In New Letter to Alexandria Mayor & Chief of Police, Civil Rights Group Demands Update on Investigation into the Murder of McKinsley LaKeith Lincoln
One Year After Lincoln Was Murdered, National Black Justice Coalition Says Lack of Updates About Black, Gay Man Raise Concerns Over Accountability and Justice
Group Urges Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall and Chief of Police Ronney L. Howard to Make Good On Their Promise of a Thorough Investigation
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
ALEXANDRIA, LOUISIANA — In a new letter sent to Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall and Interim Chief of Police Ronney L. Howard, the National Black Justice Coalition is demanding an update into the investigation of the murder of McKinsley LaKeith Lincoln.
Nearly one year ago, on the morning of May 15, 2020, the family of McKinsley LaKeith Lincoln, an openly gay/same gender loving (SGL) Black man, filed a missing person’s report after he had been missing from his home for more than 24 hours. Within hours of filing the missing person report, local news outlets reported that the Alexandria Police Department discovered the body of a “deceased male with a visible gunshot wound” that was later identified to be McKinsley Lincoln. Sadly, the Lincoln family was not contacted by the Alexandria Police Department and was forced to learn about the murder of their beloved family member through local media reports.
After working with the National Black Justice Coalition and civil rights attorneys Benjamin Crump and Jasmine Rand, as well as Louisiana State Representative Edward C. “Ted” James, Mayor Hall confirmed that the Alexandria Police Department has agreed to act diligently to investigate surrounding facts and circumstances and is investigating the murder of McKinsley Lincoln as a hate crime.
Since that announcement, the Lincoln family has received no updates from the Alexandria Police Department on the investigation into the murder of McKinsley and the possible hate crime charges associated with Lincoln’s violent death.
The letter asks, “As we approach the anniversary of McKinsley LaKeith Lincoln’s murder, we write to you demanding an update into the investigation,” explaining:
“Lincoln’s tragic killing was a reminder that hate crimes against Black LGBTQ and same gender loving people happen too frequently—often without the national public outcry that our heterosexual brothers and sisters receive.
“In 2018 alone, over 1,500 hate crimes based on bias against someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity were reported. And the violence is escalating. There was more than an 18 percent increase in these hate crimes from 2016 to 2018 and the FBI reports an 11 percent increase in anti-Black hate crimes during the same period.
“Not one member of our beautifully diverse community should experience violence, discrimination, or be murdered as a result of who we are or how we show up in the world. Each of us has a role to play in ensuring that we create a strong and inclusive community.
“We expected the Alexandria Police Department to conduct a thorough investigation into the murder of McKinsley Lincoln and are disappointed that one year later, the Alexandria Police Department has not lived up to its pledge to properly investigate McKinsley’s murder and report its findings to the Lincoln Family and the public.”
On Saturday, May 15th, starting at 3 pm ET members of the community will hold a rally in Monroe Park celebrating the life of McKinsley Lincoln and demanding accountability for his murder.
