Today, we applaud the Department of Justice on their findings on the civil rights patterns or practices investigation they conducted on the Lexington Police Department. For far too long the people of Lexington, Mississippi have lived in terror of their own government that exists to protect and serve. This incredible victory is a culmination of over two years of investigations, legal work, policy advocacy, and organizing by JULIAN and our allies in this fight. 

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Our Founder, Jill Collen Jefferson has been at the forefront of this movement that triggered the investigation by the DOJ, and we have been in lock-step with the community for years reinforcing accountability and restoring true justice. JULIAN applauds the DOJ and thanks them for paying attention to people who the local government abused, the state government ignored, and the FBI refused to believe. We especially thank Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for coming to Mississippi, sitting down with our Founder, and listening, for being there and responding to every email, every call. We thank the investigators and DOJ attorneys who led this investigation. 

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We must also mention that this would not have happened without the partnership of ACLU-Mississippi, Rukia Lumumba and the Mississippi Bail Fund, and criminal defense attorneys Michael Carr and Thomas Bellinder who fearlessly fought to get people out of jail who were wrongfully and abusively arrested. Every story AAG Clarke mentioned in her announcement, we know that person’s name, their face, and their pain. To each of those survivors, we know this is only the beginning of your healing, and we will be with you throughout this journey. 

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We love this town. We love the resilient and brave people in it, and today is their victory. JULIAN and the National Police Accountability Project will now work to scale this successful change model to small police departments across America to impact more than 50% of police in this nation. 

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