[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 21 (Wednesday, March 1, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H579-H580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        FEDERAL INTERVENTION REGARDING THE CASE OF AMADOU DIALLO

  (Ms. NORTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, as crime has increased, police have been 
given freer and freer rein. It is time to reign them in. That is the 
lesson of the New York City Diallo case. It is difficult to fault a 
racially integrated jury, but they have written only the first chapter. 
There are at least three more chapters to be written before we know who 
is at fault.
  Mr. Speaker, Chapter Number 2 must be written by the Justice 
Department. This is a classic case for Federal intervention, a 
horrendous police response resulting in the death of an innocent 
resident.
  There are, of course, no appeals in the criminal process. This case 
calls for a rapid response from the Justice Department. A civil rights 
investigation, as provided by law, is a vital check in a Federal 
system.
  Chapter 3 in this case must be written with a civil court suit. Even 
if a police attack is deemed not criminal, no civil society would 
condone such a response.
  Finally, there is a fourth chapter; and we must write that chapter. 
It should be entitled ``Do not send poorly

[[Page H580]]

trained police into our communities to protect us. They are a menace.''

                          ____________________