100 signatures reached
To: Prince Georges County Police Department and DC Metropolitan Police Department
Justice for Matt Murrey
Black LGBTQ victims of violence crime and their families are deserving of justice, accountability, and closure. At present, that is not the case and we are demanding more effort and attention be given to solving the murders of Black LGBTQ people by DC and Prince Georges County Police Departments. And we are demanding that the local governments responsible for oversight of these departments hold them accountable for closing these cases.
On Monday, May 30, 2017, following DC Black Pride, Matthew Mickens-Murrey, known as Matt to many, was found brutally stabbed to death in Hyattsville, Maryland home. Matt, who openly identified as a Black gay man, was a beloved friend, son, brother, uncle, and an actively member of the DC's Black LGBTQ community and he deserves justice.
It has been over 5 months since Matt's murder and despite police claiming to have leads in his case no killer has been brought to justice. And sadly, Matt's story is indicative of a larger problem in the DC area for Black gay men. Unfortunately, Matt isn't the only young Black gay man in the DC area to be killed in their prime and have their killers still remain at large. Demencio Lewis, 23, and Stephon Marquis Perkins, 21, both young Black gay men were also found murdered in 2014 and 2015 and sadly their families, friends, and community have yet to receive closure and justice.
Today, we sending a message that justice delayed is no longer acceptable.
On Monday, May 30, 2017, following DC Black Pride, Matthew Mickens-Murrey, known as Matt to many, was found brutally stabbed to death in Hyattsville, Maryland home. Matt, who openly identified as a Black gay man, was a beloved friend, son, brother, uncle, and an actively member of the DC's Black LGBTQ community and he deserves justice.
It has been over 5 months since Matt's murder and despite police claiming to have leads in his case no killer has been brought to justice. And sadly, Matt's story is indicative of a larger problem in the DC area for Black gay men. Unfortunately, Matt isn't the only young Black gay man in the DC area to be killed in their prime and have their killers still remain at large. Demencio Lewis, 23, and Stephon Marquis Perkins, 21, both young Black gay men were also found murdered in 2014 and 2015 and sadly their families, friends, and community have yet to receive closure and justice.
Today, we sending a message that justice delayed is no longer acceptable.
Why is this important?
What message does it send to the community when they constantly see other Black LGBTQ people being murdered over a short span of time and those victims, their families, friends, and community never receive justice? This is about accountability as well as public safety for Black LGBTQ people. Black Lives Matter and that includes Black LGBTQ people too.