Episode 245: La’Reko Williams

The First Degree

Alexis Linkletter and Jac Vanek

True Crime, Society & Culture, News

4.5 • 10K Ratings

🗓️ 26 April 2023

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

On the evening of July 20th, 2011, 21-year-old La’Reko Antonious Williams goes to the movies with his girlfriend in Charlotte, North Carolina. As they prepare to go home using public transportation, the young couple begins arguing. The situation turns violent. Several bystanders call 911, and Police Officer Michael Forbes arrives on the scene. After a tense conversation, Officer Forbes commands La’Reko to get on the ground. When La’Reko doesn’t comply, Officer Forbes tases him in the chest. La’Reko falls to the ground, conscious but in pain. Then, Officer Forbes tases him for a second time. Minutes later, La’Reko dies from cardiac arrest. In the years to come, La’Reko’s family, community, and the Charlotte court system will try to understand if Officer Forbes’s second tase was excessive force. In episode 245, Jac and Alexis unravel La’Reko’s story, the dangers of Tasers, and the complexities behind police brutality.

Transcript

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0:00.0	First degree.
0:02.0	First degree.
0:04.0	First degree.
0:06.0	First degree.
0:08.0	The first degree.
0:10.0	Get on the news.
0:12.0	Get on the K-3.
0:14.0	Get on the Facebook.
0:16.0	These things are supposed to happen in movies, not real life.
0:18.0	When I learned this, I was 16.
0:26.0	There were other things happening along the lines of police brutality.
0:32.0	This was the first time that I had a name or someone that I knew that passed because of it.
0:42.0	It was different in the context of the theory and being prepared and knowing what to do or how to respond or how to avoid the police.
0:52.0	It was a different ballpark that it was someone that I knew that was gone because of this.
0:58.0	I realized a lot of people kind of slept under the rug or tried to justify it innocent because they looked at it as just because he wasn't doing what he was doing.
1:10.0	The police wouldn't have been called and he would still be alive.
1:14.0	But I look at it as even if he was doing what he was doing, even if it was a crime, the police being called shouldn't mean that your might should end.
1:26.0	When the police officer killed someone, it doesn't just take away that person.
1:30.0	It ripples out into hundreds of people.
1:36.0	Welcome to the first degree of the True Crime podcast that you might end up on.
1:40.0	My name is Jack Vannick. I'm sitting here with Alexis Linkletter. How are we feeling today? Lex.
1:44.0	We are feeling excellent. We are feeling excellent.
	...

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