Crime, punishment and race
Dallas Morning News...
Wrongly convicted rape defendant freed after 26 years
DNA test proves innocence. Accused is Black, people are accusing society of racism.
[North Carolina] News & Observer...
Man walks free after 7 years in prison
DNA test proves innocence. Accused is Black, people are accusing society of racism.
Fox News...
Arrest in Girl Scout's 33-Year-Old Murder Jolts City
Connection to known child abusers developed via DNA test. Why did it take 33 years? NO ONE EVER SUSPECTED THE CRIMINAL WAS BLACK!
As Sigmund Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is simply a cigar." The high rate of Black incarceration may simply be a result of an attitude prevalent among Blacks, rather than an attitude prevalent among Whites.
But, all three of these case involve rape, and when rape is involved it seems our judicial system tosses common sense out the window. Those known to be guilty (by either a preponderance of the evidence or confession) are given light sentences , while those with little evidence against them are given huge sentences in order to bully a confession. The trouble is, wrongful convictions are way too common.
Honestly, is years of incarceration for a crime less horrific for a man than a rape is for a woman, especially given what we know happens to men incarcerated for rape? And what happens to these women who lie and cause an innocent man to be thrown into prison?
From FoxNews...
A Winnipeg man awaiting trial for rape has had all charges dropped after the alleged victim admitted she sent the accused cards and explicit love letters behind bars....
The woman had originally claimed the accused broke into her home in October 2007, choked her, forced her to drink alcohol and snort cocaine, and then took advantage of her after she passed out.
Defense lawyer Sheldon Pinx said the woman should be charged with mischief, obstruction of justice or even perjury.
Of course that's Canada. Here in the States the woman more than likely would never be charged with anything.
Rather than taking the first two cases and complaining about race, the complaint should actually be about sexism.
Posted by Danny Carlton at September 22, 2008 7:50 AM