by William O. Wagstaff III

Statement from Attorney William O. Wagstaff III in Response to Video Released By New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. (June 9, 2020) – After a commitment from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to provide materials related to the shooting death by a white police officer of Maurice Gordon, an unarmed black man, to his family at least two days prior to their public release, today the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office forwarded these materials to the family right before their public release.  His family members learned of the release of videos, now available on YouTube, by texts from friends received while they were planning Maurice’s funeral.

Perhaps of more significant concern is that the materials released – and the omissions from that release – appear to be an effort to establish a narrative where the white New Jersey State Police Sergeant’s shooting of a black man he knew to be unarmed was justified.

“As I learn about this case more and more, it appears to me that this is in repetition of the long, dark history that has led to a swell of citizens filling the streets in protest,” said family attorney William O. Wagstaff, III.  Attorney Wagstaff has called on the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office to open their books to the family and allow them to receive all the evidence they collected so they can release to the media what the Attorney General has chosen to hide.

“‘Black lives matter,’ is nothing more than cruel hypocrisy unless reified by deed.  I do not believe the Attorney General’s Office would be painting itself as agnostic regarding the shooter’s misconduct, while being subtly partisan in their reveal, if it was the Attorney General’s unarmed son who lay dead” Wagstaff said.

The family’s attorney is reviewing the released materials in anticipation of releasing further comments.