September 14, 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. The U.S. Senate today approved a major Civil Rights bill sponsored by U.S. Senators Jim Talent (R-Mo.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) to create a new office within the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute Civil Rights-era murders.  The Senate approved the Talent-Dodd bill by unanimous consent as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill.

"This is a significant step forward in the effort to achieve justice in these Civil Rights cold cases," said U.S. Senator Jim Talent. "It became clear in my conversations with Alvin Sykes, a Civil Rights leader in Kansas City and President of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign that we needed to create an office whose sole purpose would be the investigation of unsolved Civil Rights murders and the prosecution of those responsible, where possible. We want the murderers and their accomplices who are still living to know there's an entire section of the Department of Justice that is going after them. We need to unearth the truth and do justice because there can not be healing without the truth."

"Our nation stands for the principle of equal justice for all.  Yet for far too long, many Americans have been denied equal justice - and many despicable criminals have not been held accountable," said U.S. Senator Chris Dodd.  "I'm hopeful this measure, which the Senate unanimously passed today, will help bring to justice people who perpetrated heinous crimes because of racial hatred.  It cannot bring back and make whole those who suffered and died by a racist's criminal hand.  But it can at least reaffirm our nation's commitment to seek the truth and make equal justice a reality."

The bill's passage was praised by Civil Rights leaders including Alvin Sykes and family members of victims who have actively sought justice in these cases.

The Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill, on which the Talent-Dodd amendment is attached, must now be approved by the full Senate before it goes to a Conference Committee between the House and the Senate.  The U.S. House passed the Appropriations bill without a similar amendment, so the amendment would have to be approved by members of the House and Senate Conference before being sent to the President for his signature.

The Talent-Dodd proposal would create the Unsolved Crimes Section, an office within the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice to focus specifically on unsolved Civil Rights era murders.  The bill would authorize up to $5 million annually for the new Section.

The Unsolved Crimes Section will be responsible for investigating and prosecuting pre-1970 cases that resulted in death and still remain unsolved in coordination with state and local law enforcement officials.  The Section Chief would be responsible for prosecuting these cases and would be required to report to Congress and the American people on their actions.

If a crime other than murder is discovered during the course of an investigation it will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement officials.  The Section would report its findings to Congress annually on September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

Key Components of the Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act:

• NEW OFFICE FOCUSED ON UNSOLVED CIVIL RIGHTS MURDERS - The Unsolved Crimes Section will specifically target "cold case" murders from the Civil Rights-era.  The bill would authorize up to $5 million annually for the new office.
• SEEKING THE TRUTH - Through aggressive investigation, prosecution and reporting, the new Unsolved Crimes Section will shed light on the unsolved deaths from the civil rights era, allowing victims' families to rest easier knowing the truth.
• PROSECUTE CRIMINALS - The mission of the Unsolved Crimes Section is to aggressively investigate and prosecute criminals in coordination with state and local law enforcement officials.
• REFERAL OF OTHER UNSOLVED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS - If during the course of an investigation a crime other than murder is discovered, it will be promptly referred to the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.
• ACCOUNTABILITY TO CONGRESS - The Unsolved Crimes Section Chief will provide a report on its activities to Congress annually on September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

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