Today, gubernatorial candidate Senator Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond) released the following statement committing to fight for an end to qualified immunity in Virginia as Governor and calling for substantive accountability and transparency in law enforcement. This comes on the heels of the December 5th incident in which Caron Narazio, a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, was held at gunpoint by two Virginia police officers, who also handcuffed him and doused him with pepper spray — all during an illegal traffic stop. Officials said Sunday that one of the officers has been fired. 

“The horrifying incident that transpired between Windsor police officers and Lt. Col. Caron Nazario is unacceptable, and we must put an end to the mistreatment of Black and Brown Virginians at the hands of law enforcement,” McClellan said. “I was proud to support Del. Jeff Bourne’s push to end qualified immunity in Virginia and pass legislation to reform sentencing for low-level offenses. As Governor, I will make it a priority on day one to stop the unjust treatment of Black and Brown communities by ending qualified immunity, demanding real accountability when the oath to protect and serve is broken, and reforming the criminalization of low-level offenses that disproportionately punish low-income Virginians and Virginians of color.

“I echo the commitment from the Virginia NAACP and the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus to continue building on the sweeping reforms we have passed over the past two years to build a truly just Commonwealth where no Virginian will fear a traffic stop may be their death sentence.”

In 2020, McClellan was one of only three senators in the Senate Judiciary Committee who voted to advance HB 5013, a bill to roll back qualified immunity for police officers. The bill would have made it easier for people to sue police officers and their agencies in civil court for civil rights violations.