For Immediate Release November 27, 2006
Contact: Robert R. Boyle: 212-431-0229
Kamau Karl Franklin: 917-535-3041
Executive Committee Members
NYC NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD CONDEMNS NYPD’S DEADLY POLICY
The National Lawyers Guild, New York City Chapter (NLG/NYC) is shocked and outraged over the unjustified shooting of three unarmed young men of color by the New York City Police Department early Saturday morning.
Twenty-three year old Sean Bell joins an ever-growing list of Black and Latino people from Clifford Glover, Anthony Baez, Anthony Rosario through Eleanor Bumpers to Amadou Diallo, Timothy Stansbury and Ousmane Zongo killed by the search and destroy terror tactics utilized by the police under the guise of law enforcement.
Whatever the precise circumstances of this incident, nothing can excuse firing over 50 rounds into an occupied automobile without any substantial reason to believe that the officers’ lives were in danger.
The NLG/NYC joins the calls for a complete and independent investigation of this attack and the dismissal and prosecution of the officers responsible. Because we recognize that the Saturday shooting is not an isolated incident but rather symptomatic of a racist police policy that views all people of color, particularly young men of color, as potential criminals and threats, we demand changes system-wide, including the immediate removal of Police Commissioner Kelly.
The NLG-NYC calls upon all well-intentioned people in New York City, particularly those in the white community, to speak out against racist police violence.
Finally, we express our deepest condolences to Sean Bell’s family and friends and wishes for the speedy and complete recovery of Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.
Daniel L. Meyers
President
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment