The Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP blasted the district attorney this morning for leading a grand jury that last week cleared police officers in the videotaped beating of three African-American suspects.
Local NAACP President Jerry Mondesire said that if District Attorney Lynne Abraham had been interested in "seeking justice" in the case, she would have appointed a special prosecutor "without ties to the local Police Department."
"The real failure is on the outgoing district attorney, who after more than 20 years has one of the worst records prosecuting police brutality allegations of any big city prosecutor in the nation," Mondesire said.
In response, Abraham's office issued a statement saying "The District Attorney's Office urges all citizens to read the Grand Jury Report," which can be found here.
On Thursday, the grand jury recommended that no charges be filed against the officers who arrested Dwayne Dyches, Brian Hall and Pete Hopkins on May 5, 2008.
The three men were arrested after fleeing police from the scene of a shooting. A Fox29 news helicopter videotaped police officers pulling them from their car and kicking and hitting them.
Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey quickly fired four of the officers and disciplined four others, on the strength of the video alone.
But the grand jury said the kicks and blows "were aimed not to inflict injury, but to facilitate quick and safe arrests."
Mondesire said that he did not think the officers necessarily needed to be indicted, but he believed the grand jury "could have acted in a more responsible manner, given the history of police community relations in this city."
"The language the grand jury used gives carte blanche, and that's dangerous," he said.
The four fired officers have filed greivances to get their jobs back. Mondesire said the NAACP would oppose their rehiring.
Police believed the three suspects had fired into a crowd of people in North Philadelphia's Feltonville section before leading officers on a two-mile chase.
But a Common Pleas Court jury acquitted the three of attempted murder charges on July 1. All three are preparing civil lawsuits against the city and the police department.
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