It's been 25 years since William Hanlon and five other Miami-Dade County police officers were arrested in the beating death of Arthur McDuffie, a black insurance agent who tried to speed away on his motorcycle during a routine traffic stop in Miami. Four of the officers, but not Hanlon, were charged with manslaughter, accused of bludgeoning McDuffie with flashlights after he'd been wrestled to the ground and handcuffed. The officers, who were Hispanic and non-Hispanic whites, allegedly tried to cover up the crime by making it look like an accident. Despite Hanlon's testimony against his former colleagues, an all-white Tampa jury acquitted the four officers in 1980. That sparked three days of rioting in Miami's black Liberty City area. Eighteen people died in the riots, and more than 400 were injured. Hanlon, now 51, would like to put his past behind him. No longer a police officer, he graduated from Nova Southeastern University's law school in May 2001, has passed the bar exam and is seeking admission to The Florida Bar.[more
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