The Kenosha, Wisconsin District Attorney on Tuesday announced that Rusten Sheskey, a Kenosha police officer who shot African-American resident Jacob Blake seven times in view of Blake's child, will not have charges levied against him.
The Blake shooting back in late Aug. 2020 was documented by a video recording and widely spread on the internet, eventually leading to the outrage by the NBA community, particularly nearby franchise Milwaukee Bucks, whose players protested playing in the aftermath of the shooting, sparking league-wide protests and cancelation of playoff games.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, himself a giant figure in social justice and advocacy of athletes, shared the news of Sheskey not being charged for shooting and subsequently paralyzing, Blake. James, 36, echoed rapper and actor Common's sentiments on the matter. Common tweeted a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., saying “An unjust law is no law at all.”
James repeated the strong words, tweeting “At all!” in all caps.
The Bucks were spearheaded by a group of players including veteran guard George Hill, who has since been traded and plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Under Hill's stewardship, Bucks players met prior to a first-round playoff game in Aug. 2020 against the Orlando Magic, ultimately deciding to skip attending the game while Magic players stood around, eventually getting the message and joining Milwaukee in solidarity by leaving the court and calling for justice for Blake.
What happened next was several days of tense meetings by the NBPA—players union—with distinct opinions voiced by players. Soon afterward the Bucks and the rest of the NBA teams decided to return to competing in the postseason (even after former President Barack Obama was involved in the matter).
The decision not to charge Sheskey will surely reverberate around the league and for the Bucks who kickstarted a movement for justice for Jacob Blake and his traumatized family.