WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Members of Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment’s (MORE) who rally against police brutality have been invited to meet with St. Louis, Missouri Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, the office of the Circuit Attorney announced in a statement.
“Prior to Missourians Organizing for Reform and Empowerment’s (MORE) announcement to protest today, I had not been contacted by them to meet with me,” Joyce said in the statement on Friday.
Joyce noted her office “reached out to them [MORE] yesterday, and they have accepted our invitation to meet next week.”
On May 18, 2015, Joyce announced she will not charge an off-duty St. Louis police officer who killed 18-year-old African American Vonderrit Myers Jr.
The police officer fired 17 times after Myers allegedly shot three times at him.
Joyce said in the statement she is fully aware of concerns over police tactics with protesters, but argued her ability to hold officers accountable for their actions is specific and narrow.
“I have no authority over the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the tactics they utilize when dealing with protesters,” Joyce said. “Those questions and comments should be directed to [St. Louis Police] Chief [Samuel] Dotson.”
Later on Friday, the protesters gathered outside the city courthouse to decline Joyce's offer to meet, according to local media reports.
Elizabeth Vega, one of the rally’s leaders, said the protesters want to have a public forum instead of a closed-door meeting.
The United States has been hit by mass protests in the past year over police brutality after a series of incidents of the police killings received extensive media coverage.
