FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2017
CONTACT
Lindsay Kee, (615) 320-7142
NASHVILLE — District Attorney General Glenn Funk today announced that he will not file charges against the police officer who killed Jocques Clemmons.
Hedy Weinberg, ACLU of Tennessee executive director, released the following statement in response:
"No matter the result of these investigations, Mr. Clemmons' death was a tragedy. Regardless of whether or not the facts should have resulted in criminal charges, at the end of the day Mr. Clemmons should still be alive. Far too many Black people have died at the hands of law enforcement across this country.
The district attorney's decision not to bring charges against the officer who shot and killed Jocques Clemmons leaves behind a cloud of profound and unsettling questions for the city of Nashville. If Officer Lippert did not violate the law, then is anyone responsible for Jocques Clemmons' death? How can we stop the escalation of conflict that brings discretionary stops — which happen more frequently to Black people in virtually every patrol zone in the city — to tragic endings? How will the city and the police department ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen in the future?
We must find a way to make policing more fair, equitable and safe for all Nashville residents.
We repeat our call to city leaders for basic reforms, including the swift deployment of police body cameras, with policies in place to protect privacy and to ensure public access to footage related to the use of excessive force. We urge the police chief to pursue comprehensive review by an independent body of the department's tactics, training and investigatory protocol, particularly as they relate to racial profiling, implicit bias and de-escalation. We also call once again on the city to establish an independent community oversight board, with robust power to investigate and hold law enforcement accountable.
Additionally, we applaud and support Attorney General Funk's recommendations for reforms, which we believe will help move our city toward justice, fairness and equal treatment for all Nashvillians.
We urge the mayor and police chief to support these reforms to stem the erosion of community-police relations and to promote basic accountability and transparency."
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