*NEW YORK, NY – Color Of Change, the nation’s largest online racial justice organization, issued the following statement in response to the judge declaring a mistrial in the case of former South Carolina police officer Michael Slager, who shot and killed unarmed black man Walter Scott.
Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of Color Of Change:
“Walter Scott was unarmed. He was running away. He was shot in the back. This is a clear cut case of unnecessary, fatal police violence, and it is an outrage that the jury would not be able to convict the officer.
“This is the second time in the last month that a jury deadlocked in the case of a police killer. Clearly, our criminal justice system is not working for Black people when victims of police violence are effectively put on trial to prove their innocence, rather than their killers. While we commend Solicitor Scarlett Wilson for pursuing a retrial, we will be demanding a vigorous prosecution of what should be a locked-and-shut case. Solicitor Wilson must send a clear message that a right wing, racist agenda has no place in the courtroom.”
source:
Aaron Freedman
BerlinRosen Public Affairs
[email protected]
