He says he's had trouble sleeping since group of officers held him at gunpoint.
A black man in Colorado said he hasn't slept well since he was traumatized by a group of whiteand detained him while he was picking up trash in front of his home.
Atkinson was holding a bucket and a metal trash picker in front of his residence on March 1, when a Boulder police officer confronted him and asked him if he was permitted to be there. "I had not done anything illegal therefore there was no reason for me to comply," Atkinson told "GMA." "I continued to go back to work and pick up trash and clean up my grounds."
"I was suffering with a lot of anxiety, a lot of depression. I was having very strange dreams and couldn't really sleep," Atkinson said. Atkinson beleives he was "penalized for practicing my rights," and his attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, said the officer's punishment doesn't reflect that. He called the incident a reflection of a larger racial problem within Boulder, which is about 81 percent white and less than 2 percent black, according to census data.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Black box data shows anti-stalling feature was engaged in Ethiopia crashBlack box data shows anti-stalling feature was engaged in Ethiopia crash of Boeing jet
Read more »
When police kill unarmed black males, what seems obvious on video rarely leads to convictionsHigh-profile police killings caught on video often point to a probable legal outcome. But the images and the outrage they engender are still outpaced by a justice system that critics say favors the police.
Read more »
'Lawyering while black': Attorney says deputy profiled him as a suspect at courthouseAttorney Rashad James told reporters the incident was 'surreal,' and the deputy essentially asked him to prove that he was a lawyer. James said it was the first time he had represented a client at the courthouse.
Read more »
Liam Neeson apologizes again for past racist thoughts
Read more »
Black-box data indicates anti-stalling feature was engaged in Ethiopia crash, official saysInvestigators scouring black-box data believe an automatic anti-stalling feature was engaged before a Boeing 737 Max jet crashed and killed 157 people in Ethiopia, an administration official said.
Read more »
Beyond The Black Boxes: What Investigators Look For To Unravel The Causes Of Airplane CrashesHow investigators unraveled the causes of the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 can shed light on how the investigations are being conducted into the crashes of Lion Air 610 and Ethiopian Airlines 302. The black boxes are just the beginning.
Read more »
Beyonce, 'Black Panther' wins at 50th NAACP Image AwardsLOS ANGELES (AP) — Beyonce was named entertainer of the year at the 50th annual NAACP Image Awards that highlighted works by entertainers and writers of color. After Beyonce accepted the...
Read more »
Kamala Harris, Cory Booker reimagine what it means to be a black presidential contender after ObamaCory Booker and Kamala Harris are deliberately embracing their blackness in their campaigns, betting that overtures to black communities will win not only African American votes but the Democratic nomination. It's a stark contrast from Obama in 2008.
Read more »
Madam C.J. Walker’s legacy of empowering black women lives on 100 years after her deathNetflix is set to premiere a limited series about Madam C.J. Walker, whose legacy of empowering black women lives on 100 years after her death. The series stars Octavia Spencer and is produced by LeBron James. - NBCBLK
Read more »