About 125 people protested Friday on the steps of the City-County Building in downtown Pittsburgh calling on Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala to file criminal charges against 3 white Pittsburgh Police officers in the beating of then 18 year old Jordan Miles, an African American student, in January 2010.
The rally came after the Justice Department announced Wednesday that there was insufficient evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Jordan Miles' civil rights have been violated. The following day, Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper announced that the officers, Michael Saldutte, David Sisak and Richard Ewing, who had been on paid leave for more than a year, were being reinstated.
The crowd chanted "Shame" and some held up signs including one reading "Prosecute the police" during the rally.
Brandi Fisher of the Alliance for Police Accountability says this is not about striking back at the police department...
"I have made it very clear that we are not against the police. I have made it very clear that we understand that we need the police. But I've also made it very clear that the police will not run through our neighborhoods and beat our children at will and get away with it."
There's been no word yet if the district attorney will pursue charges against the officers.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
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