The chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus has denounced a grand jury’s decision not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed black teen.
The grand jury’s decision "seems to underscore an unwritten rule that Black lives hold no value; that you may kill Black men in this country without consequences or repercussions," said Rep. Marcia Fudge, a Democrat who represents Ohio's 11th District.
In a written statement, posted on the
Congressional Black Caucus’ Facebook page, Fudge denounced the grand jury’s decision as a "miscarriage of justice."
"The Ferguson Grand Jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown is a miscarriage of justice. It is a slap in the face to Americans nationwide who continue to hope and believe that justice will prevail," she wrote.
"This is a frightening narrative for every parent and guardian of Black and brown children, and another setback for race relations in America.
"My heart goes out to Michael Brown's loved ones, and to the loved ones of all the Michael Browns we have buried in this country."
Fudge wasn’t the only black lawmaker to speak out about the decision.
The Hill reports that Rep. Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, said she was "beyond disappointed" and that "the deaths of Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin and Oscar Grant, one of my constituents, serve as tragic examples of the senseless murder of young African American men."
She called on the protesters to be peaceful "and for the police to respect people exercising their First Amendment rights."
The verdicts should serve as a discussion about race in America, said Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, according to The Hill.
"The grief and frustration of the American people is justified and understandable, especially as we struggle to address the highly polarized relationship between law enforcement and young black men," Moore said.
While Brown’s parents called for peace, their attorney said Monday that in light of the grand jury’s decision, the family will seek to file federal charges against Wilson, according to
the Huffington Post.
"The family understands that if there is no indictment, the killer of their child won’t be held accountable — and that is heartbreaking to them," Benjamin Crump said.
A St. Louis County grand jury met for some three months before making its decision.
Wilson, 28, fired six shots at Brown, 18, who purportedly charged him in his patrol car, according to
The New York Times.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.