Blackrook
Diamond Member
- Jun 20, 2014
- 21,791
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I was sitting in court one day with some people from the Public Defender's office. I has asked them if I could volunteer.
While I was sitting there, a black man was the defendant at a preliminary hearing to determine if there was probable cause to prosecute him for shoplifting.
What this guy did was he grabbed two armfuls of hair conditioner and walk out of the store. An elderly security guard tried to get in his way, so the defendant pushed past him.
After the testimony of the security guard, the judge ordered that this black man be prosecuted for shoplifting, assault and battery committed against an elderly person.
The defense attorneys did nothing to help this black man. They just sat there and watched it happen.
They told me that some stores deliberately hire elderly security guards so they can get that enhancement of the assault charge.
Had this man been white, the story would have a much different ending. If he was a first offender, he would hae the charges dismissed in return for community service. He would not have a public defender, he would have an expensive private attorney representing him. His family would have put up the money to pay the attorney, borrowing if they had to, or putting a mortgage on their home.
And my guess is the assault and battery charge would have dismissed, because all he did is brush by him.
I am not a liberal, but I'm willing to admit this. People in the criminal system consider all blacks and Hispanics to be potential criminals, so they might as well get them in prison as soon as possible.
While I was sitting there, a black man was the defendant at a preliminary hearing to determine if there was probable cause to prosecute him for shoplifting.
What this guy did was he grabbed two armfuls of hair conditioner and walk out of the store. An elderly security guard tried to get in his way, so the defendant pushed past him.
After the testimony of the security guard, the judge ordered that this black man be prosecuted for shoplifting, assault and battery committed against an elderly person.
The defense attorneys did nothing to help this black man. They just sat there and watched it happen.
They told me that some stores deliberately hire elderly security guards so they can get that enhancement of the assault charge.
Had this man been white, the story would have a much different ending. If he was a first offender, he would hae the charges dismissed in return for community service. He would not have a public defender, he would have an expensive private attorney representing him. His family would have put up the money to pay the attorney, borrowing if they had to, or putting a mortgage on their home.
And my guess is the assault and battery charge would have dismissed, because all he did is brush by him.
I am not a liberal, but I'm willing to admit this. People in the criminal system consider all blacks and Hispanics to be potential criminals, so they might as well get them in prison as soon as possible.