![handle is hein.journals/tcrit15 and id is 1 raw text is:
ENSURING BLACK LIVES MATTER WHEN THE PENALTY IS DEATH
SIDNEY BALMAN*
[I]t is not so much that the death penalty has a race problem
as it is that the race problems of America manifest themselves
through the implementation of the death penalty.
INTRODUCTION
Trayvon Martin.2 Michael Brown.3 Breonna Taylor.4 George Floyd.5 These are several of
the names that come to mind when we think about the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. They
are the faces of institutional oppression of Black men and women in their daily interactions with
law enforcement. Thus far, the BLM movement has focused on police brutality against Black
communities-the vagaries of violence perpetrated on minority communities by those whose duty
is to protect them.6 But there is another place where Black Lives should Matter, but don't-the
death penalty.
* J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. From initial brainstorming to final draft, this project
consumed countless hours and involved the support of so many people. This article would not have been possible
without the mentorship, guidance, and inspiration from Professor Corinna Lain. And, of course, I would not be
where I am today without the support and love of my family and my partner, Nicole. To them I am forever grateful.
* Disclaimer: The opinions and statements contained herein are mine alone and do not represent the opinion or
interest of my employer or any state or city agency.
1 55 Harv. C.R.-C.L. L.Rev 585, 589 (2020).
2 Karen Grigsby Bates, A Look Back at Trayvon Martin's Death, and the Movement it Inspired, NPR (July 31,
2018), https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/07/31/631897758/a-look-back-at-trayvon-martins-death-and-
the-movement-it-inspired.
3 Timeline of events in shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, AP NEWS (Aug. 8, 2019),
https://apnews.com/article/9aa32033692547699a3b61da8fdlfc62.
a Richard A. Oppel Jr., Derrick Bryson Taylor & Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, What to Know About Breonna Taylor's
Death, N.Y. TIMES (Jan. 6, 2021), https://www.nytimes.com/article/breonna-taylor-police.html.
5 Evan Hill, Ainara Tiefenthaler, Christiaan Triebert, Drew Jordan, Haley Willis, & Robin Stein, How George Floyd
was Killed in Police Custody, N.Y. TIMES (May 31, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/george-floyd-
investigation.html.
6 Larry Buchanan, Quoctrung Bui, & Jugal K. Patel, Black Lives Matter May be the Largest Movement in U.S.
History, N.Y. TIMES (July 3, 2020), https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/03/us/george-floyd-protests-
crowd-size.html.
1](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/tcrit15&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
What Is HeinOnline?
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most
Contact us for annual subscription options:
Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?
profiles profiles most