Washington, D.C., November 13, 2007 — The Commonwealth of Virginia Medical Examiner has ruled the death of Simran Singh an “accident” despite evidence of dozens of severe bruises to Mr. Singh’s head, neck, and torso. Additionally, the report indicates that Mr. Singh was physically restrained and choked by his assailants for “four to five minutes.” On August 3, 2007, Simran Singh, a twenty-one year-old student from George Mason University, was reportedly found by police on I-395 in Arlington, Virginia, unconscious, badly bruised, and bleeding severely. Four individuals were with Mr. Singh at the time – to SALDEF’s knowledge, none have been charged or even investigated. During their investigation, the Arlington County Police Department engaged in a series of questionable practices which SALDEF considers police misconduct. Over the course of the investigation, SALDEF has come across numerous instances in which the Detective on the case hindered the criminal investigation. The Arlington County Board was contacted by SALDEF and key individuals who met with the family. The County Board has yet to assist the parents of Mr. Singh in their attempts to understand what happened to their son or addressing concerns about police misconduct during the investigation. The offices of Senator John Warner, Congressman Tom Davis, and Governor Tim Kaine have expressed their support and offered assistance to the family. SALDEF urges the community to ensure that justice is found in this case and that Simran Singh’s assailants are not allowed to escape justice. The Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), the nation’s oldest Sikh American civil rights and advocacy organization, has expressed the deep concerns of the Washington, DC metropolitan Sikh American community over the investigation and handling of the incident by Arlington County. SALDEF has fielded countless calls from concerned community members regarding this incident. PRESS CONTACT: media@saldef.org
