’ police chief said Thursday that none of the officers involved in the fatal police shootings of two men killed hours apart in separate incidents were equipped with body cameras. Events surrounding the first shooting were livestreamed on Facebook, leading to protests.
SCOTUS declines to take up Guam native plebiscite case
The U.S. Supreme Court announced it will not review a case that could affect the political status of Guam.
Bloomington leaders hope mediation uproots divisions
When the ugly weed of hate and division sprouted at the Bloomington farmers’ market last summer, it highlighted deeper conflicts in the college town and launched a community-wide mediation to address longstanding issues of discrimination and bigotry.
Indiana Wesleyan student’s suit uncovers HIV allegation
A Title IX lawsuit filed by a male student against Indiana Wesleyan University over its handling of an alleged sexual assault has taken an unprecedented turn after his attorneys uncovered a report that included the female student’s claim she had contracted HIV as a result of the alleged attack.
Title IX lawsuit against Indiana Wesleyan uncovers HIV allegation
A Title IX lawsuit filed by a male student against Indiana Wesleyan University over its handling of an alleged sexual assault has taken an unprecedented turn after his attorneys uncovered a report that included the female student’s claim she had contracted HIV as a result of the alleged attack.
Letter to the editor: A diverse view of implicit bias
Retired attorney Thomas Norbert Eckerle writes to provide critical comment on the March 18, 2020, Indiana Lawyer article, “The what, why and how of addressing workplace implicit bias.”
Restricted assembly: As churches move online, 1A experts say gathering bans likely constitutional
As leaders across the country continue to call for social distancing and implement restrictions on large gatherings to slow the spread of COVID-19, some citizens have balked at the idea of interrupting their normal religious activities. But as long as restrictions on churches are non-discriminatory, experts say the restrictions are likely constitutional.
African Americans account for 9.8% of Indiana population, but 19.2% of all COVID-19 deaths so far
Nearly one out of five deaths in Indiana so far from COVID-19 have been African American patients, which is nearly double the percentage of African-Americans who live in Indiana, the health department said Friday.
Justices rule for federal employee over age discrimination
Well, OK, boomer. The Supreme Court made it easier Monday for federal employees 40 and older to sue for age discrimination. The ruling set a lower bar for public sector workers compared with those in the private sector.
Ball State joins list of schools facing students’ Title IX suits
As the U.S. Department of Education prepares to implement new regulations regarding sexual misconduct on college campuses, lawsuits filed by accused students claiming their rights were violated continue to boil over in the federal courts. Ball State University recently prevailed in the first such case brought by one of its students.
Dismissal of fired Dollar General manager’s ADA claim upheld
A Dollar General district manager who was fired after he returned from medical leave for cancer treatment could not prevail on his claim that his termination violated his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed Wednesday.
Justices toss decision in media mogul’s discrimination case
The Supreme Court of the United States on Monday threw out a lower court ruling in favor of a black media mogul and comedian who’s suing cable giant Comcast alleging racial discrimination.
7th Circuit reinstates sex discrimination case against Valpo Schools in coaching dispute
A would-be high school running coach who says she was passed over for a coaching job in favor of younger male applicants will be able to make her claim for sex discrimination in court after a majority of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed summary judgment for Valparaiso Community Schools.
Connor and Black: The what, why and how of addressing workplace implicit bias
“Implicit bias” refers to the attitudes or stereotypes that affect our understanding, actions and decisions in an unconscious manner. Biases are often based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, age, appearance, sex, gender, religion, national origin and socioeconomic status. Everyone has some form of implicit bias. We develop these biases because of our social, economic and familial groups. Our brains rely on ingrained prejudgments to help us quickly process information that bombards us every day — without conscious thought.
Sizable nondisability: 7th Circuit declines to find ADA violations in obese workers’ claims
Despite increasing obesity among Americans, employers have not seen a corresponding rise in workplace discrimination complaints. But attorneys suspect workers are opting not to sue because such cases may be difficult to prove.
AG Hill: State agencies can’t use nonbinary gender marker
Indiana agencies are not allowed to use an “X” gender designation on identification documents for residents who don’t identify as male or female, the state attorney general said.
US Supreme Court rejects ex-cop’s appeal of rape convictions
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an appeal for a former Oklahoma City police officer convicted of sexually assaulting black women he encountered while patrolling the city’s low-income neighborhoods.
Ex-South Bend officer justified in black man’s killing
A special prosecutor announced Friday that a white former South Bend police officer was justified in the fatal shooting of an African American man last summer and that he won’t be charged in the killing that roiled then-Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign.