Senator James Sanders Jr. Makes Major Legislative Announcement At 55th Annual Commemoration of Malcolm X

Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village, Far Rockaway) made a major legislative announcement during his remarks at the 55th Annual Commemoration of Malcolm X this evening at the Shabazz Center in Harlem.
 
Sanders detailed state action he is proposing related to the reopening of the investigation into the death of Malcolm X. These steps will make positive strides in improving the criminal justice system and further preserving the legacy of the Muslim minister and human rights leader.
 
“Malcolm X was a great leader, a great human being, who championed truth, justice and freedom for everyone,” Sanders said.  “I applaud Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. for reopening the investigation into the death of Malcolm X.”
 
Senator Sanders will be introducing two bills to promote truth and justice for unsolved civil rights crimes. Both of these bills are modeled on current federal law.
 
The first bill (S.7798) is called the Malcolm X Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act of 2020. This bill would:

• Require the New York State Attorney General to conduct an annual study of unsolved civil rights cases of crimes committed not later than December 31, 1979; and
• Provide funds for local and state law enforcement to pursue investigations of civil rights crimes committed not later than December 31, 1979.

 
The second bill (S.7797) is the New York Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act. This bill would:
 

• Establish a collection of civil rights cold case records within the New York State Archives; and
• Create the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board to review unsolved civil rights crimes committed not later than December 31, 1979.

“No matter how many decades have passed since the death of Malcolm X, those responsible must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Sanders said. “Justice must be served.