January 18, 2019
Chicago Urban League Interim President and CEO Barbara Lumpkin released the following statement regarding the sentencing of Jason Van Dyke.
“Many people in Chicago were hoping for a prison sentence for Jason Van Dyke that would finally convey that our society values the life of the black teenager he murdered and, thus, the lives of all black people. We did not get that. Instead, this sentencing is a reminder that our pursuit of equity in policing and in criminal justice is ongoing.
For decades, we’ve watched black communities in Chicago be devastated by mass incarceration and lengthy prison terms for nonviolent offenses. Consequently, three years or even 81 months for second degree murder falls terribly short.
The Chicago Urban League will continue to support efforts for a fair and equitable criminal justice system for all Chicagoans.”
