Brian Howey
@steelandballast.bsky.social
Investigative journalist covering Southern law enforcement for @mississippitoday.org.
Record nerd (FOIAs & LPs)
My work: BrianHowey.com
Record nerd (FOIAs & LPs)
My work: BrianHowey.com
Reposted by Brian Howey
Howey started looking into this advice, and found that officers have been using this tactic across California, and the information families disclosed affected the families' lawsuits later.
This award-winning episode of @revealnews.org details this investigation in full:
This award-winning episode of @revealnews.org details this investigation in full:
In officer-involved shootings, some police interrogate family about victim before disclosing their death
When police kill someone, they have to notify the family. Some officers are using that moment for something else.
revealnews.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Howey started looking into this advice, and found that officers have been using this tactic across California, and the information families disclosed affected the families' lawsuits later.
This award-winning episode of @revealnews.org details this investigation in full:
This award-winning episode of @revealnews.org details this investigation in full:
Reposted by Brian Howey
As @steelandballast.bsky.social reported in 2024, Bruce Praet, who runs Lexipol, offered this advice to cops:
If the police kill someone, officers should first ask the family about the victim to get as much unflattering info as possible before delivering the news of their loved one's death.
If the police kill someone, officers should first ask the family about the victim to get as much unflattering info as possible before delivering the news of their loved one's death.
California police are using a controversial tactic after someone dies in their custody
When police kill someone, they have to notify the family. Some officers are using that moment for something else.
www.motherjones.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:47 PM
As @steelandballast.bsky.social reported in 2024, Bruce Praet, who runs Lexipol, offered this advice to cops:
If the police kill someone, officers should first ask the family about the victim to get as much unflattering info as possible before delivering the news of their loved one's death.
If the police kill someone, officers should first ask the family about the victim to get as much unflattering info as possible before delivering the news of their loved one's death.
Reposted by Brian Howey
A new California law will effectively ban officers from questioning the families of people killed by police before alerting them to the news of their loved one's death.
This practice was popularized by Lexipol, the nation’s largest developer of law enforcement policy manuals. 🧵
This practice was popularized by Lexipol, the nation’s largest developer of law enforcement policy manuals. 🧵
California cops can no longer conceal police killings while interrogating loved ones for dirt
A Reveal investigation helped spark a crackdown on a disturbing, widespread practice.
www.motherjones.com
October 14, 2025 at 10:47 PM
A new California law will effectively ban officers from questioning the families of people killed by police before alerting them to the news of their loved one's death.
This practice was popularized by Lexipol, the nation’s largest developer of law enforcement policy manuals. 🧵
This practice was popularized by Lexipol, the nation’s largest developer of law enforcement policy manuals. 🧵
Today, we published the latest chapter of our reporting on the Rankin County Goon Squad with Reveal. It’s the story Andie Murphy and her quest to expose decades-long reign of terror by the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.
Listen on your favorite podcast app!
revealnews.org/podcast/miss...
Listen on your favorite podcast app!
revealnews.org/podcast/miss...
How a ‘Goon Squad’ of Mississippi deputies got away with years of brutality
A “Goon Squad” of Rankin County sheriff’s deputies spent years brutalizing people until their reign of terror was exposed.
revealnews.org
March 23, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Today, we published the latest chapter of our reporting on the Rankin County Goon Squad with Reveal. It’s the story Andie Murphy and her quest to expose decades-long reign of terror by the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.
Listen on your favorite podcast app!
revealnews.org/podcast/miss...
Listen on your favorite podcast app!
revealnews.org/podcast/miss...
An imprisoned former deputy from the notorious Goon Squad case said he + colleagues performed hundreds of warrantless raids and many violent beatings during his time at the Rankin County Sheriff’s Dept. in MS.
Our latest for @mississippitoday.org, @nytimes.com
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/21/e...
Our latest for @mississippitoday.org, @nytimes.com
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/21/e...
Ex-Miss. deputy describes rampant violence by ‘Goon Squad’
Rankin County deputies regularly entered homes without warrants, beat people to get information and illegally seized evidence, a fromer deputy said..
mississippitoday.org
February 21, 2025 at 8:04 PM
An imprisoned former deputy from the notorious Goon Squad case said he + colleagues performed hundreds of warrantless raids and many violent beatings during his time at the Rankin County Sheriff’s Dept. in MS.
Our latest for @mississippitoday.org, @nytimes.com
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/21/e...
Our latest for @mississippitoday.org, @nytimes.com
mississippitoday.org/2025/02/21/e...
January 24, 2025 at 3:36 AM
Reposted by Brian Howey
DuPont-Columbia Awards to Prof. @jlaf.bsky.social
+ alum Steven Rascon and teams for "40 Acres and a Lie" and to alum @steelandballast.bsky.social for "We Regret to Inform You" — developed in our Investigative Reporting Program w/ @davidbarstow.bsky.social journalism.berkeley.edu/dupont-colum...
+ alum Steven Rascon and teams for "40 Acres and a Lie" and to alum @steelandballast.bsky.social for "We Regret to Inform You" — developed in our Investigative Reporting Program w/ @davidbarstow.bsky.social journalism.berkeley.edu/dupont-colum...
Professor and alums win prestigious duPont-Columbia Awards for investigative stories
Professor Jennifer LaFleur and alums Brian Howey (’22) and Steven Rascón (’22) have won prestigious duPont-Columbia Awards, which honor the year’s best audio and video “reporting, storytelling and imp...
journalism.berkeley.edu
January 23, 2025 at 5:40 PM
DuPont-Columbia Awards to Prof. @jlaf.bsky.social
+ alum Steven Rascon and teams for "40 Acres and a Lie" and to alum @steelandballast.bsky.social for "We Regret to Inform You" — developed in our Investigative Reporting Program w/ @davidbarstow.bsky.social journalism.berkeley.edu/dupont-colum...
+ alum Steven Rascon and teams for "40 Acres and a Lie" and to alum @steelandballast.bsky.social for "We Regret to Inform You" — developed in our Investigative Reporting Program w/ @davidbarstow.bsky.social journalism.berkeley.edu/dupont-colum...
We analyzed digital records of Taser deployments at law enforcement agencies across Mississippi and found that officers frequently trigger their stun guns far beyond what is considered safe 🧵
@nytimes.com @mississippitoday.org
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/u...
@nytimes.com @mississippitoday.org
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/u...
Mississippi Police Use Tasers Freely, and Injuries Follow
A lack of state standards leaves Mississippi police and sheriff’s departments on their own to decide when to use stun guns, and many give officers a free hand.
www.nytimes.com
January 14, 2025 at 10:52 PM
We analyzed digital records of Taser deployments at law enforcement agencies across Mississippi and found that officers frequently trigger their stun guns far beyond what is considered safe 🧵
@nytimes.com @mississippitoday.org
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/u...
@nytimes.com @mississippitoday.org
www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/u...
Absolutely honored that Nate Rosenfield and I were selected to be 2025 Alicia Patterson Fellows!
Thank you, APF judges,for believing in and supporting our work as we continue to investigate the use of torture by law enforcement.
aliciapatterson.org/apf/60th-ann...
Thank you, APF judges,for believing in and supporting our work as we continue to investigate the use of torture by law enforcement.
aliciapatterson.org/apf/60th-ann...
60th Annual Competition Fellowship Winners for 2025 - APF Staff
Eight compelling projects will be undertaken in the coming year by tenaccomplished journalists, who are the newest recipients of an Alicia Patterson grant. Their topicsrange from abuses of migrants ho...
aliciapatterson.org
January 9, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Absolutely honored that Nate Rosenfield and I were selected to be 2025 Alicia Patterson Fellows!
Thank you, APF judges,for believing in and supporting our work as we continue to investigate the use of torture by law enforcement.
aliciapatterson.org/apf/60th-ann...
Thank you, APF judges,for believing in and supporting our work as we continue to investigate the use of torture by law enforcement.
aliciapatterson.org/apf/60th-ann...
Reposted by Brian Howey
The California Dept. of Justice said today that SFPD is in "substantial compliance" w/reform efforts, & that it would end its monitoring of the dept.
But, the state warned, March's Prop. E threatened "forward progress" on use-of-force.
via @jrivanob.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/01/sfpd...
But, the state warned, March's Prop. E threatened "forward progress" on use-of-force.
via @jrivanob.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/01/sfpd...
SFPD in ‘substantial compliance’ with reform, ending era of state monitoring
California Dept. of Justice found SFPD made serious progress in addressing 272 recommendations—but warned March's Prop. E is a concern.
missionlocal.org
January 8, 2025 at 12:57 AM
The California Dept. of Justice said today that SFPD is in "substantial compliance" w/reform efforts, & that it would end its monitoring of the dept.
But, the state warned, March's Prop. E threatened "forward progress" on use-of-force.
via @jrivanob.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/01/sfpd...
But, the state warned, March's Prop. E threatened "forward progress" on use-of-force.
via @jrivanob.bsky.social
missionlocal.org/2025/01/sfpd...
Reposted by Brian Howey
For the past year, @propublica.org has been reporting on the toll when a city "sweeps" an encampment. We handed out cards so folks could write in their own words what it meant to have their belongings trashed.
We're publishing dozens of those stories here:
projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
We're publishing dozens of those stories here:
projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
“I Have Lost Everything”: The Toll of Cities’ Homeless Sweeps
Cities often take belongings — including important documents and irreplaceable mementos — when they conduct sweeps of homeless encampments. ProPublica gave notecards to people across the country so th...
projects.propublica.org
December 27, 2024 at 1:39 PM
For the past year, @propublica.org has been reporting on the toll when a city "sweeps" an encampment. We handed out cards so folks could write in their own words what it meant to have their belongings trashed.
We're publishing dozens of those stories here:
projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
We're publishing dozens of those stories here:
projects.propublica.org/impact-of-ho...
Reposted by Brian Howey
Video shows officers beating inmate Robert Brooks at New York correctional facility before his death
Video shows officers beating inmate Robert Brooks at New York correctional facility before his death
The New York attorney general's office released new police body-worn camera video Friday as part of its investigation into the fatal beating of an inmate upstate.
www.cbsnews.com
December 28, 2024 at 4:39 AM
Video shows officers beating inmate Robert Brooks at New York correctional facility before his death
Mississippi women are being charged with violent crimes and face 20 years in prison if their newborn child tests positive for drugs.
This is the story of one woman who fought back against her charges.
More impactful reporting from Anna Wolfe…
mississippitoday.org/2024/12/12/m...
This is the story of one woman who fought back against her charges.
More impactful reporting from Anna Wolfe…
mississippitoday.org/2024/12/12/m...
Facing Decades in Prison, a Mississippi Mother Defied a Prosecutor and a Hazy Legal Theory
A prosecutor had been threatening mothers who used drugs while pregnant with long sentences — until Brandy Moore fought the case against her.
mississippitoday.org
December 14, 2024 at 4:59 PM
Mississippi women are being charged with violent crimes and face 20 years in prison if their newborn child tests positive for drugs.
This is the story of one woman who fought back against her charges.
More impactful reporting from Anna Wolfe…
mississippitoday.org/2024/12/12/m...
This is the story of one woman who fought back against her charges.
More impactful reporting from Anna Wolfe…
mississippitoday.org/2024/12/12/m...
Reposted by Brian Howey
Our stories build on years of reporting that has detailed the enormous struggles with insurance that Americans face as they try to access medically necessary health care: www.propublica.org/topics/healt...
Investigative Reporting on Health Insurance from ProPublica.
Read the latest health insurance investigations from ProPublica.
www.propublica.org
December 13, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Our stories build on years of reporting that has detailed the enormous struggles with insurance that Americans face as they try to access medically necessary health care: www.propublica.org/topics/healt...
Reposted by Brian Howey
NEW: After reviewing leaked documents, we have found UnitedHealth is strategically limiting access to a treatment for thousands of children with autism across the country in order to cut costs.
Advocates say the company’s strategy may be illegal.
www.propublica.org/article/unit...
👇
Advocates say the company’s strategy may be illegal.
www.propublica.org/article/unit...
👇
UnitedHealth Is Strategically Limiting Access to Critical Treatment for Kids With Autism
Leaked internal documents show that the insurance giant is culling providers of applied behavior analysis from its network and scrutinizing the medical necessity of therapy. Advocates say the company’...
www.propublica.org
December 13, 2024 at 1:34 PM
NEW: After reviewing leaked documents, we have found UnitedHealth is strategically limiting access to a treatment for thousands of children with autism across the country in order to cut costs.
Advocates say the company’s strategy may be illegal.
www.propublica.org/article/unit...
👇
Advocates say the company’s strategy may be illegal.
www.propublica.org/article/unit...
👇
More incredible reporting on fatal police pursuits from @susien.bsky.social & @jennifergollan.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
A young Black man’s death reflects a shocking racial disparity in police pursuits
Across the country, police chases claim nearly 700 lives a year. Black people are far more likely to die from them.
www.sfchronicle.com
December 13, 2024 at 5:00 PM
More incredible reporting on fatal police pursuits from @susien.bsky.social & @jennifergollan.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
Reposted by Brian Howey
NEW: Another shocking story by @anniewaldman.bsky.social about UnitedHealthcare's secret internal cost-cutting campaign that targets the treatment of children with autism, treatment that the company itself acknowledged as the "evidence-based gold standard": www.propublica.org/article/unit...
UnitedHealth Is Strategically Limiting Access to Critical Treatment for Kids With Autism
Leaked internal documents show that the insurance giant is culling providers of applied behavior analysis from its network and scrutinizing the medical necessity of therapy. Advocates say the company’...
www.propublica.org
December 13, 2024 at 2:16 PM
NEW: Another shocking story by @anniewaldman.bsky.social about UnitedHealthcare's secret internal cost-cutting campaign that targets the treatment of children with autism, treatment that the company itself acknowledged as the "evidence-based gold standard": www.propublica.org/article/unit...
Reposted by Brian Howey
Oakland's Duong family, CWS, and a security company allegedly paid for 2022 election hit pieces to help elect Sheng Thao, according to the Alameda County DA's office.
oaklandside.org/2024/12/10/d...
oaklandside.org/2024/12/10/d...
Duong family allegedly paid for 2022 election hit pieces to help elect Sheng Thao
New court documents allege Fruitvale businessman Mario Juarez orchestrated an election scheme paid for by 2 powerful city contractors.
oaklandside.org
December 10, 2024 at 11:38 PM
Oakland's Duong family, CWS, and a security company allegedly paid for 2022 election hit pieces to help elect Sheng Thao, according to the Alameda County DA's office.
oaklandside.org/2024/12/10/d...
oaklandside.org/2024/12/10/d...
Reposted by Brian Howey
A federal judge blocks a Biden administration rule that allowed DACA recipients to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Obamacare coverage for DACA recipients in 19 states blocked by federal judge
The ruling applies only to the Republican-led states that filed the lawsuit, leaving the Biden administration rule in effect elsewhere.
www.nbcnews.com
December 10, 2024 at 9:13 PM
A federal judge blocks a Biden administration rule that allowed DACA recipients to sign up for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.