Press Releases & Statements Archive 3
Press Release: Families of New Yorkers Killed by Police Meet with Gov. Cuomo after Bringing Demand for Special Prosecutor to Protest outside of Albany Office
4/28/15
Albany, NY – The surviving family members of New Yorkers killed by the police over the past decades brought their demand for a special prosecutor for police killings directly to Governor Cuomo’s Capitol office in Albany. The group, which had sent a letter to the governor in February demanding he issue an executive order to authorize the establishment of a special prosecutor and requesting a meeting, had been frustrated by a lack of action and meeting cancellations by his office.
Justice Committee Statement On the State of the State Address by Governor Andrew Cuomo
01/21/15
At a moment when our city is still reeling from the injustices done to Eric Garner, Akai Gurley and many others, we are disappointed that the Governor’s criminal justice reform agenda does not include meaningful steps towards ensuring police accountability.
There is an inherent conflict of interest whenever District Attorneys investigate the NYPD, which they rely upon and work with every day. In the vast majority of cases of police killings DAs do not convene grand juries. Assigning an independent monitor to review cases of police killings only after DAs have already convened grand juries and failed to secure indictments – with discretion about whether or not cases are transferred to a special prosecutor – does not address this underlying problem and runs the risk of further drawing out a painful process that families of victims endure.
Justice Committee statement on the killing of Akai Gurley and assault of Donovan Lawson
11/21/14
Mayor de Blasio's request for New Yorkers to not connect the dots to the killing of Eric Garner and other incidents is just another way of saying, stay calm while we sweep this under the rug like so many other cases of unarmed New Yorkers killed by NYPD.
The dots are obvious: the overarching theory that guides NYPD...
Press Release: Community Organizations Launch Citywide Cop Watch Training Series
09/30/14
...“We’re calling on all New Yorkers to monitor and document the police whenever they see them taking action against someone,” said Daniel Sanchez, a representative of the Justice Committee and one the trainers. “We’re organizing these trainings because we want Cop Watching to become part of our city’s culture and something habitual in our daily lives – like looking both ways before you cross the street or giving elderly people your seat on the subway.”
Justice Committee Statement On Meeting with the Department of Justice Regarding the NYPD Killing of Ramarley Graham
09/18/14
...Yesterday we accompanied Ramarley’s family, their attorneys, and other advocates to meet with Mr. Bharara and members of his office. We were able to confirm that the DOJ has launched a full investigation into Ramarley’s case. We are encouraged by this development, but the fight for justice is far from over.