WASHINGTON—In response to the acquittal on all charges of the police officer who shot and killed Philando Castile last year, Diallo Brooks, Director of Outreach and Public Engagement at People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“The details of every police shooting are different, but together they add up to a frightening pattern: a long line of black men and women killed by law enforcement. Today’s verdict does nothing to reassure people of color in this country that when a shooting occurs we can rely on the criminal justice system to hold officers accountable for their actions.

“This pattern of violence stretches far back in our country’s history. Philando Castile is only one in a long line of victims, many of whose names we’ve never known. Without question, this has gone on too long. It’s long past time to take concrete steps to drastically reduce the unconscionable number of African Americans killed by police and to guarantee that when violence happens we can rely on the courts to ensure that justice is meaningfully served.”

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and defend constitutional values including free expression, religious liberty, equal justice under the law, and the right to meaningfully participate in our democracy.

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