Vol. 80/No. 12      March 28, 2016

 

Minnesota action: ‘Prosecute cops for murder of
my brother’

 
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS, Minn. — “No justice, no peace. Prosecute the police,” chanted 40 supporters of the family of Michael Kirvelay outside the police station in this northeastern Minneapolis suburb March 5. “We’re here to demand that they prosecute the police for the murder of my brother and for the illegal detainment of my siblings,” Bill Kirvelay told the rally. “We want them to release the body cam and all the police reports.”

One of Michael Kirvelay’s sisters, Jamie Costilla, had called for help Nov. 24 when she thought he was emotionally distressed. Sgt. Erik Johnston of the Columbia Heights Police Department and Shawn Murphy from the Fridley Police Department responded. A distraught Michael Kirvelay, a 45-year-old Caucasian, had a BB gun, and then got behind and grabbed his sister, Denise Larson, according to press accounts.

“And within less than two minutes they murdered my brother, shooting him in the face, putting my family, my siblings in danger and committing a gruesome act of violence,” Bill Kirvelay said. After the shooting the officers took the two sisters into custody for several hours.

Since November the three family members have organized protests and spoken at other actions against police brutality, including demonstrations calling for prosecution of the cop who killed Jamar Clark on Nov. 15 in Minneapolis.

The Anoka County Attorney’s office announced March 7 the case will go to a grand jury in May. Bill Kirvelay said the secretive grand jury process won’t help the family learn the truth. They plan to continue to fight for the prosecution of the officers who shot their brother.
 
 
Related articles:
Jump in charges, firings of cops in killings result of street protests
Oregon probe whitewashes cop, FBI killing of Finicum
‘Fire NY cops who killed Ramarley Graham!’
 
 
 
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