For Immediate Release
June 3, 2020
JOINT STATEMENT FROM FEDERAL DEFENDERS ON THE KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD
Originally posted at https://www.fd.org/news/joint-statement-federal-defenders-killing-george-floyd
The moral arc of the universe, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, bends towards justice. And yet, we all saw that arc snap again under a police officer's white knee on George Floyd's Black neck for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. That knee has been placed on too many Black necks before and too often without repercussions.
This time must be different. While we can kneel in solidarity with Mr. Floyd, we also must stand up and demand that racism, overt and implicit, be acknowledged and confronted.
As federal public and community defenders, we represent the overwhelming majority of those charged with crimes in federal court, most of whom are minorities, of all colors and orientations. We have witnessed "wars" on drugs and crime become dog whistles for hate and racism. Intentions to make communities safe are hijacked by other insidious agendas. The war on crime is a new Jim Crow that permeates our criminal justice system. Daily, we see charges that are too harsh, sentences that are too long, and a system that turns a blind eye to oppressive structural racism because it seems to fear "too much justice."
George Floyd died face down, gasping and begging to breathe. It is well beyond time for us all to say, "Enough."
We are better than this; we can be just and empathetic. We can do what is right and what is moral. We can keep communities safe by holding out our hand to help, aware of our own failings and biases. And in this crucible of anger, we take a breath, and begin to repair the moral arc and bend it back towards justice.
As federal defenders, we stand with many like George Floyd who have been held down and denied their humanity. It is our job, our calling. It is our privilege. For George Floyd and all of our clients, we renew our longstanding commitment to fight daily for equal justice.
| Christine Freeman Executive Director Middle District of Alabama |
Carlos Williams Executive Director Southern District of Alabama |
| Jon M. Sands Federal Public Defender District of Arizona |
Bruce Eddy Federal Public Defender Western District of Arkansas |
| Heather E. Williams Federal Public Defender Eastern District of California |
Kathryn Nester Executive Director Southern District of California |
| Terence S. Ward Federal Public Defender District of Connecticut |
A.J. Kramer Federal Public Defender District of Columbia |
| Michael Caruso Federal Public Defender Southern District of Florida |
Stephanie Kearns Executive Director Northern District of Georgia |
| Peter Wolff Federal Public Defender District of Hawaii |
Thomas W. Patton Federal Public Defender Central District of Illinois |
| Stephen R. Welby Federal Public Defender Southern District of Illinois |
Monica Foster Executive Director Southern District of Indiana |
| Melody Brannon Federal Public Defender District of Kansas |
Claude Kelly Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Louisiana |
| Kevin Butler Federal Public Defender Northern District of Alabama |
Jamie Mc Grady Federal Public Defender District of Alaska |
| Lisa Peters Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Arkansas |
Amy Karlin Interim Federal Public Defender Central District of California |
| Steven G. Kalar Federal Public Defender Northern District of California |
Virginia Grady Federal Public Defender Districts of Colorado & Wyoming |
| Edson Bostic Federal Public Defender District of Delaware |
Randolph P. Murrell Federal Public Defender Northern District of Florida |
| Christina Hunt Executive Director Middle District of Georgia |
John Gorman Federal Public Defender District of Guam |
| Samuel Richard Rubin Executive Director District ofldaho |
John Murphy Executive Director Northern District of Illinois |
| Brad Hansen Acting Federal Public Defender Districts of Northern & Southern Iowa |
Scott Wendelsdorf Executive Director Western District of Kentucky |
| Rebecca Hudsmith Federal Public Defender Western District of Louisiana |
James Wyda Federal Public Defender District of Maryland |
| David Beneman Federal Public Defender District of Maine |
Katherian Roe Federal Public Defender District of Minnesota |
| Lee Lawless Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Missouri |
Omodare Jupiter Federal Public Defender Northern & Southern Districts of Mississippi |
| Madeline Cardarella Federal Public Defender Western District of Missouri |
David Stickman Federal Public Defender District of Nebraska |
| Richard Coughlin Federal Public Defender District of New Jersey |
Lisa Bellew-Peebles Federal Public Defender Northern District of New York |
| Marianne Mariano Federal Public Defender Western District of New York |
Louis Allen Federal Public Defender Middle District of North Carolina |
| Anthony Martinez Federal Public Defender Western District of North Carolina |
Deborah Williams Federal Public Defender Southern District of Ohio |
| Susan Otto Federal Public Defender Western District of Oklahoma |
Leigh Skipper Executive Director Eastern District of Pennsylvania |
| Parks Small Federal Public Defender District of South Carolina |
Miriam Conrad Federal Public Defender Districts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Rhode Island |
| Sharon Turek Federal Public Defender Western District of Michigan |
Anthony Gallagher Executive Director District of Montana |
| Rene L. Valladares Federal Public Defender District of Nevada |
Stephen P. McCue Federal Public Defender District of New Mexico |
| David Patton Executive Director Southern & Eastern Districts of New York |
G. Alan DuBois Federal Public Defender Eastern District of North Carolina |
| Stephen C. Newman Federal Public Defender Northern District of Ohio |
Julia L. O'Connell Federal Public Defender Northern District of Oklahoma |
| Lisa Hay Federal Public Defender District of Oregon |
Heidi Freese Federal Public Defender Middle District of Pennsylvania |
| Eric Vos Federal Public Defender District of Puerto Rico |
Lisa Freeland Federal Public Defender Western District of Pennsylvania |
| Elizabeth Ford Executive Director Eastern District of Tennessee |
Doris Randle-Holt Federal Public Defender Western District of Tennessee |
| Jason Tupman Federal Public Defender Districts of North & South Dakota |
Henry Martin Federal Public Defender Middle District of Tennessee |
| G. Patrick Black Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Texas |
Marjorie A. Meyers Federal Public Defender Southern District of Texas |
| Scott Wilson Federal Public Defender District of Utah |
Matthew Campbell Federal Public Defender District of Virgin Islands |
| Juval Scott Federal Public Defender Western District of Virginia |
Michael Filipovic Federal Public Defender Western District of Washington |
| Jason Hawkins Federal Public Defender Northern District ofTexas |
Maureen Franco Federal Public Defender Western District of Texas |
| Michael L. Desautels Federal Public Defender District of Vermont |
Geremy Kamens Federal Public Defender Eastern District of Virginia |
| Andrea K. George Executive Director Eastern District of Washington |
Brian]. Kornbrath Federal Public Defender Northern District of West Virginia |
| Craig Albee Executive Director Eastern District of Wisconsin |