Every sign — from Loletha explaining why she went to his home, backing away, attempting to leave, and threatening to call the police — illustrates her fear in the moments leading up to her death. In stark contrast, Brock’s actions of pointing a gun at her, shooting her multiple times, and preventing her from leaving do not reflect the actions of a fearful man. Undoubtedly, Brock hopes the jury will accept the narrative that threatening calls from scammers made him fear Loletha, a Black woman, was responsible. However, we must ask ourselves if white fear should be the standard by which Black people’s lives are valued, particularly when we’ve witnessed the deadly consequences of these skewed priorities. Ultimately, Loletha Hall would still be alive today if it weren’t for Brock’s belief that his fear necessitated the death of a Black woman. White pride indeed comes before the fall.
Dr. Allison Wiltz
