There's a column in the New York Times today, written by a journalist based in Memphis, that discusses a historical perspective on police violence in Memphis, as well as violence against black males. I know the history, because I've been here since 1962, and was a History major. But most outside of Memphis do not.
It's harrowing and shows a long line of intentional murders carried out by police in Memphis.
When I was around 12, my dad was having a conversation with an ex-cop. I think we were at our duck club, and they were talking about how "the blacks" were taking over Memphis. Then the cop says, "I remember a day when we just carried out justice down at the Harahan bridge." I was old enough to know what he meant, and I never forgot it. Violence in policing is part of its cultural DNA. They attract males that are inclined toward violence and that hold brutish ideas about how to deal with crime.