George Floyd should still be alive.

Tony McDade should still be alive.

Breona Taylor should still be alive.

Michael Brown should still be alive.

Eric Garner should still be alive.

Sandra Bland should still be alive.

Philando Castile should still be alive.

ACLU Supporter, no one should have to live in fear of being killed by the police, but for centuries Black and Brown people have been targeted, harassed, and murdered at the hands of law enforcement in this country.

It is on all of us to fight for a world where being Black in America isn't a death sentence.

Following the tragic killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minneapolis police earlier this week – the ACLU and our affiliate the ACLU of Minnesota are jointly calling for a fair, independent, and transparent investigation.

We need you with us to build national pressure and ensure public outrage leads to action. Please join us in calling on Minnesota leadership to hand the case over to an independent prosecutor under the Attorney General's authority.

The officers responsible must be held accountable and their prosecution should be handled by someone the community can trust to be impartial.

It is going to take all of us working together to ensure a fair investigation and justice for George Floyd. Please take action now.

Thank you,

The ACLU Team

Friend –

George Floyd's killing at the hands of Minneapolis police is a tragedy that continues a long pattern of police violence against Black people in this city. Healing from this trauma will be long and difficult, and it must begin with justice for George Floyd and accountability for the officers involved in his death.

The Hennepin County attorney's office has failed to deliver this justice in the past, and this failure has eroded trust between the Black community and Minneapolis law enforcement. At a time when mending trust is most essential, it is critical that the prosecution of the officers involved in George Floyd's death be taken out of the county attorney's hands.

The prosecution of the officers who killed George Floyd must be handled by someone the community can trust to be independent – not someone who enjoys a close working relationship with the very police department at the center of this tragedy.

We need you to call for justice for George Floyd.

Call Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today and urge them to appoint an independent prosecutor to seek justice for George Floyd under the attorney general's authority.

A police encounter should never be a death sentence. We will not stop until that basic promise is fulfilled.

Join us.

ACLU of Minnesota