If You Give a Cop a Cookie

Margie Carranza delivered newspapers in Torrance, California.

Each morning, she drove her bright blue four-door Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck from house to house at a slow roll. Each morning, Margie’s mother, Emma, came along for the ride.

Every few houses, Margie paused to lob a gray wad of paper out the window. Emma sat in the backseat, rubber-banding each.

On February 7, 2013, at dawn, as ever, Margie and Emma rolled through Torrance. All morning, the newspapers landed on doormats with a rushed plop, like a tired woman and her couch at the end of the day.

Also on February 7, 2013, eight officers of the Los Angeles Police Department were placed on patrol in Torrance. They had been told to look for a light-gray Nissan Titan pick-up truck. They had been told to look for a black man. They had been told that the man was armed and dangerous.

Then, they saw Margie. The officers later testified that each newspaper landed like gunfire. Later, they testified that, at dawn, bright blue looked gray. All eight officers opened fire.

The Los Angeles Police Department fired on Margie and Emma 107 times. They fired 17…