NAACP calls Judge Lee Yeakel racist, says he used racist law to clear Kleinert of manslaughter

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The NAACP is calling on public officials to speak out against what he says was a racist decision by a racist judge.

Last week Judge Lee Yeakel dropped the manslaughter charge against former Austin Police Department Detective Charles Kleinert for the 2013 fatal shooting of Larry Jackson Junior.

NAACP Chapter President Nelson Linder said in a news conference Tuesday night that he is mobilizing attorneys and will help the case gain nationwide exposure. He says Kleinert is guilty and the judge dropping the manslaughter charge is his worst nightmare coming true.

Linder attacked the law that Yeakel cited in making his judgment. Yeakel said Kleinert was acting as a federal officer in July of 2013 when he chased after Larry Jackson junior who police say came to a central Austin bank to cash a stolen check.

Kleinert is seen on video commandeering a civilian's car. The two struggled under a bridge and Jackson was shot in the back of the head.

Since Kleinert was on a federal task force, Yeakel ruled his actions fell under supremacy clause immunity-- meaning he could not be charged criminally for Jackson's death.

Linder said it's a racist law that needs to be corrected.

"To our public officials, city council, commissioner's court, state representatives, where are you? Why can't you make a comment like this where a man was clearly killed unnecessarily and a racist judge who used his white privilege to make a decision to give cops the assist they don't need. But you've said nothing. You've said nothing. Which tells us that you're inaction city council, you're inaction commissioners court is what creates this problem," said Linder.

"We're going to call you in the coming days to get involved and address this case. Here's how you can do that. You can tell the community you're going to scrutinize these federal task forces. And if they operate in this city and this county we need to have a standard, and by the way, there are plenty of standards. Charles Kleinert violated response to resistance, which is APD policy, we think he violated every decent use of force in this country. So how did a man walk out of a courtroom thinking he's free. It's ridiculous."

Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg will appeal the ruling. Linder says he hopes this makes it to the Supreme Court and the nation makes an example out of this case.