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San Francisco Supervisors Pass Resolution Urging Release of Video in Banko Brown Killing [1]
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Date: 2023-05
The tragedy is not uncommon in the United States, where gun-related deaths have increased 23% since 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the majority of those deaths are suicide, gun murders in particular increased 45% from 2019 to 2021.
People who are transgender are 2.5 times more likely to face violence than people who align with the gender they were assigned at birth (PDF), according to 2022 data from the U.S. Department of Justice. Trans youth are also disproportionately likely to be unhoused, with nearly 40% saying they have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives (PDF), according to a 2021 national survey from The Trevor Project.
The killing has since sparked outrage from Brown’s family, Bay Area community members and advocates for the transgender community around the country. A memorial to Brown’s life now sits outside the Walgreens on Market Street.
The killing also has ignited debate over whether security guards should carry guns. Supervisor Dean Preston on Tuesday also announced legislation that would limit use of guns by security guards and using lethal force for shoplifting.
“We also need to take some action and make sure this never happens again,” the District 5 supervisor said in a video posted to social media on Tuesday. “Human life is more important than property.”
Jenkins said that releasing the information prematurely could “compromise” the investigation. She said the charging decision on May 1 was made to comply with a law that requires charges to be filed for suspects who are in custody within 72 hours.
“I hear and understand the concerns from people calling for transparency, but releasing any evidence before the investigation is complete could compromise the investigation and is unethical,” Jenkins said in a press release. “I have asked SFPD investigators to locate and interview additional witnesses and gather additional evidence. A final charging decision will be made when the investigation is complete.”
In her letter to Walton, Jenkins personally called out the supervisor for pointing out that Brown was Black, but not acknowledging that the Walgreens security guard is also Black. She stated how “many historic injustices that our community has faced can be traced back to politically motivated prosecutions.”
Meanwhile, other government officials and legal experts have pushed back on Jenkins’ decision not to release evidence in the case, as well as her earlier decision not to prosecute the security guard for shooting and killing someone over alleged shoplifting.
“In recent days, a steady stream of information has become public regarding the shooting death of Banko Brown, resulting in significant public doubt about the security guard’s claim of self-defense,” said state Sen. Scott Wiener. “This shooting has caused profound and growing concern in the community, particularly among Black and transgender San Franciscans. Transparency with the public is critical.”
“If the police camera videos are not released … we are going to be in a very dangerous situation here,” Supervisor Hillary Ronen said at the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday.
If the district attorney does not press any charges, Jenkins said, her office “will publicly release a comprehensive report that provides a full accounting of the evidence reviewed and how the decision was made because I understand the public’s need for a higher degree of transparency in this case.”
If charges are filed, she said, she would not directly release the information to the press, but rather it would be presented in an open courtroom during legal proceedings.
“It is my duty to follow the law and the evidence wherever it leads, and do everything in our power to advance justice and healing in our communities,” Jenkins said.
A vigil for Banko Brown at 825 Market Street is planned for Tuesday evening after the Board of Supervisors hearing.
KQED’s Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez and Christopher Alam contributed to this story.
This story has been updated.
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[1] Url:
https://www.kqed.org/news/11948964/san-francisco-supervisors-raise-pressure-on-da-to-release-video-of-banko-brown-killing
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