Podcast Series Details Life and Death of Black Teen Killed by Baltimore Police

By Kenrya Rankin Jun 04, 2018

The New York Times’ podcast “The Daily” seeks to tell “the biggest stories of our time.” This week, the show tackles the life and death of Lavar “Nook” Montray Douglas, a teenager who was killed by police in Baltimore a year after the death of Freddie Gray.

Called “Charm City,” the five-day series starts today (June 4). In the first episode, journalist Sabrina Tavernise introduces listeners to Lavar’s grandmother, Davetta Parker, and mother, Lashanda “Toby” Douglas, and begins the deep dive into his story.

“We wanted to tell his story for the simple reason that events like these are rarely told, even though they have become ordinary,” Tavernise writes in an introductory post. “Nook and his friends—many of whom have also been killed—were typical for homicide victims in Baltimore. They all had records with serious crimes. But they were boys. Most hadn’t even turned 18. And the deeper question in our minds was: How did things get like this for them?”

Head to The Times to listen to the series.