Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile, addressed media and onlookers on Friday evening (June 16) immediately after an overwhelmingly White jury found Jeronimo Yanez, the former police officer who fatally shot her son, not guilty of manslaughter and less serious charges:
My son loved this city and this city killed my son and the murderer gets away? Are you kidding me right now? We’re not evolving as a civilization. We are devolving. …We’re going right back down to 1969! Damn! What is it gonna take? I’m mad as hell right now; yes I am. My first born, one son, died here in the state of Minnesota! Under the circumstances, just because [Yanez] was a police officer, that makes it OK? Oh, now they got free reign! He’s found innocent on all counts. He shot into a car with no regard for human life, and that’s OK?
Watch the full video below:
NEW: Philando Castile’s mother reacts to not guilty verdict against police officer in the death of her son: "I’m mad as hell right now." pic.twitter.com/rWsq3XnhHt
— ABC News (@ABC) June 16, 2017