NAACP praises release of Myon Burrell, commends Minneapolis NAACP for pushing for his freedom

Dec 15, 2020

The NAACP released the following statement on the release of Myon Burrell, a Black man imprisoned for life as a teenager in the slaying of an 11-year-old girl hit by a stray bullet almost two decades ago.

“We applaud the tireless efforts of former President of the Minneapolis NAACP Leslie Redmond for raising national awareness of the case and support for its reopening. Since the AP raised several flaws with the case earlier this year, the NAACP Minneapolis branch has sought recourse for Myon Burell. We are also thankful to Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar who called to reopen the case, which had special resonance since she first prosecuted the case.

The injustice inflicted upon Myon Burrell is a reflection of how much work needs to be done to repair our criminal justice system. Our efforts were successful in this case due to the voices of many. We will continue to hold the justice system accountable for its transgressions in criminalizing Black youth and rushing to put them behind bars for a long time.”

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About NAACP Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.

In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization, and shares our commitment to equal rights.