The Shooting of Aura Rosser

About the Case

In the wake of the shooting death of an African-American woman by Ann Arbor police officers, the ACLU of Michigan is calling for the creation of an independent panel of county prosecutors that would investigate police shootings around the state—one of a series of recommendations offered by the group this week in an effort to ensure the probes are conducted fairly.

"The unavoidable close working relationship between prosecutors and local police will always generate a cloud of suspicion in cases of this kind," said Racial Justice Project Staff Attorney Mark Fancher in a letter to the Washtenaw County prosecutor, "and we believe that in the same way that the Michigan State Police were invited to investigate this killing, an outside prosecutor can give the community greater confidence in the process. Such is highly desirable during this period when police violence has captured the attention and concern of the entire country."

Legal Documents

► Read our letter to the Washtenaw County Prosecutor

► Read our letter to State Rep. Jeff Irwin

► Read our letter to Ann Arbor Police Chief John Seto

► Read our analysis and recommendations

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