McCaskill Applauds Bill to Help Solve Murders from Civil Rights-

April 27, 2006

Reps. Cleaver and Clay Tout McCaskill Record and Remind MO Congressional Delegation More Needs to Be Done

ST. LOUIS -- Today, U.S. Senate Candidate Claire McCaskill announced her support for the introduction of a bill that works to establish two new offices in the Department of Justice (DOJ) with the objective of prosecuting unsolved Civil Rights-era murders.

"As a former prosecutor who has made a career of fighting to protect rights and enforce laws, I feel that providing the tools and resources to prosecute Civil Rights-era murders is long overdue," McCaskill said. "This important legislation is a step in the right direction toward achieving justice for the brave people who died fighting for the rights of all Americans."

Today's bill calls for additional funding to establish the two DOJ offices. The high profile case of Emmett Till, a young African American from Chicago who was murdered for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi in 1955, is an ideal example of an unsolved civil rights crime that might be brought to justice due to the resources available through these offices.

Alvin Sykes, President of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign, has been a lead advocate and driving force behind having the bill considered. He believes it is dedicated work, like that of McCaskill's, which has continued to stress the importance of bringing justice to these cases. "Claire McCaksill is a true champion of victims' rights and she has been for a long time," Sykes said.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5) echoed McCaskill's record of fighting for civil rights in saying, "I have worked with Claire McCaskill for over twenty-five years in politics. She has continually been a champion for the cause of civil rights and I believe her commitment is unquestionable."

Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay, Jr. (MO-1) reminded the entire Missouri Congressional delegation that more needs to be done to emphasize the importance of these issues. "The rest of the Missouri delegation needs to improve their NAACP scores, in particular our two Senators who both received an F."

The junior Senator from Missouri Jim Talent, who recently received another failing grade from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), helped introduce the bill in a press conference in Washington, D.C. this afternoon.

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