Ex-cop’s rape conviction symbol of national problem in U.S.

The conviction of Daniel Holtzclaw Thursday night on charges of rape, sexual battery and other charges should send a strong message nationwide, said attorney Benjamin Crump, who is seeking civil damages from the city for some of the victims. “Black women’s lives matter. It’s just as if this were a group of 13 white women." Sexual misconduct committed by law enforcement officers is a problem that has concerned police chiefs for years. Holtzclaw’s case was among those examined in a yearlong Associated Press investigation that revealed about 1,000 officers nationwide had lost their licenses for sex crimes or other sexual misconduct over a six-year period.

He just picked the wrong lady to stop that night.

Jannie Ligons, who filed a police complaint and then called a local TV station to share her experience, triggering the investigation

The AP’s finding is undoubtedly an undercount, since not every state has a process for banning problem officers from re-entering law enforcement, and states that do vary greatly in how they report and prosecute wrongdoers. One factor stands out, however — victims tend to be among society’s most vulnerable: juveniles, drug addicts and women in custody or with a criminal history. That’s exactly who authorities accused Holtzclaw of targeting. Holtzclaw, who turned 29 on Thursday, was fired before the trial began, and as the verdict was read, he rocked back and forth, sobbing in his chair.

Americas Daniel Holtzclaw