Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan

Statement of Unity

We are living in troubled times. In the past few months we’ve been lulled by the dull, throbbing pain of a global pandemic and an unbalanced economy on the verge of collapse. Then suddenly we are snapped into acute consciousness by the grotesque and senseless killing of George Floyd.

This abomination has stirred outraged people around the world to stand up and voice their vehement condemnation of this, and so many other, racially motivated injustices. The Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan (CDAM) joins with the countless voices crying out for justice by issuing the attached Statement of Unity. The need to speak out against the atrocities that we are witnessing virtually on a daily basis transcends racial and religious differences, political agendas, and even our roles as courtroom advocates. We are, as Dr. King proclaimed, now “tied in a single garment of destiny.” We strive for a destiny that includes access to justice for all.

Karl P. Numinen
President, Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan

Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan Statement of Unity

The death of George Floyd at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers is unspeakable and horrific. We mourn for him and his family as Mr. Floyd joins countless martyrs to the police brutality that our African-American communities experience and endure each day. However, words of solace mean little without action.

We stand united with our Black colleagues, clients, and communities, vehemently opposed to injustice in all forms, including race, and to those who insist on continuing it or overlooking its effects. CDAM remains committed to fulfilling the Constitutional promises of due process and justice for everyone accused of a crime. As a training organization, we are committed to ensuring our programs address issues of systemic racism and implicit bias.

Silence on the attacks we watch is as deadly as the acts themselves. Systemic racism remains ever present at our offices where we work, on our streets where we jog, and in our parks where we pass the time simply watching birds. The unspoken truth is that our system continues to treat African-Americans as second-class citizens, and it must end now.

With hard work, communication, and commitment, we can and will fulfill Dr. King’s dream that the content of one’s character will become the measure by which we treat each other.