This is by far one of my favorite episodes of Scandal. It was very timely, given the recent release of the DOJ findings from their investigation of the Ferguson Police Department. The episode is essentially the Mike Brown story. A young man is shot dead in the street by a police officer, and his body is left in the street for an extended period of time. His father goes into the crime scene with a shotgun, stands by his son's lifeless body, and demands answers. A local activist brings him a lawn chair to sit in (hence the title of the episode), and then goes back into the crowd to lead a group of protesters. The shooting officer tells Liv he only shot the young man after the young man pulled a knife out on him and the officer felt his life was threatened. Upon hearing this, the young man's father, Clarence Parker proclaimed his son doesn't carry a knife. Liv and the local activist Marcus, convinces Clarence to move his son's body to see if there is a knife. Sure enough, there is a knife under him. Clarence gets very upset and again proclaims his son doesn't carry a knife, aiming his shotgun at Liv and Marcus. They are able to calm him down, but he goes back to sitting on his lawn chair. The gladiators, with David's help with a subpoena, were able to get a hold of a video showing what transpired. They learned that the officer had a suspect in the back of his car who was never taken to jail, and who had a knife that was never put into evidence. It turned out, this was the knife that was placed under Brandon, the murdered young man, body. It also turned out Brandon was actually reaching for a receipt to prove he purchased the cell phone he had on him. When the officer learned he was being investigated and the truth was out, he went into a rant on how Black people should raise their children to respect the officers who risk their lives to protect them from themselves. He then basically admitted to killing Brandon, because he was not taught to respect officers and had no right to question his authority. But how does one respect someone they don't trust? How does one trust that someone is there to protect them if they feel that person is actually there to threaten and harass them? Trust and respect must be rebuilt and is 2-sided.
The officer is arrested. A DOJ investigation starts. And Liv takes Clarence Parker to meet the president. He ended up crying and being consoled by the president, and I started crying too!
Some interesting parts of the episode in regards to the Mike Brown story line:
-Marcus using his ability to record with his phone as a defense mechanism against the police shooting him as he walks into the crime scene to talk to Clarence Parker.
-Liv advising the police chief to not break up the crowd, because he would look like a bully. She states that the fact that they stand in a group and say things he doesn't like doesn't make them a mob...rather it makes them Americans.
-Clarence Parker saying, even though his son was pursuing something he's always wanted to do, that did not involve college (it called for apprenticeship), he had a University of Maryland sticker on his car...this way if his son was pulled over the cop would not think he was a thug.
-When Liv questions the police chief for purposefully keeping the press away from the crime scene and protesters, he asks her which side she is on. She says not yours and goes to stand with the protesters.
-When asking David for a subpoena to get access to the video footage, she tells him the laws weren't created to protect everyone. She also likens her week of fearing death while being kidnapped to the daily experiences of Black men.
Meanwhile, in the White House, Cyrus is trying to get Fitz to consider a young, Latina Republican governor of New Mexico for the next Vice President. Fitz tells him he's promised Mellie she'll be the next president, and with that promised to select a boring, unelectable replacement for VP. Cyrus continues to try to convince him to go with Mendez, until he finds out the media has found out about the plan and begun digging up dirt on Mendez. Cyrus accuses Mellie of leaking it, but after he leaves, Fitz tells Mellie he leaked it. Fitz then ends up offering the position to a senator Mellie suggested. Mellie met her earlier in the episode and doesn't believe she is electable.