Washington, DC - Congressman Ed Towns (D-Brooklyn) applauded the decision by the Department of Justice (DOJ) today to reopen and investigate the brutal killing of Emmett Louis Till, whose murderers were acquitted in Mississippi during the Jim Crow South. Towns is a cosponsor of H.Con.Res. 360, which called for such action, and earlier this year, Towns joined several New York elected officials in calling on the DOJ to act.
 
 "While the pain felt by the Till family is most acute, the brutal murder of Emmett Till was an injustice that was committed against all of us who struggled for equal justice and civil rights," said Towns.  "We cannot fully be free today unless we are freed from the sins of the past.

 "I hope that the Department will dedicate all of the necessary resources and use the full force of the federal government to bring all of those responsible to justice.  By holding all of the parties accountable for this crime, we can finally bring closure to this crime.  It will also help erase the stain that has existed in our country's history for more than 50 years.
        
 "Special recognition should be given to Keith Beauchamp, a constituent of mine, for his tireless efforts to uncover new evidence and keep this important issue alive through his documentary on Emmett Louis Till.  His work demonstrated that there are enough witnesses alive today that the government can use to lodge a winnable case against those who murdered Emmett Till."  

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