This week, two reports found that the actions of Officer Timothy Loehmann in shooting dead black 12-year-old Tamir Rice in Cleveland Ohio on 22 November 2014 were “justified”.
Tamir Rice
Shot down twice
First his life and now his name
Deadly cops and children’s game
Loehmann wins
Mortal sins
Bloodlust and pride
“Justified”
The caller said he’s just a boy
Told 911 the gun’s a toy
Surveillance footage hasn’t lied
Restraint discussed? Not even tried
Two seconds after he arrived
He fired his shots and Tamir died
“Justified”
A judge implied
He must be tried
Perhaps not now he’s
“Justified”
– His actions were “reasonable”
– It’s barely believable
– The verdict’s appealable
– But a 12-year-old life is not so redeemable
“Justified”
Expert-sanctioned homicide
Sanctimony sanitised
Reports will read like lullabies
This young life is nullified
“Justified”
Divide and rule and subdivide
Mistrust, disgust is multiplied
“Justified”
Devils blushed and angels cried
“Justified”
Justice brushed aside
“Justified”
