Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Twelve White Jurors Not Angry Enough

I am going to give the twelve white jurors in the Frank Jude case the benefit of the doubt. It was a complex case, with seemingly contradictory evidence and, of course, the silence of the cops did not help.

What is perplexing, though, are the comments from so many that it shouldn't matter that the jury was all white.

They're right of course, it shouldn't. But, try telling that to the face of an African-American. Try telling that to the faces of African-Americans who have been witness to lynchings caused by all white mobs. Try telling that to the faces of African-Americans who have been witness to all white juries in the past that ensured guilty verdicts for the innocent.

Just saying that maybe a little sensitivity to what has happened in the past might assuage some of the anger over this verdict.

4 comments:

  1. Why is race a part of it? Are you suggesting that all 12 jurors made their decisions based soley on the race? And, that it had nothing to do with E Michael McCann(t) doing a crappy job as a prosecutor?

    Remember only one of the five counts was a hung jury. The other 4 counts were unanimous. So by your post all 12 members must be closet KKK Klansmen because they came to a unanimous conclusion that the Drunk Assholes on trial were not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they were guilty And for that you can blame E Michael McCann(t) not the jury.

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  2. Clint, I made no suggestion at all regarding the white jurors. If you read the post a little more carefully, you'll note that I give them the benefit of the doubt due to the case being complex, etc.

    The post had more to do with suggestions by some that it shouldn't matter that the jury was all white. Which I agree with.

    I'm not blaming the jury at all. History, however, has shown that all white juries have not been universally fair to African-American defendants. If you want to disagree with that then you need a history lesson.

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  3. Your headline Twelve White Jurors Not Angry Enough implies that the jury should have convicted based soley on a)Race and B)Emotion. And incase you have not been paying attention, it is not JUST the African American community that is upset over the verdict

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  4. Clint, I can see your point about the headline, though that was not my point. My point was merely that 12 white jurors could not find it within themselves to convict ... for WHATEVER reason.

    I would suggest, however, you consider valium to relax just a bit.

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