Washington, DC - Congressman Ed Towns (D-Brooklyn) joined several New York elected officials today in calling on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to reopen and investigate the brutal killing of Emmett Louis Till, who was murders were an acquitted in Mississippi during the Jim Crow South. Towns is a cosponsor of H.Con.Res. 360, which calls on the DOJ to reopen the case. 

Towns made the following statement today at a press conference at City Hall, where he publicly urged the DOJ to investigate the murder of Emmett Till.

"Let me begin by thanking Councilwoman James for calling this press conference today, and all of the supporters here today, who strongly believe like me, that those responsible for the heinous murder of Emmett Louis Till must be brought to justice.   I would especially like to recognize Keith Beauchamp for his tireless efforts to uncover new evidence and keep this important issue alive.  He has shown that there are enough witnesses that the government can lodge a credible and winnable case against all of those who brutally murdered Emmett.

While it has been nearly 50 years since this terrible murder was committed, Emmett's family, will forever have this cloud over them until those who perpetrated his murder are held accountable.  We all know the pain felt by the Till family is most acute.  However, this is an injustice that was committed against all of us who struggled for equal justice and civil rights.  We cannot fully be free today unless we are freed from the sins of the past.

Just last week, I joined several of my colleagues in cosponsoring a House Resolution, which calls on the federal Department of Justice to reopen and investigate the murder of Emmett Till and report its findings to Congress.  The resolution calls on the Department of Justice to investigate the acquittal of J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant, who were acquitted by an all-white jury, which was the epitome of the Jim Crow South.
At the time of the acquittal, Emmett's mother pleaded with the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to reopen and investigate the case.  Her pleas fell on deaf ears, as the Federal Government did absolutely nothing. President Eisenhower and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover refused to reopen the case and did not even answer Emmett's mother's urgent telegraph.
 Now 50 years later, I hope our plea is heard loud and clear because we will not stop until Emmett Louis Till gets justice.  The Justice Department must reopen this case to heal the wounds of our past, and I will do all that I can to ensure that U.S. Congress sends this message as well.

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