Government downplays prospects for success in rights case in Diallo shooting

March 2, 2000
Web posted at: 4:15 p.m. EST (2115 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Unwilling to accept a state jury's verdict in the police killing of Amadou Diallo, the West African immigrant's parents and civil rights activists met with Justice Department officials Thursday to urge that federal charges be filed in the New York case.

"These are difficult cases to prosecute," said Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder before meeting with a delegation that included Diallo's mother, father and sister.

"The standard that we have to meet on the federal side is a high one, but we will look at the case," Holder said.

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Holder said the Justice Department's civil rights division and the U.S. Attorney's office for Manhattan would determine whether evidence warrants a federal role in the case. He would not predict how long that may take.

"A lot of it depends on how much we conclude we have to do independently of that which has already been done, whether it will just be a review of the evidence that has been already developed, or whether it's simply a review of the trial transcript, or whether there is something independent of that that we need to do," Holder told reporters.

Diallo's mother said, 'what happened to Amadou, it is a violation of civil rights'

Amadou Diallo, who came to the United States from Guinea in West Africa, was killed last year by four white New York City policemen who fired 41 shots at the black man.

At their murder trial, the officers said they thought he was reaching for a gun.

Diallo was unarmed, however, having only a wallet, a beeper and his keys when 19 bullets hit his body.

Last week, the officers were acquitted on all charges. The verdicts prompted protests in New York and led to Thursday's gathering at the Justice Department in Washington as protesters rallied outside. Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins was among them.

The group that met with Holder also included the Rev. Al Sharpton, a New York activist; NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and at least two members of Congress -- Reps. Charles Rangel and Jose Serrano, both New York Democrats.

"We met for almost two hours to tell the Justice Department that we cannot accept living under a verdict that says any police, under any imagined fear, has the right to shoot at us and then shoot at us 41 times," Sharpton told the cheering crowd outside after the meeting ended.

"It's a national problem all over this country. That's why we come here to the capital, to the Justice Department," he said before joining protesters in a march around the building. "When they shot at Amadou Diallo, they shot at all of us."

The slain man's mother, Kadiatou Diallo, also addressed the crowd, saying: "What happened to Amadou is a violation of civil rights. We believe so."

She said federal officials were urged "to review this case and try to do the right thing, to prevent this thing from happening again."

Diallo's father told the crowd he appreciated their support. "I and my family will be forever indebted to you, all of you," said Saikou Diallo. "Amadou (is) gone forever. Nothing (can) bring him back, but peace and justice (must) be preserved" for others.

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New York City Police Department
Capital Region Justice For Diallo Committee

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