Joint Statement on Charging Decision in Jacob Blake Case
From members of the Milwaukee Common Council: Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, Alderman Cavalier Johnson, Alderman Nik Kovac, Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs, Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, Alderman José G. Pérez and Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic
His children were in the car. He was walking toward the car. He may never walk again.
Someone shot him in the back seven times, from close range.
This is the United States of America, and anyone that lives here should be shocked to learn that the shooter will walk away without judicial punishment. But once we learn that the paralyzed father wore black skin while the shooter wore a blue uniform, then we’re suddenly not surprised.
In downtown Milwaukee, Dontre Hamilton took a nap across the street from our City Hall. He was awakened by a police officer who attempted to forcibly search him without cause. Then the officer took out his baton to beat Dontre. The officer then shot him 14 times.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney made the same decision in that 2014 case that the Kenosha District Attorney just did; that no jury will ever decide if the Hamilton family or the Blake family have a chance to witness justice in the wake of tragedy.
In both cases, the District Attorneys pointed to Wisconsin statutes that define the “reasonable” use of police violence and therefore would have made a conviction unlikely in either case. The state law cited by these county prosecutors producing these results means little to the citizens of Milwaukee and Kenosha that don’t want to live in a society where such state-sponsored violence is officially sanctioned.
The system is broken, that much is clear.
Just watch the video of the seven shots that paralyzed Jacob Blake. His children were watching, and now the entire world is watching.
If Wisconsin law says that was justified, then the laws of Wisconsin must change.
More about the Shooting of Jacob Blake
- Community Leaders Lament Jacob Blake Decision - PrincessSafiya Byers - Jan 9th, 2021
- Rep. Robyn Vining Responds to Kenosha DA Decision - State Rep. Robyn Vining - Jan 7th, 2021
- Body Cameras Would Have Helped Jacob Blake Shooting Investigation - Corri Hess - Jan 7th, 2021
- Joint Statement on Charging Decision in Jacob Blake Case - Milwaukee Common Council - Jan 6th, 2021
- Barnes Rips Kenosha DA On Blake Shooting - Melanie Conklin - Jan 6th, 2021
- Rep. Stubbs’ Statement on Decision to not Charge Officer Sheskey in Shooting of Jacob Blake - State Rep. Shelia Stubbs - Jan 6th, 2021
- Statement from the Milwaukee Bucks Organization - Milwaukee Bucks - Jan 5th, 2021
- Senator Agard Releases Statement on the Decision to Not Charge Officer Involved in Shooting Jacob Blake - State Sen. Melissa Agard - Jan 5th, 2021
- Rep Hintz: Statement on Jacob Blake Shooting Charging Decision by Kenosha District Attorney - State Rep. Gordon Hintz - Jan 5th, 2021
- Statement from Kenosha County Judicial Candidate Angela Cunningham on Charging Decision of the Jacob Blake Shooting - Angela Cunningham - Jan 5th, 2021
Read more about Shooting of Jacob Blake here
Mentioned in This Press Release
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