After two grand juries failed to indict white policemen over the killing of unarmed black men, New York State's Attorney General has requested permission to be named ' special prosecutor' in all such cases.
"It is time to acknowledge that the public has lost confidence in this part of our criminal justice system," said Eric Schneiderman.
"There is an inherent conflict when local district attorneys who work with police departments everyday are asked to investigate members of those departments."
Under the new arrangement, the Attorney General would be empowered by the Governor, to investigate all deaths of unarmed civilians at the hands of police across the state.
The move follows racially charged protests in cities from coast to coast, and calls for more to be done to make police accountable for their use of force.
Mother speaks out
The mother of a 12-year-old boy killed by police in Cleveland while carrying a toy gun, says she wants the officers involved to be convicted.
Tamir Rice was shot in a park in November, less than two seconds after a police car pulled up next to him.
His family has filed a suit against the city of Cleveland and the two officers.
"Tamir was a bright child, he had a promising future, and he was very talented in all sports - soccer, basketball, football - he played the drums, he drew, he played video games, he's a great swimmer," Samaria Rice told a press conference.
She said the toy gun, belonged to a friend, and claimed her 14-year-old daughter was tackled, handcuffed and put in the back of a police car when she arrived on the scene after the shooting.
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