If there's one good thing the last few months have done, it's that people are outraged again. Does anyone doubt that if this had happened five years ago it wouldn't have made it past the local news?
Even if "justice" isn't done in this case, the storm of national outrage leads me to suspect that there is a tide turning against the unquestioning acceptance of "tough on crime, put millions more cops on the street, more legal tools for law enforcement" rhetoric that has dominated political discourse since 1980. With violent crime at or near 50 year lows, maybe it's time to ease up on the militarization of police and the amazing legal leeway they have?
the "outrage" combined with the advances made in drug liberalization are cause for hope, yes. the problem is that the system is designed to carry x number of offenders. correctional officers, who are often unionized, are one stumbling block. we also built a ton of prisons in the 80s: it'll be hard to fill them after decriminalizing drug possession and restoring the 4th Amendment.
