NJ Bill Would Require State AG To Probe Incidents Involving Death At The Hands Of Police Officer
By David Madden
TRENTON, NJ (CBS) -- A bill introduced in the New Jersey legislature this week would require the state Attorney General to probe all criminal incidents involving death caused at the hands of a police officer.
North Jersey Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver looks at events in and out of the state, events well documented and debated. She believes an immediate hand off of such a case to the state, rather than having a county prosecutor begin a probe, takes some of the anger and emotion out of it.
"I think that what family members are seeking is an assurance that the death of their loved one is taken seriously and that their life meant something."
The bill would allow a suspect's family the chance to appeal what they might view as an unacceptable decision made by the Attorney General to Superior Court.
The option, at that point, would be to allow a county investigation at the judge's discretion.