On Monday, a Saint Louis county grand jury refused to indict Michael Brown’s killer — Darren Wilson.1 Brown’s life was cut brutally short in circumstances that have become far too familiar — a young unarmed African-American man is racially profiled and then gunned down by a police officer.

No parent should ever have to lose their child to senseless police violence. We send our love and support to Michael Brown’s parents — Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. — and we grieve with them and the countless other families of African-American youth who have been killed by police. But the Department of Justice can still hold Michael Brown’s killer fully accountable.

That’s why we are joining our allies at ColorofChange.org in demanding U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice bring federal criminal charges against Officer Darren Wilson and help end abusive, militarized and biased policing targeting African Americans and Latinos.

Tell Attorney General Eric Holder: Bring federal criminal charges against Officer Darren Wilson and defend our 1st Amendment rights to protest until Michael Brown’s killer is brought to justice.

From the very beginning, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch did everything in his power to avoid holding Officer Darren Wilson accountable, even refusing to recommend charges to the grand jury. But if enough of us raise our voices, together we can send a clear message to the Department of Justice that despite the state's failure we expect the federal government to bring Michael Brown's killer to justice, affirm the value of African-American life and send a strong message that there are severe legal consequences for senselessly taking the life of an African-American.

Michael Brown and all of the other young African-American youth who have been murdered because of the color of their skin deserve to be alive. The sad reality is that officers are almost never convicted when they harm or brutalize African Americans and Latinos.2 This must change.

Tell Attorney General Eric Holder: Bring federal criminal charges against Officer Darren Wilson. Click here to sign the petition.

Prosecutor McCulloch didn’t need to convene a grand jury to secure an indictment against Officer Wilson, he could have charged Wilson immediately.3 But McCulloch worked hard to shield Officer Wilson from justice from the very beginning — as he has done for other rogue cops in the past. In 23 years as County Prosecutor, McCulloch has not prosecuted a single police shooting.4

Enough is enough. Join us in demanding the Department of Justice brings federal criminal charges against Officer Darren Wilson and defends our 1st Amendment rights to protest until Michael Brown’s killer is brought to justice.

After Michael Brown was killed, the collective commitment to fight for justice and call for systemic reforms to policing policies and practices that put African-American lives in danger was overwhelming.5 We worked with our allies in the progressive movement led by ColorofCange.org to respond, organize and force authorities to pursue justice in a case that easily could have been forgotten, just like so many before. Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to leave his post soon, and now is the time to pressure him to define his legacy by convening a federal grand jury and bringing Michael Brown’s killer to justice and affirming the value of African-American lives6.