William Lacy Clay Jr. Quotes

I made a promise to Michael Brown's parents that I would do everything to bring all of the resources of the federal government to this investigation so that it is transparent; so that it is a viable investigation, and we get to the truth.

Following Michael Brown's death, I went to Ferguson and met with his parents. I stood with them as they tried to hold their heads high and deal with both their immense loss and the larger issues of police-community relations.

On a personal level, I've seen a lot in my time as attorney general, but few things have affected me as greatly as my visit to Ferguson. I had the chance to meet with the family of Michael Brown. I spoke to them not just as attorney general but as a father of a teenage son myself.

The full resources of the Department of Justice have been committed to the investigation into Michael Brown's death.

Just to assassinate Michael Brown's character is wrong.

Those who peacefully gather to express sympathy for the family of Michael Brown must have their rights respected at all times. And journalists must not be harassed or prevented from covering a story that needs to be told.

There is nothing just or fair about what happened to Jordan Edwards. And his story is yet another in a long line of tragedies that now powerfully remind us of the long way we still have to go in creating a fair and just relationship between law enforcement, our criminal justice system, and the public our laws are supposed to protect.

Over and over again, I looked family members who had lost loved ones to police violence, I looked them right in the eye and told them, 'Don't worry. We will get justice for your family.'

I love cops. I think you have to walk in their shoes to understand, you know when they use violence, Michael Brown in Ferguson, a classic case.

And, as a matter of fact, I am the chairman of the Amadou Diallo Foundation.

We will not rest until we see the suspects behind bars.

There is little more powerful than when truth joins action.

Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise isn't the presence of justice - and we must demand justice in Ferguson and the other 'Fergusons' around America.

Justice must be done in investigating the tragic death of Mr. Freddie Gray. His family deserves our deepest sympathy and respect for their loss, and our admiration for their courage in calling us, as a city, to act as our better selves.

I explained to the president that I've been pleased with my conversations with the Attorney General and Civil Rights Division regarding their helpful understanding that they aren't taking over this investigation, but are conducting a parallel review of the events that led to Michael Brown's death.

We're not anti-police... we're anti-police brutality.

While I can't promise you that I'm going to be a perfect candidate and I can't promise you that I'm not going to make mistakes, I can unequivocally promise you that no one, no one, will work harder on your behalf, no one will fight harder with you and no one will make you more proud.

I started my political career facing lynch mobs.

The only people I have seen who have been truly pushing for the truth are the family members.

I think that you are a war criminal, and I am going to do everything in my power to see that you will be tried as one.

The dead cannot cry out for justice; it is a duty of the living to do so for them.

It is such an important thing to shake the public's faith in justice so that we take greater concern with justice. Without skepticism, we tend to believe that justice is always done and that you can trust the legal system.

To the average white man, a courthouse even in Mississippi is a place where justice is dispensed. To me, the black man, it is a place where justice is dispensed with.

We have too many Black men in jail waiting for justice and too many Black women in church waiting for Jesus.

I have never understood the liberal assumption that if there were justice in the world, there would be fewer rather than more prisoners.