Read a PDF of our statement here.

Today a grand jury indicted former Baltimore police officer Arthur Williams on three charges: first-degree assault, second-degree assault and officer misconduct after disturbing video surfaced on social media over the weekend showing Williams violently beating an African-American Baltimore resident to the ground, with what appeared to be little or no provocation, and no imminent threat.

The Baltimore Police Department is under a federal consent decree, requiring it to reform its policies regarding excessive use of force.

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. President and Director-Counsel Sherrilyn Ifill released the following statement:

“Reform can only happen when there’s accountability. We’re gratified that State’s Attorney Mosby has taken this important first step. Baltimore residents need reassurance that the law applies to everyone – including police officers who violate their oath of office and the community’s trust in this way.”

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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.

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