Richard Sudan explains why the UN investigation into the killing of Jayland Walker, an unarmed 25-year old black man, at the hands of Ohio police, is such a landmark moment.
UPDATE 17 APR 2023 Akron police officers not indicted in Jayland Walker shooting, grand jury rules
The dynamics around the death of Jayland Walker are so shocking, suffered more than 60 gunshot wounds but was unarmed at the time, that a newly created UN group is conducting an independent investigation into the circumstances around Jayland Walker’s killing. The United Nations Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement is expected to follow up the findings with practical solutions. It’s a landmark investigation, and in many ways the first of its kind.
Jayland Walker’s case is so significant that the United Nations Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement is providing a set of recommendations to the U.N. General Assembly, to U.S. Congress, the President of the United States, and other local and federal U.S. government agencies.
Whilst the fight for truth and justice is likely to be long, ultimately, forcing Ohio police to account for every action taken which led to the death of Jayland Walker, is necessary. Especially given that there have been other deaths of unarmed black men – Casey Goodson and Andre Hill – at the hands of officers from this division.
Attorney for Walker’s family, Bobby DiCello
Of course we don’t yet know what conclusions the UN group will draw when examining the facts and available evidence around the death. However, another group made of lawyers, judges and legal experts produced a report in 2021, which looked at various cases similar to Walker’s. They concluded that some of the police killings of black people in the US met the legal criteria of ‘crime against humanity’. As well as providing recommendations for US state and federal governments, they also called for an international probe by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Mr. Walker had one traffic ticket and no criminal record. The police said they initially sought to pull him over for an equipment violation and a traffic violation.
Eight officers who were directly involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave according to department policy, the police said.
