After covering the Jussie Smollett case for nearly two years for The New York Times, I had to turn down reporting from the actor’s trial in Chicago recently on charges that he faked a racist, homophobic attack in 2019. I had another assignment that week so couldn’t commit to being in court every day of the trial, which The New York Times wanted when they asked me to cover … [Read more...] about Freelancing during the pandemic: Journalists chase assignments, security as more of them exit the industry
law enforcement
Missouri media miss story of new police ‘bill of rights’
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a police officer bill of rights into law July 14, even though other states have moved to repeal their law enforcement officer bills of rights as part of a larger effort to hold police officers accountable. Surprisingly, just over a year after the murder of George Floyd, Missouri’s leading media outlets hardly noticed the passage of the bill, … [Read more...] about Missouri media miss story of new police ‘bill of rights’
New Illinois police reform bill makes state police misconduct database secret
This reporting was supported by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Illinois’ historic criminal justice reform law, hailed as a national model, contains a little-noticed loophole that seals statewide records of police misconduct and hides them from courts and the public. The new law requires the Illinois Law Enforcement and Training Standards Board to maintain a … [Read more...] about New Illinois police reform bill makes state police misconduct database secret
In Kansas forever more
Kansas is known for more than just wheat. It’s known for tornadoes, and that started long before the Wizard of Oz. As Kansas is in the middle of Tornado Alley, an area of the central United States that sees the highest number of tornadoes annually over that of anywhere else in the world, it is also the storm-chasing center. Earlier this year after an early season severe … [Read more...] about In Kansas forever more