NY Governor Andrew Cuomo
NEW YORK – With the nation’s attention firmly fixed on the recent protests and riots in Baltimore, which stem from the mysterious death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is offering lawmakers a choice about future oversight of similar controversial cases in New York State.
According to the Albany Times Union, the governor met on Tuesday with representatives from the Justice Committee, a watchdog group against police violence and systemic racism in NYC. During the meeting, Cuomo assured members that if lawmakers don’t approve his call for an independent monitor to oversee legal proceedings that follow the deaths of unarmed individuals at the hands of police, Cuomo will use his executive powers to go even farther and create a special prosecutor who would have the power to pursue charges against officers.
Also attending the private meeting were family representatives of more than a half-dozen New York City residents who died unarmed at the hands of police during the past few years.
Justice Committee members believe a special prosecutor is needed to pursue justice against police, if they have acted illegally in cases where suspects died at their hands. Following the closed-door meeting with the governor, the group said it will continue to push for the establishment of a special prosecutor’s office even as the governor pursues his more moderate route.
Leave a Reply