Brooklyn DA Condemned by Police Brutality Victims

Family members of those killed by police officers come together to speak out against Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson.

The family of Akai Gurley and other victims of police brutality gathered Saturday at a remembrance ceremony for Nicholas Heyward, Jr., a 13-year-old boy who was fatally shot by a housing cop in 1994 in Brooklyn.

Heyward’s father, Nicholas Heyward, Sr., says his son was playing with a toy gun when he was shot and wants the officer who shot him to be prosecuted.

He says he’s been frustrated by the efforts of previous Brooklyn DA Charles Hynes.

Heyward thought things would be different under new DA Ken Thompson, who he says made promises to reopen his son’s case during his 2013 campaign.

“I’m going through the same process with Ken Thompson now that I went through with Charles Hynes. No family or parent should have to go through this type of ignorant nonsense, I’m going to call it, when an injustice has been made by the NYPD for the innocent killing of my innocent son,” Heyward said.

“Representatives from the District Attorney’s Office reviewed this tragic case, and had numerous conversations with Mr. Heyward about it last year. We are always willing to examine new credible evidence,” said a spokesperson for the Brooklyn DA office in a statement.