"[Diallo] was caught in the crossfire of a deeper American sickness, the sickness of racism," said Taylor, who is a student at the Kennedy School of Government.
City University of New York Professor of Law Jill S. Elijah said that the shooting went beyond the issue of guilt and innocence.
"We should be outraged when guilty men are shot, too," she said. "The courts are set up to deal with punishment. Not these people going around in blue suits."
Several speakers criticized New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's strict anti-crime policies, partly blaming them for Diallo's death.
Last summer, Taylor worked in the office of Giuliani's office--an experience which he says gave him an inside perspective on the city's efforts to reduce crime.
"I was ashamed that those surrounding me didn't see the loss of life as a civil rights issue," Taylor said. "They saw it as an unintended consequence of reducing crime by 41 percent."
David B. Orr '01 emphasized that the shooting should affect everyone, not just members of the black community.
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