Racism Alive and Well in the U.S.

[Fourth Hunter]

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel: What Blane Williams should have known « Friends of Justice

For those of you who reasonably don't trust a single source there's more.

Social Justice « Heavy Sounds and The Abstract Truth

While Seated: Jena Six

I won't say anything else because I think that the situation speaks for itself.

[mosaix]

I think people here on Chronicles should spare a moment or two to read these links and then do what they can to help. Write, e-mail or maybe even make a contribution to the defence fund. I've e-mailed them for bank details, I'll post the reply here when I get it.

[HardScienceFan]

ONLY READ "WHILE SEATED"

WTF????!!?

I dislike too much profanity,but

I fell out my seat while reading that

AM AT A LOSS FOR WORDS ,seriously

[Fourth Hunter]

Thank you, Mosaix. That is exactly why I posted this thread.

Alongside the race issues, it calls attention to the failures of our legal system. Who knows how many innocent people have been convicted of crimes that they didn't commit because of underfunded defense attorneys. What is the point of having the right to a lawyer if you aren't entitled to a competent, invested lawyer.

By the way, I've been out of town and out of touch. Is it just that or has there been extremely limited press coverage of an extremely important situation.

[Fourth Hunter]

Sorry for the double post, but it's too late for me to edit, and a thought struck me. It seems as if the defense attorney wishes the defendants to be convicted. You know, the opposite of that wonderful tale To Kill a Mockingbird. And to think that people thought that those kinds of events were behind us now.

[Lacedaemonian]

Do not confuse law with justice:

Paris Hylton.

Michael Jackson.

Iraq.

OJ Simpson.

George Bush.

Paul Robinson (Neighbours).


Can I just say to the person scratching around for her/his cheque book or credit card, that their are many more worthwhile humanitarian causes you could contribute your money too. Your faith in lawyers is based on Hollywood.

[Fourth Hunter]

I feel that Lacedaemonian is right in saying that money is not going to solve this problem. Instead, the best cure would be to try to raise the awareness that the legal system is broken, particularly the fact that DA's always have the advantage in experience, ability, and funding. The right to a lawyer is meaningless if it does not create a balance in the courtroom. Money will only reward for a defense attorney who is at best inept, and at worst, is a racist who hopes that his client ends up behind bars. I find myself wondering why the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) is not supplying the attorney.

[brsrkrkomdy]

After reading the first several paragraphs where court appointed attorneys were not well paid enough, I have one comment to make on this issue: just 'cuz they're not well paid enough is no excuse for that screw up. Since when did dollar signs take precedence over human life? How would you feel when you're out drowning in the ocean and the lifeguard's not well paid enough to go out and save your life? Think about it.
Now, if you think racism in courts is that bad, how 'bout antisemitism? Does the name Ed Kramer mean anything to anyone?

[Lacedaemonian]

Most people who are convicted of crimes, would in all likelihood have received softer punishment or perhaps not have been punished at all had they been able to afford the best lawyers etc.

I dont want to buy into the racial card. I think when we discuss racism on this sort of level we are creating a racial issue by default. Why should it be a black thing? It effects all people with low incomes. We are constantly making these racial issues up ourselves. By discussing this issue from the black perspective we alienate the white people effected by this issue. It would be better if all people effected were united against this.

I make no apologies for being white.

[j. d. worthington]

You may be right, Lace, but the statistics in this country would cause some questioning on that. There's a serious disproportion where black defendants and convictions (or stiffer sentences) are concerned. A very large difference.

As for the legal system being broken... how many of you are aware that a defendant or their lawyer, while technically having access to the grand jury, are seldom actually allowed that when an indictment is being decided on? That you have to go through a lot of hoops to get to that; that therefore, once an indictment is handed down, and you are put through the process, that may be "struck"... but it still remains in the books, and those are usually public access, giving the impression that you weren't tried because of lack of enough hard evidence... not that you are innocent?

The legal system is not broken beyond repair, but it's assuredly on the critical list.....

Incidentally, I recall reading a series of reports done some years ago that showed that, based on evidence recovered afterward, about 52% of the executions in this country's history have been committed on people later shown to be innocent. I'll try to locate the source of this, though it is some years old. If true (and, from what I've seen of our legal system, I wouldn't doubt it) that is not exactly a good track record....

[dustinzgirl]

"In every state, the proportion of blacks in prison exceeds, sometimes by a considerable amount, their proportion in the general population (Figure 2). In Minnesota and Iowa, blacks constitute a share of the prison population that is twelve times greater than their share of the state population. In eleven states -- Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming --the percentage of the prison population that is black is more than six times greater than the percentage of the state population that is black."

United States - Punishment and Prejudice: Racial Disparities in the War on Drugs

[Fourth Hunter]

There are so many issues here, we can't even cover all of them. How about the fact that the white children weren't charged with anything at all?

[tangaloomababe]

I cannot believe in this day and age that students had to ask permission to sit under a "whites only" tree. That in itself is discraceful. I thought this sort of segregation was against the law. It takes you back to whites only drinking taps or white's only seating etc etc. That the students who put up nooses were only suspended for a couple of days, absurd!
This schools needs to have a good hard look at itself and its antiquated rules on segregation.

[Fourth Hunter]

"The District Attorney, Reed Walters, was called in to directly address black students at the school and told them all he could "end their life with a stroke of the pen." (while seated)

Let's start looking at the fact that while the fights involved both blacks and whites, only the blacks were spoken to, and that the DA showed extreme prejudice.