“I have been following the events of the past two weeks closely and with a broken heart. It has been a difficult time for our state and our nation, triggered by the tragic and unnecessary death of George Floyd in Minnesota, and bringing to the surface much deeper problems that must be addressed. As I recently said in an interview, our office and the Department is, at its core, about the rule of law and ensuring due process. It is clear to me that Mr. Floyd was afforded neither. Yesterday, I listened to Attorney General Barr’s press conference announcing a federal civil rights investigation into the case. I know Minnesota U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald well, and I am confident she will handle that case appropriately and that justice will ultimately be served. Indeed, U.S. Attorney’s offices around the country, including mine, regularly work with the FBI to review law enforcement conduct. When those reviews show a violation of constitutional rights, we have not hesitated to prosecute the wrongdoers. In fact, just this past year, my office prosecuted a police officer who sexually assaulted a woman while in uniform and after a state plea deal resulted in a sentence of only 90 days.
“The rule of law, of course, is applicable not just to those who enforce the law, but to everyone. The lawless destruction of property, attacks on fellow citizens and police, and even the killing of a federal officer during the past two weeks, should not and will not be tolerated. Moreover, we cannot allow those intent on harm to interfere with the lawful conduct and message of those who peacefully protest. I want to commend the Denver Police Department, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Denver Field Office of the FBI, the other members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and members of my staff that have all worked around the clock this past week to ensure that those who want to protest peacefully can do so and that those intent on harm are dealt with appropriately.
“Ultimately, every Coloradan and every American deserves a justice system that is fair and that holds everyone accountable for criminal acts. My office is committed to working with other law enforcement agencies, civic leaders, and members of the community to ensure that our justice system applies the rule of law equally to all Coloradans and guarantees that our justice system is, in a word, just.
“I look forward to a better Colorado, for everyone."
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
