It's been a year since one of the biggest miscarriages of justice ever occurred. Trayvon Martin's killer was found not guilty. How?! I will never know. The facts of the case were clear. Martin was stalked and hunted and executed for nothing more than being a Black man in a hoodie. There is nothing right or just about that. His killer deserves to die a horrible slow death locked in a tiny cell. Instead, he is still breathing and walking free. This is not justice. A year later, I am still disgusted by the verdict. I've written about Trayvon Martin a lot. There is something about his murder that struck a deep cord in me. It's been a year since Martin was denied justice. A year filled with ridiculous actions by his killer. The most recent being a report that he is homeless and broke. Good. Martin's killer deserves much worse than that for taking a life. I still weep for Martin and his family.
"I will never accept the verdict," Sybrina Fulton said. "I still feel like my son was murdered."
A year later, the fight still continues for Martin's parents, Sybrina and Tracy. There is a Trayvon Martin Foundation housed at Florida Memorial University. The people who wrongly believe that we are living in a post-racial America are quite deluded. Racism is alive and well and thriving in these United States of America. Almost 57 years after the brutal killing of Emmett Till, a case like Martin's still exists. Both young men who were killed because their skin color made someone uncomfortable. Both too young to be taken in such a brutal manner. Where is the justice? There is nothing we can do to bring Martin back. But, we can all make sure no one ever forgets his name because his story is important. Also, so his murder won't be in vain. A year later, the injustice still stings. A year later, we are still angry. A year later, a murderer is still walking free. I do not know about you but there is nothing just about that. No Justice, No Peace. R.I.P. Trayvon Martin.
This photo says it all. The United States justice system is all screwed up. It needs a major overhaul. 31 year old Marisa Alexander is facing a mandatory 20 year sentence. Did she kill anyone? No. Did she attempt to kill someone? No. She is the abused wife of a man who has not been charged with anything. Marisa, in fear of her life, fired a warning shot into the ceiling of her home to stop her husband from beating her. Her husband claimed he was going to kill her. A warning shot that did not hit anyone mind you. And, now Marisa is looking at a 20 year sentence in Florida. What is wrong with this picture?
It seems as though white is the only right color in the state of Florida. This is the same state that did not find Casey Anthony guilty, even though her daughter is dead and she was the last one with her. This is the same state that took 44 days to arrest Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Oh and this is also the same state that stole the 2000 election for the brother of Governor Jeb Bush. But, again, I digress. Seriously, what is your problem, Florida? When is it ever ok for the abused to be charged when she didn't do anything?
Marisa's case has been deemed not worthy of the ridiculous "Stand Your Ground" law. Her requests for a retrial have been denied. It seems as though her race has been a factor. I cannot wrap my mind around this case. How is she in jail? Why is she the one facing these years? What about her abuser? Why is he walking free? This is a serious miscarriage of justice. As a woman who loves politics and the law, this case pisses me off. Especially in light of other current Florida cases. This is why people have no faith in the courts or the cops. Why should they? We see too many cases that end wrong. This is just wrong. Marissa Alexander’s sentencing is scheduled for May 11. My prayers a re definitely with her. In closing, I will leave you with a paragraph from another blog. I read the following and it made so much sense.
"The blog Wonkette reacted to Judge Daniel’s ruling by saying, “In Florida, as it turns out, being in ‘genuine fear of your life’ means that you’re white and your attacker is black, so clearly that was her first mistake. Also, if you really want to Stand Your Ground you have to call the police only to ignore their instructions anyway, so there’s that. And crucially, it doesn’t say anywhere if her husband was wearing a hoodie when he was threatening to beat her up, which we hear is a relevant aspect of whether or not black men are actually scary.”
As of Friday, May 11th, Marisa was sentenced to 20 years in jail for protecting herself. Where is the justice in this? Smh.
The death penalty is a hot button issue right now. My thoughts on the subject have always been the same. I have never been a believer in capital punishment. Killing a killer seems redundant and unfair. I don't see how the death penalty helps anyone. There has to be a better way to get criminals to pay for their crimes. Something else has to be done. I think I also feel this way because of how many innocent people have been sentenced to death and died for nothing. That is the worse part.
Most people think that my stance on this subject should be different. My family has been hit hard by black on black violence. Three of the most important men in my life as a teenager were all gunned down in senseless violent acts in New Orleans. My cousin Larry was killed in January 1997. My Father was killed on September 23, 1998. My favorite uncle Larry was killed in October 2000. That's a lot of death in a short period of time. I was never fully over grieving one before another one was taken from me, from us. Death is hard. Murder is 100 times worse. Murder snatches your loved ones from you without warning, without explanation. I was angry for so long about these deaths. I was seeing red and I wanted revenge. I wanted the men responsible for these murders to die. No, I'm not talking about by the long arm of the law either. I was so enraged that I had thoughts of taking a live. I wanted it to not hurt anymore. I needed someone to hurt more than my family was hurting. Once I was able to work through my anger and grief, I calmed down considerable. My Father's killer/s were never found. I received no closure there. We didn't get any justice for him. My Uncle's and Cousin's killers were prosecuted and sentenced.
I just wanted the men in jail. Life sentences and doing hard time. I did not want them to have an easy way out. The death penalty was that to me. I wanted them to spend the rest of their lives suffering for the pain they caused us. Watching "The Green Mile," solidified my opinion that the death penalty is cruel and not an option. A criminal should not have an out. He/She should pay for their crimes. If it is a violent crime, they should pay with spending the rest of their lives in jail. Morally, murder is wrong. It is a sin. So, how could it ever be right for a judge and jury to decide that a murderer should be put to death? Murder is murder, bottom line. I cannot condone it on any levels.
The Troy Davis case has brought this topic back to the forefront. His death is a travesty. He should not have been put to death when there was so much doubt about the case. That is what affects me the most. Innocent people who have been falsely convicted and subsequently put to death. That is the saddest part of it all. The justice system is severely flawed. There is a movement to abolish the death penalty. I have signed the petition. It can be found on the NAACP website. It's archaic and inhumane in my opinion. After watching the Troy Davis case unfold this past two weeks, I have realized how unnecessary the death penalty is. We don't need it. I hope we can get rid of it.
In the Name of Troy Davis: Pledge to End the Death Penalty in the United States
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because Troy Anthony Davis was executed despite extreme and well-known doubts about his guilt.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because the system failed Troy, even though the system is supposed to be fail-proof.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because these failures are the result of a system that gives the power of life and death to humans, who are prone to error and susceptible to bias.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because 130 people have been exonerated from death row since 1973, and we have no way of knowing how many innocent people have been killed.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because death is permanent and mistakes are uncorrectable.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because we know that race and class disproportionately determine who lives and who dies.
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because Troy Davis often said, "This movement began before I was born ... it must continue and grow stronger...until we abolish the death penalty once and for all."
I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States because it was Troy’s final wish.
In the Name of Troy Anthony Davis, I pledge to fight to end the death penalty in the United States to ensure that what happened to Troy never happens to another person in our criminal justice system. (from the NAACP website)
Is Justice really blind? I used to believe this wholeheartedly. Now? Not so much. For as long as I could remember, I was enthralled with the legal system. I wanted to be an attorney for the longest time. Lately, I have become very disillusioned with the United States' idea of what justice really is. I've seen people go to jail for long periods of time for small infractions. I've watched people walk away scott-free when they were guilty as sin. Where is the justice in any of that? I do not see it because it is not there.
Case in point: Casey Anthony. Her daughter, Caylee, was supposedly "missing" for 31 days before her mother, Cindy reported it. Casey did not report it. Her daughter was later found dead. Casey Anthony lied at every given turn. The only facts of this case are simple: Caylee was dead. After years, the trial finally started. There were allegations of sexual misconduct, outrageous lies, ridiculous testimonies, and even more ridiculous scenarios. In the end, the just decided that Casey was not guilty. What??? How is it that this woman is now free to walk the earth while her child is dead and was treated like trash? Where is the justice in this? Clearly, I believe that the jury got it dead wrong. Casey should have been found guilty and been en route to a needle in her arm. I have no tolerance for murderers. I am a fatherless woman because of a murderer. And, people who do anything to harm children are the absolute worst. They are the scum of the earth in my eyes. I also know that Casey has to live with what she did. And, she also will have to atone for it as well.
On the flip side of justice, there is Raquel Nelson. A 30 year old mother who crossed the street with her two kids in Georgia. A man struck and killed her son. The man, Jerry Guy, has a past of hit and run incidents. He was originally charged with hit and run, cruelty to children, and second degree murder. The charges were later amended to just a hit and run. Her served a 6 month sentence and will have five years probation for murder. What?? How is that justice? It isn't and the story gets even worse. Ms. Nelson could possibly serve more time than her son's killer. She is being charged with second degree vehicular homicide. This means she is at fault for jaywalking which led to her sons death. There is a possibility that she will have to serve a 36 month sentence. The woman is grieving her son and has to deal with this. Again I ask where is the justice in any of this?? The answer is simple there is none.
One other major point I have to bring up in these cases is race. Casey is a white woman, Raquel is a Black woman. Apparently, that matters. Because how could a woman who definitely killed her child is walking free while a mother who crossed the street with her child and he was killed is facing jail time? My mind can only come to one conclusion. It's racial. Clean and simple. That makes me so angry. Yes, we have a Black President. But, we are not a post-racial nation. Racism is still alive and well. One only has to take a look at the forming of the Tea Party or the way the Republican Party has behaved since 2008. These two cases have literally made me sick. I cannot blindly believe in justice after hearing about these cases. I think the picture I found for this blog is absolutely perfect. Justice is clearly not blind. What do you guys thinks? Talk to me!
