Since a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd on Memorial Day, NPR has faced ethical challenges every hour of every day, including how to describe the killing, how to use the audio of Floyd's last words, how to document Floyd's life and how to describe the mass demonstrations. The best answer to every one of these questions is: embrace precision, be descriptive, use more words. The more this happens, the better the journalism. When news organizations, including NPR, sometimes fall short, it's usually because of an attempt to economize words. This week we received questions and complaints from a number of listeners about a variety of topics. I have summarized them across four general questions that I put to two senior editors and one host. Here's a breakdown of the most frequent questions and the answers I received: Why do hosts and reporters say, "George Floyd died in police custody?" It seems like an understatement. That phrase does feel incomplete, even weak, given that

Since George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on May 25, rage that had accumulated over centuries of racial violence spilled into the nation's streets. From Atlanta , Macon and Savannah to London , Amsterdam and Paris , protesters are flooding streets that, only weeks ago, stood nearly empty due to fears of COVID-19. The crowds are unprecedented in their size , diversity and condemnation of police brutality and systemic racial injustice. Despite early property damage , largely peaceful protests have gained momentum over the course of the last week.

In the weeks since protests against police brutality began in Minneapolis, calls to reform, defund or abolish the police have been escalating. These demands aren’t new among activists; however, responses from local governments across the country committing to redirect police funds or even “dismantle” police departments have been unprecedented. We break down reasoning, history and motivations behind the push to change how policing operates nationwide.

In 2002, On Second Thought host Virginia Prescott recorded stories of residents from the Houston neighborhood where George Floyd grew up. Virginia reflected on the rich cultural legacy of the historically African American community. George Floyd was laid to rest in Pearland, Texas earlier this week. He was buried next to his mother, known as “Miss Cissy” in Houston’s Third Ward, where Floyd grew up. Beyoncé and Solange Knowles were also raised in the neighborhood. So was the actor Phylicia Rashad, the director and choreographer Debbie Allen, and musicians Samuel John “Lightnin’” Hopkins and Jason Moran.

The Boogaloo Bois member fired shots at a police station.

"I'm not shocked, but I'm still pissed,” the artist said.

When making formal statements, school and district leaders should call out racist patterns and commit to dismantling White supremacy, advise Dorinda J. Carter Andrews and Shaun R. Harper.

Three former Minneapolis police officers face federal charges that they violated George Floyd’s civil rights during his May 2020 arrest. Here’s what you need to know about the officers and the upcoming trial. Photo: Erin Ailworth/The Wall Street Journal