The family of Keith Porter, Jr., supported by BLMLA, NAACP, faith leaders, civil rights advocates, legal representatives, and community organizations, stood in front of the Hall of Justice to publicly demand that Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman prosecute the ICE agent who killed KeithPorter Jr. on New Year’s Eve.
They said they met with the District Attorney less than a week after Keith Porter Jr. was killed by ICE agent Brian Palacios and demanded prosecution at that time. In that meeting, DA Hochman indicated he was waiting for the LAPD investigation to be completed and sent to his office. However, that report was received by DA Hochman on July 1st.
Black Lives Matter LA (BLMLA) is calling for the removal of Nathan Hochman and has challenged him at public forums in recent months.
In a news release, organizers of Wednesday’s public announcement listed numerous reasons why they are critical of Hochman’s policies that “impose sentencing enhancements, call for the death penalty in eligible cases, expand prosecution of juveniles as adults, dropped the charges against the Torrance cops who killed ChristopherDeAndreMitchell, and have not charged a single cop for killing Angelenos.”
They maintain ICE agent Brian Palacios “has a history of anti-Blackness and violence.” Palacios shot and killed Porter Jr. last New Year’s Eve after he encountered him celebrating the holiday by shooting a gun into the air. Palacios lived in the same Northridge Apartment complex as Porter Jr.
Because the circumstances have differed from other fatal shootings by ICE agents, the death of Porter Jr. has not received the same level of attention.