BROOKLYN, NY– New York City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, Deputy Leader and co-chair of the Council’s Gun Violence Taskforce, issued the following statement in response to the acquittal of Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero of all counts for his role in the death of Freddie Gray.
STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS
« Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero’s acquittal continues an alarming trend where no one is being held accountable for their crimes against the public. Freddie Gray died as the result of a broken spine that he sustained while in police custody. There’s no question that Officer Nero’s decision to ignore police rules and fail to place a seat belt on Gray led to his death. He had no regard for his safety. The message to everyone is that law enforcement in this country can do whatever they want, whenever they want without any consequences, regardless of how catastrophic their actions are.
« I continue to be angered, frustrated and disappointed about the message these decisions send and the implications they give about the value of Black lives in America. As we rightfully continue the push to rebuild much needed trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, accountability must be paramount. If it is not, to everyone’s detriment, our efforts will not succeed. I will be following the cases of the other officers involved in Gray’s death closely. It’s my sincere hope that there will be accountability. »
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Council Member Jumaane D. Williams (D-Brooklyn), Deputy Leader, represents the 45th Council District, which covers Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands, and parts of Midwood and Canarsie. He is the chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings, and co-chair of the Task Force to Combat Gun Violence. He is a co-founding member of the Progressive Caucus, and a member of the Black, Latino & Asian Caucus. He was first elected to office in 2009 and re-elected in 2013.
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