Today on AirTalk, we discuss challenges the prosecution and defense face in the trial of Derek Chauvin, who was charged with second-degree murder following the death of George Floyd. Also on the show; we answer your COVID-19 questions; discuss the evolution of black churches; and more.
COVID-19 AMA: What New CDC Guidelines Say Fully Vaccinated People Can (And Still Can’t) Do
In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with Dr. Kimberly Shriner, infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.
Topics today include:
C.D.C. issues new guidelines on activities safe for fully vaccinated people
1,313 new cases reported Sunday in L.A. County as positivity rates keep declining
CA counties pushing back on Blue Shield handling vaccine distribution
Biden team working on first national COVID strategy
Op-ed: COVID-19 long-haulers are often women. Maybe it'll change the system's perspective on our pain.
COVID-19 pill shows promise in preliminary testing
Study finds mask mandates, dining out influence virus spread
Guest:
Kimberly Shriner, M.D., infectious disease specialist at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena
Majority-Black Congregations Have Long Been An Important Part Of Black American Life. How Is That Evolving?
Churches and mosques have held an important role in the lives of many Black Americans, whether as sites of racial solidarity in the fight for civil rights or as spaces for community building.
But a new study out of Pew Research Center found that the relationship younger Black Americans have to religion is changing. Researchers found that while just 11% of Baby Boomers and 5% of the Silent Generation are religiously unaffiliated, 28% of Black Gen-Zers and 33% of Black Millenials are unaffiliated. The generational shift has prompted conversations about the future of Black churches. Many Black adults still feel that Black churches serve an important function in the fight for racial equality— 29% of Afircan-American adults say that Black churches have done a “great deal” (and 48% “some”) to help Black people fight for equality, which is higher than the share of respondents that credited the federal government.
Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about the evolving relationship that many Black Americans have to their church. Do you attend a majority-Black congregation? What is your relationship like to religion, and how has it evolved? What do you hope to see for the future of Black churches? Join the conversation by commenting below or giving us a call at 866-893-5722.
Kiana Cox, research associate at Pew Research Center and lead researcher on a recent study on faith and Black Americans; she tweets
Dwight A. Radcliff Jr., academic dean for the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies and assistant professor of mission, theology and culture at Fuller Theological Seminary
The Legal Considerations And Challenges As George Floyd Murder Trial Begins
The judge overseeing the trial of a former Minneapolis police officer accused in the death of George Floyd on Monday paused jury selection for at least a day while an appeal proceeds over the possible reinstatement of a third-degree murder charge.
As hundreds of protesters gathered outside the courthouse to call for the conviction of Derek Chauvin, Judge Peter Cahill said he does not have jurisdiction to rule on whether the third-degree murder charge should be reinstated against the former officer while the issue is being appealed. But he said prosecutors’ arguments that the whole case would be impacted was “tenuous.” Cahill initially ruled that jury selection would begin as scheduled on Monday, but prosecutors filed a request with the Court of Appeals to put the trial on hold until the issue is resolved. The judge then sent the potential jurors home for the day, while prosecutors tried to contact the appellate court. Cahill took a recess to give the Court of Appeals time to respond, but planned to bring attorneys back into the courtroom Monday afternoon to deal with other matters. Cahill said he would proceed with the trial unless the higher courts told him to stop. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Legal experts say reinstating the third-degree murder charge would improve the odds of getting a conviction. Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, said Monday he would ask the state Supreme Court to review a Court of Appeals decision that ordered Cahill to reconsider the charge.
Jury selection is expected to take at least three weeks, as prosecutors and defense attorneys try to weed out people who may be biased against them. Today on AirTalk, we talk with experts about the legal challenges from both the prosecution and defense perspectives as the trial gets underway. Do you have questions? Call us at 866-893-5722.
With files from the Associated Press
Guests:
Brian Dunn, civil rights attorney and managing partner at The Cochran Firm California, based in Los Angeles, where he specializes in police misconduct cases; he tweets
Daniel Herbert, Chicago defense attorney and former police officer; he tweets
Compton Mayor Aja Brown On Universal Basic Income, Her Tenure In Office
After serving two terms and becoming the youngest mayor in city history at age 31 when she was elected in 2013, Compton Mayor Aja Brown announced earlier this year that she would not be seeking a third term in office.
Among other things during her tenure as Compton mayor, Brown focused on implementing a 12-point program designed to help advance the city and also launched a universal basic income pilot, the Compton Pledge, which has helped 800 city residents over two years.
Today on AirTalk, Mayor Brown joins us to talk about her tenure in office.
Guest:
Aja Brown, mayor of the City of Compton; she tweets
What Harry And Meghan’s Interview, Allegations About Royal Family Portend For The Monarchy
Britain and its royal family absorbed the tremors Monday from a sensational television interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, in which the couple said they encountered racist attitudes and a lack of support that drove the duchess to thoughts of suicide.
In a two-hour soul-baring interview by Oprah Winfrey, the couple painted a deeply unflattering picture of life inside the royal household, depicting a cold, uncaring institution that they had to flee to save their lives. Meghan told Winfrey that at one point “I just didn’t want to be alive anymore.” She said she sought help through the palace’s human resources department but was told there was nothing it could do.
Meghan, 39, admitted that she was naive at the start of her relationship with Harry and unprepared for the strictures of royal life. The former television star, who is biracial, said that when she was pregnant with son, Archie, there were “concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he’s born.”
Harry confirmed the conversation, saying: “I was a bit shocked.” He said he would not reveal who made the comment, though Winfrey said he told her it was not either of his grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II or her husband, Prince Philip. Harry and Meghan, known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, announced they were quitting royal duties last year, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media, and moved to North America. That split became official this year, and the interview was widely seen as their first opportunity to explain their decision.
Today on AirTalk, Los Angeles Times and royals expert Patt Morrison joins Larry to share her reaction to the interview and talk about what it means for the future of the British monarchy, for Harry and Meghan, and for the other members of the royal family.
Guest:
Patt Morrison, columnist for The Los Angeles Times and expert on the U.K. royal family; she tweets