WASHINGTON – Today a St. Louis County grand jury decided not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. This decision is yet another impediment to justice for the family of Brown and the community of Ferguson, Mo. Advancement Project issued the following statement in response:
“Today, the people of Ferguson and caring Americans throughout our country are devastated by the grand jury decision to not indict Officer Darren Wilson in the killing of Mike Brown,” said Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Browne Dianis. “The legal system has failed again to hold someone accountable for the loss of life of an unarmed young Black man. In places throughout the United States, innocent lives are being lost at the hands of those who are supposed to serve and protect us. Mike Brown, Eric Garner and John Crawford are just a small portion of those killed by the police, while countless others have been harassed, injured and criminalized unnecessarily. Efforts for sweeping change will not stop until there is relief for communities of color.”
“The family of Michael Brown deserves an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation into this shooting,” said Connie Rice, Founding Co-Director of Advancement Project. “This incident should be investigated by the federal government for possible civil rights violations. We also welcome federal action to ensure that civil rights of youth of color and of those protesting Michael Brown’s death are protected in the community of Ferguson.”
“The grand jury ruling is not an end but a starting point,” said Penda D. Hair, Advancement Project Co-Director. “People in St. Louis and beyond, especially young people, are continuing to channel their pain and anger into movement-building to demand meaningful change. This sustained movement goes far beyond one city, one decision, or one moment. Racially biased policing and excessive force have become the status quo across the nation, in a criminal justice system that continuously devalues and debases Black and Brown lives with impunity. The people united will not accept police killings as ‘business as usual’ as they speak out to push elected officials to change the way police interact with communities of color, and to raise the standards of ethics, accountability and transparency of those who wear police badges. We will continue to stand with them.”
“The Ferguson community has simply sought justice, and justice has again been denied,” said Denise Lieberman, Advancement Project Senior Attorney and co-chair of the St. Louis-based Don’t Shoot Coalition. “This ruling will not stop us from seeking what is right, and we are calling for a thorough federal investigation of this case and possible criminal violations by Officer Wilson. We also demand comprehensive reform of policing and criminal justice policies and practices in St. Louis City and County, focusing on community-based solutions where the first priority is the preservation of the life and safety of citizens. These are just the first steps needed to ensure that the acts of police brutality and police violence that have transpired in Ferguson do not happen again.”
