: he reached for your gun, dude. >> elijah mcclain: i have no gun. >> elijah mcclain: i don't do that>> police: the other units that are not here. >> dickerson: the three officers, who were joined by at least nine more put mcclain in a neck hold, forced him to the ground. >> elijah mcclain: i can't breathe correctly because-- >> dickerson: handcuffed, and struggling for air... >> elijah mcclain: (vomiting) >> dickerson: he vomited. >> police: dude, if you keep messing around i'ma bring my dog out, he's going to dog bite you. you understand me? keep messing around. >> dickerson: within minutes, he lost consciousness. >> dave young: could they have done things differently? absolutely. i wish they would have. elijah mcclain did nothing wrong. so the officers don't know that, though. the officers know nothing about elijah mcclain. >> dickerson: adams county district attorney dave young, whose jurisdiction covers aurora, reviewed all the recordings in the case. >> young: you could see that the officers are at least trying to have a conversation with elijah mcclain. >> dickerson: but it's a

the officers who killed george floyd are now facing charges, but the police involved in elijah mcclain'sth last year remain uncharged. for shooting jacob blake in front of his children and leaving him paralyzed, officers have been placed on administrative leave as they await the results of an investigation, and those results are expected to be announced soon. and in the case of breonna taylor, there are still no charges for her death. but two more officers might lose their jobs nine months after she lost her life. these are the unanswered questions of 2020. after a year of protests and fervent pleas for change, where do we stand now? will we see the change that protesters have asked for under a biden administration? joining me now, a civil rights activist and co-creator of the black lives matter movement. good to see you again. thank you for being with us. what a year it's been. on some levels it's been a deeply sad year for social justice, and on another it's been a remarkable awakening the likes of which we've not seen since the civil rights movement, but now we move into a new era. wh

. >> reporter: elijah mcclain was a 23-year-old with no criminal record.alking home from a store in august 2019, aurora, colorado police stopped him following a call of a suspicious person wearing a ski mask. >> stop. stop i stopped you because you're being suspicious. >> reporter: the confrontation quickly escalates. >> stop, stop tensing up. >> reporter: officers used a now banned chokehold to restrain mcclain. >> i'm trying to go home. >> reporter: paramedics administered ketamine to sedate him and rushed to the hospital unresponsive. days later pronounced dead mcclain's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the officers who denied wrongdoing and were shielded legally from civil suits under a then law in colorado calle qualified immunity which makes it difficult to sue police for serious misconduct. >> for too long law enforcement officers have not even had to stand in front of a court or a judge and say, here's what i did and here's why i did it instead they have been able to claim qualified immunity and not even have to go through that process

. >>> in the opening of his new book, michael eric dyson writes directly to elijah mcclain. 23-year-old man who died in police custody. we are about to see if it is true that we are one, to see if your death and those of ahmadar bury and and others are viewed as worthy of the moral revulsion and from there the change of practice and belief that would prove a real reckoning is taking place. congress has not yet passed police reform. some have met their unlikely death in grim reaper mitch mcconnell's senate. and the author of long time coming, reconning with race in america. michael, it is good to see you. we'll talk about the book but i want to ask you, what you make of this attempt by mitch mcconnell to rebrand himself in part by touting police reform, having signed a police reform bill. we know he blocked the one during president obama's tenure and if the house had passed a much more comprehensive one with choke hold bans and getting rid of qualified immunity and they shoved tim scott out front to be the face man for it. do you think there is a way that mcconnell could laun

. >>> in the opening of his new book, michael eric dyson rights directly to elijah mcclain. -year-old black man who died last year in police custody. dear elijah, we are about to see if it is true, that we are one. to see if your death and ahmaud arbery, george floyd, and untold others, are viewed as worthy of moral revulsion and, from there, the change of practice and belief that would prove a real reckoning is taking place. congress has not, yet, passed comprehensive police reform and not because the house hasn't tried. in grim-reaper mitch mcconnell's senate. and i am joined now by michael eric dyson, distinguished professor at vanderbilt university and the author of "longtime coming, reckoning with race in america." it is good to see you. we are going to talk about the book but i wanted to, very quickly, ask you what do you make of this attempt by mitch mcconnell to re-brand himself? in part, by touting police reform. having signed a police-reform bill. we know he blocked the one during president obama's tenure and that the house had passed a much more comprehensive ones

. >> we only have a minute left, but this book, in the book you write letters to elijah mcclain, to emmettric garner, breonna taylor, et cetera. you're writing a letter to them about their circumstances. about the system we are in. what do you say -- >> right. >> -- to president-elect joe biden for how to start to address this, how to start to make it better? >> take seriously the experiences of black people. recognize the hurt and harm, the danger and trauma that have been done to us individually and collectively, and recommit himself as he has already done to make certain that when he said, look, black people, you have my back, now i have yours, do it in a systemic fashion. the symbolism is incredibly important, but even more important, especially necessary, is the everyday ordinary commitment to making sure that economic disparities of wealth and jobs are closed, gaps in education are removed and we're able to move forward. >> thank you for sending me this book and thank you for helping keep this conversation in the forefront, especially right now. michael eric dyson, we appreciate all

elijah mcclain, the city is trying to argue about the wrongful death of him.ese people, we will never forget. memory is a weapon in the hand of the oppressed, and we must make certain we never forget the contributions and suffering that they endured. >> michael, you have said it so eloquently and beautifully in this book, "long time coming: reckoning with race in america." my friend, thank you very much for joining us tonight. >> thank you, my friend. >> thank you. >>> and when we come back, tonight's last word will go to you. our viewers. that's next. tonight...i'll be eating crab cakes with spicy aioli. (doorbell rings) thank you. can we be besties, simone biles? i guess? yessss! should we dismount now? frwhen you wash them, and theyet dajust don't look the same? well now there's a solution, with downy defy damage. downy defy damage protects your clothes from the stretching, fading and fuzzing that happens throughout the wash process, all cycle long! simply toss in detergent, add defy beads, then toss in your clothes. and downy defy's unique formula conditio

elijah mcclain, a young man in colorado today was announced the sit was trying to argue the wrongfulhim. memory is a weapon in the hands of the oppressed. and those of us together must make certain we never forget the contributions and ultimately the suffering that they endured. >> and michael, you have said it so eloquently and beautifully in this book, "long time coming regeni reckoning with race in america." thank you for joining us tonight. >> thank you, my friend. >>> thank you. and when we come back tonight's "last word" will go to you, our viewers. that's next. "last word" will go to you, our viewers. that's next. skip to cold relief fast with alka seltzer plus severe power fast fizz. dissolves quickly, instantly ready to start working. ♪ oh, what a relief it is so fast. with priceline, you can get up to 60% off amazing hotels. and when you get a big deal... ...you feel like a big deal. ♪ priceline. every trip is a big deal. ♪ experience the power of sanctuary at the lincoln wish list sales event. sign and drive off in a new lincoln with zero down, zero due at signing, and a c

book, michael eric dyson writes directly to eli jack mcclain, a 23-year-old black man who died last year in colorado police custody. quote, deer elijahre about to see if it is true that we are one, to see if your death and those of ahmaud arbery, george floyd, breon at that taylor, and untold others are viewed worthy of moral revulsion and from there would prove a real reckoning is taking place place. congress has not passed reform and not because the house hasn't tried. they've met their untimely death in grim reaper mitch mcconnell's senate. i'm joined now by the author of "long time coming, reckoning with race in america." michael, my friend, it is good to see you. we're going to talk about the book. but i want to very quickly ask you what you make of this attempt by mitch mcconnell to rebrand himself in part by touting police reform, having signed a police reform bill. we know he blocked one during president obama's tenure. and if the house passed a comprehensive one with chokehold bands and no knock warrants and getting rid of qualified immunity, they passed a weaker bill in the senate and shoved him out front to be the face man