For Immediate Release: May 21, 2015

Contact: Michele Setteducato, 732-614-3818, michele@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Statement from Rashad Robinson, Executive Director of ColorOfChange.org:

“We strongly applaud the Baltimore grand jury’s recent indictment of all six officers who brutally killed Freddie Gray. Unfortunately, these indictments are all too rare and discriminatory police who harm Black folks are almost never held accountable. We hold the Gray family close in our hearts and minds.

“State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s integrity and commitment to securing justice in this case must be commended. Her leadership stands in stark contrast to the conduct of prosecutors such as St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch who did everything in his power to prevent justice for Mike Brown.

“More than 100,000 ColorOfChange members and their allies have taken action to support State’s Attorney Mosby in convicting the police who killed Freddie Gray, as well as dropping the charges against protesters who continue to face unjustly high charges for demanding justice.

“In the past three decades, only five Baltimore police have faced criminal prosecution for police-involved deaths, despite a long history of discriminatory policing. In 2014, 100% of people killed by Baltimore police were Black.

“The Baltimore police department is need of widespread structural changes to end the policies, practices and culture that lead to Freddie Gray’s tragic death. If brave Black Baltimore residents and their allies had never raised their voices to demand justice, we wouldn’t be here today.

“We need more police departments and prosecutors across the country that are transparent, accountable to the public and committed to ending discriminatory policing. Black folks should not have to take to the streets every time a person is killed or brutalized at the hands of law enforcement.

###

With more than 1 million members nationwide, ColorOfChange is the country’s largest online civil rights group.