Council Member Andy King Responds to Decision to Not Charge NYPD Officerin Fatal 2012 Shooting of Ramarley Graham
New York City Council Member Andy King represents the 12th Council District, home of Graham’s family and where the shooting took place.
Said Council Member King, “I am shocked, angered and 100 percent disappointed that the federal government has decided that black lives don’t matter as Unites States Attorney Preet Bharara has chosen to close the investigation into the death of Bronx teen Ramarley Graham at the hands of Police Officer Richard Haste. It is unconscionable that the federal government deemed that no more action is warranted. What message is being sent to African Americans? I am equally disgusted that Commissioner Bratton sat in our Black, Latino and Asian Caucus meeting and told the body that he was instructed by the US Attorney to hold off on departmental disciplinary acts until a decision was made. I am dismayed today to hear that this conversation never took place. Here we go again with trust issues. Here again trust is broken.”
“As the Council Member who represents this area, I’ve had to play the voice of reason in my district when emotions ran high. So today’s decision makes it very difficult to walk down that road of continuing to place trust in a system that tells us time and time again that black lives don’t matter. This is yet another example in our society of the African American life not being considered 100% whole.”
“Our Perseverance In The Future Lies in the Resiliency of Our Past”—Council Member Andy King
