WASHINGTON, D.C. –Today, Kristen Clarke, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, released the following statement following the indictment of Amber Guyger, a white former Dallas police officer charged with the murder of Botham Jean, her Black unarmed neighbor:
“The grand jury’s indictment of Amber Guyger is an important reminder that police derive their authority from the people and it is the people, functioning as members of grand juries, who must insist that police authority be exercised in a lawful manner and who must hold police accountable when they fail to do so. Guyger’s indictment sends a strong message that law enforcement officers are not above the law. It is past time for all Americans to demand constitutional and effective policing that respects individual rights and promotes the sanctity of life. Holding law enforcement accountable for deadly and unlawful police shootings promotes public safety and is the best path for increasing trust between officers and the communities they serve. Guyger’s shooting of Botham Jean shocks the conscience and reminds us that racism continues to infect policing in our country.”
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 55th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact: Derrick Robinson, Lawyers’ Committee, DRobinson@LawyersCommittee.org, 202-662-8317
