Legislation Quick Search
03/29/2024 04:14 AM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20210&cosponId=36696
Share:
Home / Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Subscribe to PaLegis Notifications
NEW!

Subscribe to receive notifications of new Co-Sponsorship Memos circulated

By Member | By Date | Keyword Search


Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: January 13, 2022 09:23 AM
From: Senator Art Haywood
To: All Senate members
Subject: Independent Investigations of Deadly Force
 
In the near future, I will introduce legislation to require an independent investigation of any deadly force incident by a police officer.
 
Our criminal justice system is meant to be impartial and without the presence or appearance of bias or conflicts of interest.  Public trust in law enforcement is fundamental. However, the events following the tragic deaths of Antwon Rose in Pittsburgh, Ricardo Munoz in Lancaster, Christian Hall in Stroudsburg and many similar cases around the country like George Floyd in Minneapolis have shown that in certain circumstances, there is the appearance of conflict in the investigation of a police-involved killing that can lead the public to believe that justice is not being dispensed fairly. Civil unrest is a by-product of lack of trust in law enforcement. Community leaders have called repeatedly for independent investigations of police involved killings to trust that justice will be provided.
 
This legislation is intended to restore trust in law enforcement. It requires an independent investigation of any officer involved deadly force incident by the county district attorney, not the police department where the killing happened. This ensures the police department being investigated for deadly force will not conduct the criminal investigation of its own officers. A district attorney may prosecute the case, refer the case to a grand jury or refer to the Attorney General for its review to determine if it should prosecute. My legislation simply focuses on fair and impartial investigations.
 
It is clear trust must be repaired in the criminal justice system, as outrage continues to erupt all over the state in the wake of every use of deadly force. We must restore the public’s faith.
 
Please join me in sponsoring this critical legislation for all citizens in the Commonwealth.



Introduced as SB1026