There appears to be no justice for Tamir Rice considering the recent finding by the courts in Columbus, Ohio. This decision represents a big slap in the face for the Rice Family since the killing was captured on video. It was clear that the officer involved in the shooting did not use any discretion or proper judgment before killing Tamir. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner office ruled that the death was a homicide. Only time will help heal the Rice Family because this incident does not matter to the courts in Ohio. However, Tamir's mother Samaria Rice continues to fight for her son. The fight for justice should be taken to the highest level of the United States court system, due to many flaws in the local courts. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the United States Justice Department delivered a scathing review of the Cleveland Police Department's use-of-force, policies, and practice. They said sweeping reforms must be put in place.
In considering all of the facts surrounding the shooting death of Tamir Rice, one would be led to believe that there is a "shoot-first-and-ask-questions-later" policy with some police officers nationwide. This type of behavior should be challenged every step of the way because so many African American youth are being killed by the hands of police. Hopefully, Samaria Rice will be in position to help bring forth sweeping changes to the Cleveland Police Department in order to avoid another tragedy.
There is no excuse for excessive force in this situation. Several mothers are carrying the torch for their sons, such as Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, and Lesley McSpadden, mother of Michael Brown. This should help inspire Samaria to move forward with a long list of supporters including Pastor Gregg Greer.
No matter how hard the fight will be ahead for Samaria, her son is counting on her to bring forth justice so he can rest in peace. If we could just turn back the hands of time, twelve-year-old Tamir would be on his way to school enjoying life as a young boy growing up in Cleveland. Several people will say that Tamir had a pellet gun in his hand, but does that justify his killing? The medical examiner said no. Poor judgment can ruin the lives of many people and how could the courts in Columbus, Ohio rule against the Medical Examiner's Office after looking at the evidence? It could take a few years to bring about justice in this case, but God is on the side of the righteous and the righteous shall prevail. Most kids get a second chance or a second look before people pass down swift judgment -- like the police officer that took the life of Tamir. Standing up for Tamir is like standing up for all of the victims of excessive force. R.I.P. Tamir Rice!