Four years ago this week, 18-year-old Ramarley Graham was cut down in the prime of his life by police officers in his own home, in front of his 6-year-old brother. To this day, there has been no justice in this case. No movement by the city or NYPD to impose any sort of discipline on the officers involved. In fact, officer Richard Haste, who pulled the trigger, has received $25,000 in raises since the shooting.
Where is the justice for Ramarley?
Below is a letter to the mayor and his wife, from the parents of Ramarley Graham.
—Elinor Tatum publisher and editor-in-chief Dear Mayor de Blasio and Ms. McCray:
We write to you in your capacity as the mayor and first lady of New York City but also appeal to you as parents to urge that your administration take action to remove NYPD officer Richard Haste and the other officers responsible for murdering our son, Ramarley Graham, from the department.
Tomorrow will mark four years since Ramarley was unjustly taken from us at the young age of 18.
Ramarley was our son. He was a good son. He was a brother and he was a grandson. He was a loving person who cared deeply for his family, especially his younger brother Chinnor, who he sometimes traveled with to and from school. Ramarley was someone always willing to help people and he also loved animals. When he was too young to work, he volunteered at the pet store so he could help with the pets.
Officer Haste and the other NYPD officers with him disregarded Ramarley’s humanity when they entered our home without a warrant or legal justification and shot and killed our son in front of Chinnor, who was only 6 years old, and his grandmother on Feb. 2, 2012.
Ramarley was unarmed, not committing a crime, and was home where he should have been safe. He didn’t run from the NYPD or struggle with officer Haste, even though the NYPD initially made these false claims to media and then retracted after it became clear that surveillance video and the eyewitness account of Ramarley’s grandmother would contradict their initial false accounts.
Right after shooting our son, officer Haste cursed at and threatened to also shoot Ramarley’s grandmother. Ramarley’s grandmother was separated from Chinnor against her will, was taken to the precinct and then interrogated for seven hours while being denied access to our attorney.
Ramarley’s killing did not occur during your tenure in City Hall, but the continued employment of officer Haste and other officers within the Police department is within the authority of your administration. It is our understanding that officer Haste has received nearly $25,000 in pay raises since shooting Ramarley.
That is horrific and unacceptable. It is sickening for any penny of our tax dollars or any New Yorkers’ for that matter to be received by any of the officers who were responsible for the murder of our son, and the cover-up afterwards.
What message does this send to Black and Brown youth in this city, like Chinnor? What message does it send to the tens of thousands of officers in the NYPD? And what message does it send to all New Yorkers?
For the past four years, we have been fighting for justice for our son and other Black and Brown people in our city and country who face the injustices of abusive policing and brutality. Yet, as each year has passed, we still have not seen anything resembling justice. We have heard countless excuses and rationalizations from public officials with authority about why they cannot do anything to hold officers accountable for killing our son.
Frankly, we are tired of hearing it. Officer Haste and the various other officers that busted into our home without a warrant or legal cause did not allow the law or official procedure to stop them from killing Ramarley.
We urge you to show courage and leadership that prioritizes justice. Take action to hold the officers who killed our son and those who abused their power in their treatment of his grandmother, his brother and his mother accountable. For too long, our city government has failed to uphold its responsibility to the citizens of this city by not taking action against officers who violate their duty to protect and serve. It is essential that you not perpetuate this status quo that has continued these abuses on Black and Brown communities and too many families. You can demonstrate greater leadership by setting a new standard for our city that can continue beyond your administration.
As parents, we love our children with every part of us and would do anything for them. We teach them to love, and the feeling of receiving their love can never truly be expressed in words. We no longer are able to receive Ramarley’s love in person. Four years have passed, and there has been no explanation, no justice, no morality and thus no sense of legitimacy. We tell our children to be responsible for their actions and to other human beings. And yet we live in a city and a country where government does not do the same. It does not take responsibility for unjust action taken by police who fail to act responsibly.
We appeal that you end this injustice. Remove officer Haste and the other officers involved in killing our Ramarley from the NYPD. They should be held responsible and our city should no longer aid and abet such barbaric injustice performed by its employees.
Sincerely,
Constance Malcolm and Franclot Graham