MILWAUKEE – Senator LaTonya Johnson released the following statement after a Milwaukee County jury returned a guilty verdict in the trial of Maxwell Anderson for the murder of 19-year-old Sade Robinson:
“We are grateful that this case has reached a resolution. And while a guilty verdict offers a measure of accountability, we must be honest when we say this is not justice. Justice would be Sade Robinson still alive today. Justice would be her mother not having to endure weeks of gut-wrenching testimony.”
“The heart-wrenching details of Sade’s murder brought her case national attention, but the truth is, cases like hers happen far too often. Black women go missing. Black girls are harmed. And most of the time, their stories do not make headlines.”
“Sade’s family showed incredible bravery. Her mother, her sister, and every loved one sat through that courtroom day after day. They showed up for her even when it hurt. Even while facing the unimaginable, they honored her life with strength and grace. Their courage helped keep this case in the public eye. But many families don’t have that kind of support or receive that kind of media attention. That silence is part of what makes Black women and girls so vulnerable.”
“We owe it to Sade, and to every family still waiting for answers, to confront this crisis head-on. In Wisconsin and across the country, we must take the epidemic of missing and murdered Black women seriously. That means better data, more resources, and real accountability for a system that has failed them.”
“I hope this verdict brings Sade’s family some measure of peace. Their strength and advocacy have brought national attention to what so many families face in silence. They spoke up not just for Sade, but for every missing and murdered Black woman and girl whose names never make the news. The rest of us have a responsibility to carry that work forward. Until every missing Black woman and girl is given the same urgency, the same resources, and the same care as anyone else, our work is not done.”
