ACLU of Wisconsin

"The ACLU of Wisconsin has filed open records requests related to the conduct of out-of-state law enforcement agencies in Milwaukee to work at the RNC."

Say his name. Samuel Sharpe Jr.

Family of man killed by officers during RNC in Milwaukee seeks answers Family members are seeking answers in the death of Samuel Sharpe Jr., who was shot and killed in Milwaukee by Columbus, Ohio, police officers who were in the city to work at the Republican National…

For more than 30 years, a long-overlooked Wisconsin statute has required the DOC to provide programming that allows pregnant and postpartum individuals who are incarcerated or on supervised release to retain physical custody of their infants and be held in the least restrictive custody. We sued to enforce this law and keep families together.

Wisconsin must follow the law and the example of states nationwide with successful prison nursery programs.

Learn more about our litigation: aclu-wi.org/en/cases/department-corrections-must-keep-families-together

The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable search and seizure.

While there are some limited exceptions, you can ask police officers to present a warrant if they ask to search your property. Say, "Officer, I do not consent to searches."

WEDNESDAY is the deadline to register online or by mail for the August 13th primary election!

You can also register at your clerk's office by 5 p.m. on August 9 or in person at the polls on Election Day.

Check your registration status now at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Register-To-Vote

The data shows that ma*****na legalization is a racial justice issue, and states should approach it as such.

Aggressive enforcement of low-level offenses unnecessarily funnels hundreds of thousands of people into the criminal legal system — primarily young people of color and particularly Black people.

As neighboring states legalize pot, Wisconsin State Patrol arresting more people for possession State troopers are arresting more people than ever before for simple ma*****na possession even as arrests at the local level have fallen.

Congratulations to ACLU of Wisconsin Board Member Maria Rodriguez for receiving the Linda Sundberg Civil Rights Defender Award, presented by Community Shares of Wisconsin!

Maria has dedicated her work (in all areas of her life) to advancing the civil rights and liberties of historically underrepresented and underserved communities.

Her advocacy spans issues such as housing and transportation equity, healthcare access, and equal opportunities for people with disabilities, to name a few. She champions the idea that true inclusivity requires active participation from all members of society.

Congratulations, Maria, on this well-deserved award!

ICYMI: We filed open records requests seeking additional information surrounding Tuesday's fatal shooting of Samuel Sharpe Jr. by Ohio officers in Milwaukee.

Out-of-state police have no place in Wisconsin, protesters say After Ohio police shot dead a homeless Black man a mile from the RNC security perimeter, the victim's sister and others decried the presence of out-of-state officers.

BREAKING: We sent a series of open records requests to obtain more information about the conduct of out-of-state law enforcement agencies brought to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention.

The ACLU of Wisconsin believes deeply in transparency and police accountability, and we are taking steps to ensure that law enforcement is held accountable for their actions, regardless of which state they are from.

aclu-wi.org/en/press-releases/aclu-wisconsin-files-open-records-requests-seeking-answers-about-police-killing

“As we wait for more details to surface, we're calling for a full and transparent investigation into what exactly led to the shooting,” Dr. Melinda Brennan, executive director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, said in a statement.

The Columbus Dispatch newspaper reported that this is the eighth shooting involving the city’s police department in 2024.

https://captimes.com/news/police-shooting-near-rnc-resurfaces-fears-about-out-of-state-cops/article_e174529c-43d1-11ef-ab6e-2fe235484257.html?

Police shooting near RNC resurfaces fears about out-of-state cops Columbus, Ohio police officers shot and killed a Milwaukee man near the Republican National Convention. Local activists were alarmed about non-local police coming to town.

“We are aware of the fatal civilian shooting by Columbus, Ohio Police that took place in the King Park neighborhood, approximately a mile away from the Fiserv Forum, well outside of the RNC security perimeter. As we wait for more details to surface, we're calling for a full and transparent investigation into what exactly led to the shooting, including the swift release of any bodycam footage pertaining to the encounter.

More than 4,000 additional law enforcement officials are in Milwaukee for the RNC, and we've long feared how this heavy police presence could increase the risk of deadly police encounters, especially by out-of-state officers who don’t know and aren’t accountable to our community. We offer our condolences to the friends and family of the person killed.”

-ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Dr. Melinda Brennan

Our organizing team attended the Netroots Nation conference last week, a large gathering of people from across the country who care deeply about criminal justice reform, abortion rights, and so much more.

In such turbulent times, the team said it was an incredible opportunity to connect and build community with like-minded activists concerned with the growing degradation of our liberties.

If you are protesting this week, remember that your cell phone functions as a tracking device. Know your rights and take the necessary steps to help protect yourself and others.

aclu-wi.org/en/rnc

Ahead of the RNC this week, check out our webpage, which contains information about the increased law enforcement presence, security zones, parade route, your rights, and more: ACLU-WI.org/RNC.

Know Your Rights During the 2024 Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention will be held in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee from Monday, July 15 until Thursday, July 18. Know your rights and resources before the event.There will be a 90 block security zone in downtown Milwaukee. Here's what we know:The security measures imposed by the City o...

Wisconsin Watch discovered that over 600 books have been restricted or removed from Wisconsin schools since 2020. The vast majority of challenged titles contain themes of gender, sexuality, or race.

Read more here: https://wisconsinwatch.org/2024/07/wisconsin-book-ban-school-district-challenge-lgbtq-gender-queer-racial-conservative/

At the ACLU, we are committed to supporting the right to protest throughout the weeks of the RNC and DNC.

Read our joint op-ed with ACLU of Illinois: jsonline.com/story/opinion/2024/07/09/rnc-milwaukee-dnc-chicago-protests-free-speech-aclu/74311705007/

BREAKING: We just sent leaders of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies a letter reminding them to respect the constitutional rights of Republican National Convention demonstrators, prioritize de-escalation, and limit the use of force.

aclu-wi.org/en/press-releases/aclu-wisconsin-reminds-law-enforcement-agencies-responsibility-respect-protesters

Today, Deputy Advocacy Director James Stein spoke at a rally with our partner organizations and concerned citizens celebrating the return of drop boxes.

Drop boxes are critical to ensuring equal access to the ballot. We're ecstatic that the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned the ban on ballot drop boxes, restoring this accessible, secure, and easy way for voters to cast their ballots.

We are disappointed by this ruling and the lack of an authorized parade route within sight and sound of the RNC.

We still believe that the city’s failure to act concerning our client’s permit application, its delay in establishing a protest zone and a parade route until weeks before the RNC, and its decision to push protesters even further away from the convention site chill freedom of expression and restrict the exercise of First Amendment rights.

Regardless of this ruling, we still expect the City of Milwaukee to follow the Constitution and ensure that protesters can freely, thoroughly, and safely make their voices heard and peacefully protest without unnecessary interference from law enforcement.

Press release: aclu-wi.org/en/press-releases/court-says-rnc-protest-rules-are-constitutional-parade-route-stay-place

Next week, Milwaukee will host the Republican National Convention. Make sure you are prepared and know your rights.

Know Your Rights During the 2024 Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention will be held in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee from Monday, July 15 until Thursday, July 18. Know your rights and resources before the event.There will be a 90 block security zone in downtown Milwaukee. Here's what we know:The security measures imposed by the City o...

Mental health crises are not meant for police to handle. We need other solutions.

Alternatives to incarceration for women – including prison nurseries and community-based family living – can reduce the impact of parental incarceration on children, leading to better child development, community integration, and lower recidivism rates.

Summer is halfway over and school will be here before you know it. Prepare your children by letting them know their rights in school.

Know Your Rights at School The Supreme Court ruled in 1969 that students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate." This is true for other fundamental rights, as well.

Since the nation’s founding, the fabric of American society has been woven with deeply racist policies that directly harm Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. These policies have led to an unequal system where marginalized communities have been systematically locked out of opportunities in jobs, education, and housing.

The time is now to root out racism and inequality and to ensure equal access, opportunity, and freedom for all.

"Nearly a third of the 60 staff physicians the state corrections system has employed over the past decade have been censured by a state medical board for an error or a breach of ethics, an unusually high concentration given how rare it is for a doctor to be formally reprimanded.

Almost all those censured staff physicians were disciplined before they began working in the state’s prisons."

These doctors were censured. Wisconsin’s prisons hired them anyway. The state’s prison system has faced recent scrutiny for failing to care for people it incarcerated.

BREAKING: The Wisconsin Supreme Court just announced that it will hear two cases about abortion separately - the first brought by Attorney General Josh Kaul's case challenging the 1849 abortion statute and Planned Parenthood's case about the constitutionality of Wisconsin's abortion ban. This means that the state Supreme Court now has the opportunity to declare the 175-year-old ban unconstitutional once and for all.

Abortion is a right, and throughout pregnancy, a person's health and well-being—not political agendas or interference—should guide important medical decisions.

There are more than 190,000 women incarcerated in the U.S. today, many of whom are unable to hug, touch, or hold their children.

If you live in Senate District 4, get out and vote tomorrow!

Wisconsin Legislative District Viewer

We had a great time learning and growing with this year’s high school students during the Summer Justice Institute last week!

Every Wisconsinite deserves to live openly without discrimination. As another Pride Month draws to a close, we remain committed to fighting for LGBTQ+ rights every single day.

We aren't going anywhere. Pride is a protest, and the work happens year-round.

aclu-wi.org/en/issues/lgbtqia-rights