Unequal ‘justice’ in trial of killer cop in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – Anti-police crimes groups came together for a press conference, April 15, in the Hennepin County courthouse, to denounce the unequal justice shown by the trial of the police murder of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. The killer, former police officer Mohamed Noor, is a Somali American, and the victim a white woman from a wealthy part of the city.

This is the first time a cop has gone to trial for murder in Minneapolis.

While demanding “Justice for Justine” in this case, they pointed out that at least 57 others have been killed by police, in Minneapolis alone, since 2000. Most of those victims were Black, brown or native – and none of the cops who killed them were charged. Prosecutors since 2000 include the current County Attorney Mike Freeman, as well as presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

Speakers called out the systemic hypocrisy and racism surrounding the trial, as well as how the trial exposes the ongoing corruption of the police department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Justine Ruszczyk Damond, and Australian citizen living in Minneapolis, was killed July 15, 2017 and the trial started April 1.

The Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar Clark (TCC4J) organized the press conference and said that these killings would be curbed if there was actual community control of the police, which TCC4J is working to put in place in Minneapolis. Darlynn Blevins, sister of Thurman Blevins, murdered by Minneapolis police on June 23, 2018 spoke, as well as representatives of Communities United Against Police Brutality, the Racial Justice Network and Justice for Justine.