Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) slammed the grand jury decision not to indict Ferguson, Mo., Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of unarmed teen Michael Brown, calling it a “frightening narrative,” Talking Points Memo reports.
“This 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. This is a frightening narrative for every parent and guardian of Black and brown children, and another setback for race relations in America,” the Ohio Democrat said in a statement.
She added that the decision was a “slap in the face to Americans nationwide who continue to hope and believe that justice will prevail."
Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), another member of the CBC, as well as a member of the House Judiciary Committee, issued her own statement on Monday following the announcement, saying that she was “deeply disturbed that a St. Louis County grand jury did not issue any indictments.
“This announcement continues a trend of injustice that has rightfully created an environment of anger and concern in Ferguson, Missouri and across the United States,” Bass said in her blistering statement. “From the onset, Ferguson law officials have been negligent in their handling of this tragic death. Ferguson officials botched this case from the beginning when they left Michael Brown’s body on the street for over four hours after he was killed. They were mean-spirited when they leaked information to the media to assassinate Michael Brown’s character. The Ferguson Police Department violated the constitutional rights of the Ferguson community when they attacked and tear gassed lawful protesters. And tonight the grand jury attacked justice by not holding Officer Wilson accountable for his actions.”
Bass voiced her support for the Justice Department’s separate investigation into the shooting and expressed her sympathy to Brown’s family: “Even though the process has ended locally, I will continue to insist that the United States Department of Justice conduct its own investigation to determine if the Ferguson police violated Michael Brown's civil rights. I understand how many of us are upset by tonight’s announcement. My heart goes out to Michael Brown’s parents, who are grieving the loss of their son while calling on protestors to channel their frustration to create positive change.”
Read more at Talking Points Memo and Rep. Karen Bass.