I am on my way to a doctor's appointment but had the chance to glance at this morning's paper. I saw in an out of town paper the main headline, "No Blacks in Mehserle's Jurors' Box" but picked up my local paper instead, the San Francisco Chronicle. I had to go to the local section to find this news as the results of yesterday's primaries was the main headline. The news of no blacks being selected was nowhere to be found in the front section.
The case of Mehserle, the BART police officer who shot an unarmed black man in the back (while he was on the floor surrounded by cops) has been moved to LA as it was suggested he might not be able to receive a fair trial here in the Bay Area. It is no accident that this issue was toned down in the Chronicle given the anger over this murder that exists in this area.
I am not going to cast any disparaging remarks on those selected, apparently 7 white and 5 Latino jurors, but I am stunned at the fact that there are no black people on this jury. I am so angry. Imagine how black folks must feel. You wonder what makes people go off; this is it.
According to the press, a number of the jurors have connections to law enforcement which obviously the DA intended. There is no way that this can be justified. it is a confirmation of the rotten racist justice system in this country.
I was just talking to my friend who works behind the counter here and she was equally disgusted. She described how angry she would be if there were not a woman on a jury judging a rape case.
Maybe the jury will find him guilty, in my opinion, there is nothing that can justify the killing. It may not be murder one, in that it could be proven to be premeditated but there is no way it can be justified. But what the jury decides is not the point.
The fact there are no blacks on the jury is another example of this society pissing on black folks, of blatantly ignoring their issues and their treatment by law enforcement (enforcing racist laws) and in fact taunting them about the lack of interest in their concerns and support for racism.
I am in a hurry and this is all I can write at the moment.
1 comment:
Racist people surround me every day at work!they insult me when I complain about their stupid remarks.when I get a chance to read a truly enlightened article,I feel that there is still great sanity left in the world.
Post a Comment