ACLU of Minnesota Responds to Charges Against Minneapolis Officer who Killed Justine Damond

St. Paul, Minn – Today, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced that the officer who killed Justine Damond will be charged with third-degree murder. The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota released the following statement:

Please attribute to Teresa Nelson, ACLU-MN Legal Director:

“The charges against Officer Mohamed Noor are a step in the right direction. Justine Damond’s family and loved ones deserve accountability in her killing.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman made it clear that Justine Damond was a victim of unjustified force and did not deserve to die.

This prosecution is a step towards holding this officer accountable for his actions. Our expectation is that officers are held accountable when taking someone’s life and this should be true no matter the race of the victim or officer. People of color are disproportionately the victims of police violence and rarely see justice served.

Though welcome and important, these charges cannot bring back Justine Damond nor can they alone mend the fractured relationship between police and communities.”