[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 55 (Thursday, April 5, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E400]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE KILLING OF STEPHON CLARK OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 5, 2018

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House 
Committees on Homeland Security and the Judiciary, and Ranking Member 
of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, 
and Investigations, I rise in remembrance of Stephon Alonzo Clark, who 
died on March 18, 2018 after being shot 20 times by a Sacramento Police 
Department officer.
  I also rise to call upon the Department of Justice to investigate the 
use of force that took the life of Stephon Clark.
  Once again I am disheartened by the shooting of yet another unarmed 
young man of color at the hands of law enforcement.
  Stephon Clark was a proud graduate of Sacramento High School.
  Stephon Clark was affectionately known as ``Big Papa'' and ``Zoe'' to 
his friends and family.
  Stephon Clark loved to watch football and Netflix shows with his 
fiancee Salena Manni and their two young sons.
  Stephon Clark enjoyed waking up in the morning to make oatmeal for 
his children before they would go to school.
  Stephon Clark was only 22 years old when he was tragically shot and 
killed in his grandmother's backyard.
  Stephon Clark laid for six minutes, bleeding to death.
  As Stephon Clark drew his last breath, officers handcuffed his dying 
body.
  Officers claim that Stephon Clark had a gun, but no weapon was found 
at the scene.
  Stephon Clark only had a cell phone.
  I have long been a strong supporter of law enforcement, and know 
first-hand the great work performed by officers all across the country.
  But this incident raises troubling questions about the practices and 
policies of the Sacramento Police Department.
  I am concerned that the audio on the police officers' body cameras 
was intentionally turned off.
  This act defeats the purpose of police body cameras, erodes trust 
within the community and adds greater concern to an already regrettable 
and preventable tragedy.
  Stephon Clark and the family that survives him deserve justice.
  Unfortunately, this incident fits a troubling pattern.
  While the names of the young men killed and the cities in which they 
die change, regrettably the critical facts seldom do.
  Mr. Speaker, I demand that this Administration conduct a 
comprehensive review of this matter by all appropriate law enforcement 
agencies, and I call upon the United States Department of Justice to 
determine whether local police violated the federal civil rights of 
Stephon Clark.
  Far too often, the demand for justice for those like Stephon Clark go 
unheard.
  This cannot go on.
  It is time to LISTEN and ACT.
  That is why we in the Judiciary Committee formed the House Bipartisan 
Policing Strategies Working Group, of which, I am a Member.
  I have introduced and supported legislation to help reform how youth 
and juveniles are treated to reduce contact and recidivism within the 
juvenile and criminal justice system; to help protect them from a 
system that turns them into life-long offenders.
  These efforts include:
  H.R. 3158, ``The RAISE Act,'' which provides judges new and different 
options when a young offender comes before them, ensures that young 
offenders receive specialized programs and separate housing tailored to 
their needs, and advances efforts to rehabilitate them.
  H.R. 3155, ``Kalief's Law,'' establishes more humane rules for young 
offenders and juveniles when detained or confined, particularly in the 
areas of pretrial detention, bail, use of force and segregation or 
solitary confinement.
  H.R. 3156, ``Fair Chance for Youth Act,'' which creates effective 
opportunities for juveniles and young offenders to seal and expunge 
their records.
  Just as we need to minimize the overcharging, wrongful conviction, 
and excessive incarceration of innocent people, we must address the 
unnecessary loss of life like that of Stephon Clark this past week in 
Sacramento.
  We must curtail the escalation of violence that can result from 
police and civilian interactions.
  Effective law enforcement requires the confidence of the community 
that the law will be enforced impartially and equally.
  There is no higher priority than improving the peacefulness of these 
interactions and rebuilding the trust between law enforcement and the 
communities they serve and protect.
  To address many of the current flaws, I plan to reintroduce the 
``BUILD Trust Act'' which is designed to increase public confidence in 
local law enforcement by decreasing excessive reliance on traffic fines 
and court costs to fund local government.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in support of these measures so that 
in addition to our thoughts and prayers, we take decisive action to 
prevent tragedies like the death of Stephon Clark from happening in the 
first place.

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