"Jordan Neely’s death was a homicide, and charges must be immediately brought against his killer. To say anything else is an equivocation that will only further a narrative that devalues the life of a Black, homeless man with mental health challenges and encourages an attitude of dehumanization of New Yorkers in greatest need.
"An environment has long been created by media and elected officials that encourages fear of and violence against people who are struggling, that paints them as a threat to public safety. But being homeless is not a capital crime. Struggling with mental health is not a capital crime. Being Black is not a capital crime.
"Justice must be done in this case, and more broadly, we must address the city’s homeless and mental health crises with an approach that centers compassion and support– treating people as people, not as problems. Otherwise, trauma will compound trauma, fear compound fear, and violence compound senseless, heart-wrenching violence."
Public Advocate Williams released a review last year which highlighted the city’s failure to adequately respond to New Yorkers experiencing acute mental health distress or implement systems that support them, a follow-up to his 2019 report on the same topic.
Read the review, and the Public Advocate’s recommendations, here.
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