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Statement

Justice for Jordan Edwards – But Much More Work to Do, Moms Leader Says

August 30, 2018
Gun Control

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement of Monifa Bandele, senior vice president of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on the conviction of Jordan Edwards’ murderer in Dallas Country, Texas last night.

“We commend the jurors who convicted former police officer Roy Oliver for the murder of Jordan Edwards last night, the prosecutors who argued the case, and all those who are speaking out against the police brutality that is horrifyingly common in this country and so often takes the lives of Black youth. Police brutality must end and until it does, successful prosecutions of police who abuse their power should be the norm and not the exception.

“We grieve with Charmaine Edwards, Jordan Edwards’ stepmother, who criticized the sentence, saying:

'We're thankful for the verdict that we received, although we wanted more years. This is a start for us, and we can get some kind of closure. So we're thankful. He actually can see life again after 15 years. And that's not enough because Jordan can't see life again.’

“We agree that the sentence Oliver received is absolutely not commensurate with his crime.

‘We need special prosecutors and aggressive prosecution in every case in which a police officer kills a civilian. There is no time to waste. This is a huge problem in our country. Jordan Edwards is one of 568 people killed by police so far this year. Studies show that even though White Americans outnumber Black Americans five-fold, Black people are three times more likely than White people to be killed when they encounter the police. Young Black men are 21 times more likely to be killed by police than young white men. We are losing a generation to this violence.

“That is why thousands of MomsRising members across the country spoke out for justice for Jordan, and we will continue to do so for every victim of police brutality. The fight for justice and for police accountability must and will continue. This is a victory we will build on."

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.