Congressman Cohen Cites Chicago Police Shooting on House Floor
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), the Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice, today cited the shooting of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police on the House floor while renewing his call for a federal law to encourage states to use independent prosecutors in cases involving police use of deadly force: the Police Training and Independent Review Act (H.R. 2302). A video of Congressman Cohen’s full remarks can be found here.
“In the wake of the shocking video from Chicago showing the brutal shooting of Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer, I rise today to encourage my colleagues to pass H.R. 2302 -- The Police Training and Independent Review Act,” said Congressman Cohen. “Congressman Lacy Clay and I introduced this bill earlier this year to stop local prosecutors from being tasked with investigating and prosecuting the same local police with whom they work so closely. This is an inherent conflict of interest – and what happened in Chicago is just the latest evidence that it needs to end.”
Congressman Cohen introduced the Police Training and Independent Review Act earlier this year with Congressman Lacy Clay (MO-01, which includes Ferguson, Missouri) to encourage states to require independent investigation and, if necessary, prosecution of law enforcement officers accused of offenses involving their use of deadly force in the course of carrying out their official duties, when such force results in death or injury. To date, it has 37 cosponsors in the House, including Congressional Black Caucus Chairman G.K. Butterfield and Chicago area U.S. Representatives Bobby Rush, Danny Davis and Luis Gutierrez. The bill is also supported by the NAACP.
If enacted, H.R. 2302 would condition receipt of full federal Byrne-JAG funding on states adopting laws requiring the independent investigation, and if necessary prosecution, of law enforcement officers accused of offenses involving their use of deadly force in the course of carrying out their official duties when such force results in a death or injury.
The bill directly addresses a key recommendation included in President Obama’s Taskforce on 21st Century Policing’s final report: (See Action Item 2.2.3 in https://www.cops.usdoj.gov/pdf/taskforce/TaskForce_FinalReport.pdf -- on p. 21 of the final report):
“2.2.3 Action Item:
The task force encourages policies that mandate the use of external and independent prosecutors in cases of police use of force resulting in death, officer-involved shootings resulting in injury or death, or in-custody deaths.
Strong systems and policies that encourage use of an independent prosecutor for reviewing police uses of force and for prosecution in cases of inappropriate deadly force and in-custody death will demonstrate the transparency to the public that can lead to mutual trust between community and law enforcement.”