“It is critical that there be accountability for the killing of Jordan Neely. He should be alive, and the violence that killed him is never an appropriate response. Disparities in how people are treated by the criminal justice system, especially Black people and other people of color, are a reality that our city and this nation must acknowledge and confront. Systemic racism that robs us of our basic humanity in life and death should no longer be denied, after being on full display for the past 11 days. I appreciate that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has taken an important step towards accountability. This should be an inflection point for our city to focus on ensuring New Yorkers have access to the essential services needed to be healthy and safe, and we make the budget investments and policy changes necessary to achieve this.”

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