# The DOJ Letter Realized Seven Years After Mike  Brown\’s Murder

- Link: https://thechildsupporthustle.com/the-doj-letter-realized-seven-years-after-mike-browns-murder-2/
- Published: 2024-05-06T09:23:35+00:00
- Author: MsRockMon

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2.jpegwp-content/uploads/2024/05/Michael_Brown_Jr.jpg\")

Source: Unknown

Kenya N. Rahmaan

The next time you hear someone say that former President Barack Obama did nothing
for Black people, show them this article. After the killing of 18-year-old Mike 
Brown by police officer Darren Wilson on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, MO.  The United
States Department of Justice, under former Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s investigation,
released the infamous \’Dear College Letter.’  The Letter outlined numerous constitutional
violations, including but not limited to traffic stops and child support contempt
of court arrests, resulting in outlawed debtor prisons.

 

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the letter when former President
Trump was elected. Under the President Joe Biden Administration, the Department 
of Justice has reissued an updated letter addressing the unconstitutionality of 
using debtor prisons to collect money from indigent citizens.  The violations apply
to parents who owe child support debt. Unfortunately, the Office of Child Support
Services, formerly the Office of Child Support Enforcement, does nothing to hold
the state and local agencies accountable when they wrongfully issue arrest warrants
for parents allegedly owing child support arrears.

 

Recently, Darius McCrary, the actor best known for his role on the 90s sitcom Family
Matters[,](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/the-doj-letter-realized-seven-years-after-mike-browns-murder-2/\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6oCIAmmGq8ueAbcWLOkveDdaj3pGIDn\")
was held in a debtor prison accused of owing nearly $100,000 in child support.  
McCrary was held in debtor prisons in California and Michigan and was denied his
right to a hearing to determine his ability to pay, clearly outlined in the rescinded
2016 and the 2023 DOJ letters. According to Kristen Clarke, Amy L. Solomon, and 
Rachel Rossi (2023), The U.S. Supreme Court reaffirmed this principle in Turner 
v. Rogers, 564 U.S. 431 (2011), holding that a court cannot jail a parent for failure
to pay child support without providing adequate prparent’s safeguards to ensure 
consideration of the parent’s ability to pay. [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6oCIAmmGq8ueAbcWLOkveDdaj3pGIDn](https://thechildsupporthustle.com/the-doj-letter-realized-seven-years-after-mike-browns-murder-2/\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6oCIAmmGq8ueAbcWLOkveDdaj3pGIDn\")

 

 

⌊\"\"⌉⌊\"\"⌉Needless to say, Mr. McCrary was not offered a hearing to determine 
his ability to pay before the bench warrant was issued, and he is not alone.  Every
year, parents are arrested and detained on child support warrants, although the 
actual number is not available to the public.  There are two takeaways from this
victory in the Missouri lawsuit. One, people who say that President Obama did nothing
for Black people should find out what he and the offices operating under his administration
did or attempted to accomplish before judging.  It is difficult to hit the basket
when every ball is blocked.

 

 

Second, it is critical that you understand your constitutional rights as a citizen
of the United States of America.  They say ignorance of the law is not an excuse.
Ignorance is also no excuse to allow government officials to violate your constitutional
rights and protections.  

 

#RIPMikeBrown
