Myth of 'Superhuman Strength' in Black People Persists in Deadly Encounters With Police
Deputy Steven Mills of the Lee County Sheriff鈥檚 Office was on patrol one night in 2013 when he received a call about a naked Black man walking down a rural road in Phenix City, Alabama. Mills said the man ignored his calls to stop, but when the officer threatened to use his Taser, 24-year-old Khari Illidge turned, walked toward him and said, 鈥渢ase me, tase me.鈥 In a sworn statement, the deputy said he shocked Illidge twice because he鈥檇 been unable to physically restrain the 鈥渕uscular鈥 man with 鈥渟uperhuman strength.鈥