KEMETIC MINDS
Evening News Recap — September 8, 2026
Here is what shaped Black America and civil rights today.
1. Police Brutality: Jailani Chew, 19, to Stand Trial Oct. 5 in Evansville Police Shooting Case
Jailani Chew, 19, will stand trial Oct. 5 in Vanderburgh County for the shooting of Evansville Police Officer Sam Taylor.[1]
- Chew is accused of shooting Evansville Police Officer Sam Taylor last September.
- The shooting left Taylor paralyzed from the waist down.
- Chew faces several charges, including 2 counts of attempted murder and armed robbery.
- Earlier this year, a judge denied Chew’s request for a change of venue.
- The court affirmed on Tuesday he will go on trial in Vanderburgh County.
2. ICE: ICE Arrested at Least 49 Immigrant Construction Workers in Two Danville, Pennsylvania Operations
ICE agents arrested at least 49 immigrant construction workers in two separate central Pennsylvania operations last week in Danville, immigration advocates say.[2]
- Arrests occurred in Danville, a central Pennsylvania community.
- ICE carried out two separate operations in the last week.
- Immigration advocates put the total at 49 workers detained.
3. Civil Rights & Politics: NAACP Files FOIA Request Over DOJ’s 1,000-Person Polling Place Deployment
The NAACP filed a Freedom of Information request demanding answers about the Justice Department’s plan to deploy more than 1,000 federal personnel to polling places ahead of November’s midterms.[3]
- NAACP warns the federal polling presence could have a chilling effect on Black voters.
- The deployment would station over 1,000 federal personnel at polling places.
- The FOIA request demands answers about the plan.
4. Hate Crimes: 18-Year-Old Charged With Stalking After Alleged Anti-Gay Death Threat
An 18-year-old charged with stalking allegedly told his victim he could not wait to kill a gay person, then admitted the threat after being taken into custody.[4]
- The suspect is charged with stalking.
- He allegedly told the victim he could not wait to kill a gay person.
- After being taken into custody, he admitted making the threat.
Looking Ahead
Looking ahead, Jailani Chew remains set to stand trial Oct. 5 in Vanderburgh County after the court affirmed Tuesday he will face trial there on charges including attempted murder and armed robbery in the shooting of Officer Sam Taylor. Meanwhile, the NAACP’s filed Freedom of Information request now demands answers from the Justice Department over its plan to deploy more than 1,000 federal personnel to polling places ahead of November’s midterms.
Black Excellence This Week
The hard news is real, and so is this. Wins reported by the Black press in the last 14 days:
- HBCUs Are Building New Support Systems for Black Male Students
capitalbnews.org · 2026-09-08 - Lonnie Bunch III steps down as Trump pressure on Smithsonian intensifies
rollingout.com · 2026-09-08 - Florida HBCU Announces Historic Enrollment
miamiherald.com · 2026-09-02
What You Can Do This Week
Not just bad news — here is where to push.
- File a report if you witnessed or experienced a civil rights violation — Report a civil rights violation (DOJ)
- Find the branch nearest you and ask what they need this month — Find your local NAACP branch
- Confirm your registration is still active — purges happen quietly — Check your voter registration
References
- Yahoo News. (2026). Jailani Chew, 19, to Stand Trial Oct. 5 in Evansville Police Shooting Case. ↩
- MSN. (2026). ICE Arrested at Least 49 Immigrant Construction Workers in Two Danville, Pennsylvania Operations. ↩
- MSN. (2026). NAACP Files FOIA Request Over DOJ’s 1,000-Person Polling Place Deployment. ↩
- MSN. (2026). 18-Year-Old Charged With Stalking After Alleged Anti-Gay Death Threat. ↩