[Sarge]

Shaquanda Cotton (sometimes incorrectly referred to in the media as "Shaquandra" or "Shaquana") is an African-American girl who, in March 2006, at the age of 15, was sentenced to an indeterminate time not to exceed her 21st birthday in the Texas Youth Commission's juvenile detention facilities for shoving a hall monitor at her high school in Paris, Texas, U.S.A.
The sentence Shaquanda was tried in the town's juvenile court, convicted by a jury of "assault on a public servant" for allegedly shoving Cleda Brownfield, a teacher's assistant at Paris high school in the Paris Independent School District, and sentenced by Lamar County Judge M.C. "Chuck" Superville, Jr. to the Texas Youth Commission for up to seven years, not to exceed her 21st birthday. She was sentenced when she was 14 and served over a year at Ron Jackson unit in Brownwood, Texas.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaquanda_Cotton


It seems obvious to me that the majority of people in the USA do not acknowledge that minorities or people of color are not treated as equal, at least when it comes to the justice system. Stuff like the above article happens much more than is reported in the news.

[wacor]

That Wiki is confusing.

It mentions a plea bargain down to a misdemeanor with 2 years supervised probation.

But then hints the DA did not offer it??

Yet the defense attorney stated it was offered?

If it was in fact offered and turned down then shame on the attorney or the defendant for not taking it.

IMO justice is not so much about race as it is about wealth.

[poochee]

Originally Posted by Sarge

Shaquanda Cotton (sometimes incorrectly referred to in the media as "Shaquandra" or "Shaquana") is an African-American girl who, in March 2006, at the age of 15, was sentenced to an indeterminate time not to exceed her 21st birthday in the Texas Youth Commission's juvenile detention facilities for shoving a hall monitor at her high school in Paris, Texas, U.S.A.
The sentence Shaquanda was tried in the town's juvenile court, convicted by a jury of "assault on a public servant" for allegedly shoving Cleda Brownfield, a teacher's assistant at Paris high school in the Paris Independent School District, and sentenced by Lamar County Judge M.C. "Chuck" Superville, Jr. to the Texas Youth Commission for up to seven years, not to exceed her 21st birthday. She was sentenced when she was 14 and served over a year at Ron Jackson unit in Brownwood, Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaquanda_Cotton

It seems obvious to me that the majority of people in the USA do not acknowledge that minorities or people of color are not treated as equal, at least when it comes to the justice system. Stuff like the above article happens much more than is reported in the news.

Racism is alive and well. She should have been punished, but this punishment was excessive for a 14 year old. But it was Texas.

[SIXX]

Originally Posted by poochee

Racism is alive and well. She should have been punished, but this punishment was excessive for a 14 year old. But it was Texas.

Yes, Racism is alive and well......What the hell does Texas have to do with it? What next? Are you gonna tell everyone that California doesn't have Racism? or has never punished a black person excessively for a petty crime... Take off your rose colored glasses and have a look around your own state.

[TooBad]

Originally Posted by poochee

Racism is alive and well. She should have been punished, but this punishment was excessive for a 14 year old. But it was Texas.

Since I don't know anything about this case except for what has been presented, this is pure speculation.

Did the 14 yr old have a history of disrespect for authority? Similar to the Jena 6 thug that deserves to be held in jail and away from society in that he has demonstrated quite clearly his inability to peacefully coexist with others. This could have made a difference in the sentence. Barring any previous trouble, the punishment was very excessive.

And yes, there is still racism in every corner of the world by all races against all races. It is human nature to find comfort in those similar to yourself and distrust of those different. Whether that be race, religion or political affiliation, that is the way of all creatures with some exceptions. Generalizations are never 100% accurate!

[Wino]

Originally Posted by poochee

Racism is alive and well. She should have been punished, but this punishment was excessive for a 14 year old. But it was Texas.

We do seem to have a harsher and different sense of justice than most states. I've said it before, and I say again, it's a damn shame O.J. wasn't tried here.

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by TooBad

And yes, there is still racism in every corner of the world by all races against all races. It is human nature to find comfort in those similar to yourself and distrust of those different. Whether that be race, religion or political affiliation, that is the way of all creatures with some exceptions. Generalizations are never 100% accurate!

Well said...

[poochee]

Originally Posted by Wino

We do seem to have a harsher and different sense of justice than most states. I've said it before, and I say again, it's a damn shame O.J. wasn't tried here.

[Knotbored]

March 31, 2007

HOUSTON — Shaquanda Cotton, the black teenager in the small east Texas town of Paris whose prison sentence of up to 7 years for shoving a teacher’s aide sparked nationwide controversy, was released Saturday.

-----
This was in Chicago Tribune in March 2007
Although this is an interesting story, the whole truth about the outcome should have been revealed- after all that was 9 months ago or so--

[Sarge]

Seven years for pushing a teacher? Cmon people.

[poochee]

Originally Posted by Sarge

Seven years for pushing a teacher? Cmon people.

It is ridiculous!

[Sarge]

Funny thing is these things happen more often than not to people of color. Probably and specifically to black people even more so. I believe the problem is there are many situations where racism is blamed that when the word rasicm even comes up, people tend to turn a deaf ear.

[BanditFlyer]

Originally Posted by Sarge

...The sentence Shaquanda was tried in the town's juvenile court, convicted by a jury of "assault on a public servant" for allegedly shoving Cleda Brownfield, a teacher's assistant at Paris high school in the Paris Independent School District, and sentenced by Lamar County Judge M.C. "Chuck" Superville, Jr. to the Texas Youth Commission for up to seven years, not to exceed her 21st birthday. She was sentenced when she was 14 and served over a year at Ron Jackson unit in Brownwood, Texas.

I remember(vaguely) a case when I was younger about a kid beating another child to death with a baseball bat "to see what it felt like" and being sentenced to something like 5 or 7 years. I was pretty shocked that the sentence for basically murdering someone in an extremely cruel manner was so light.

I see these kinds of variations all over the place and I can't blame it on race. Race probably is one of the factors, but if you get busted for 500 pounds of marajuana in Humboldt County, CA, I'm guessing they'd let you off with a warning. Whereas the same offence would probably be punishable by a public beheading ceremony if it happened in Texas. (some exageration there, obviously)

Show me where race was the deciding factor in this ridiculous sentence.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by BanditFlyer

I remember(vaguely) a case when I was younger about a kid beating another child to death with a baseball bat "to see what it felt like" and being sentenced to something like 5 or 7 years. I was pretty shocked that the sentence for basically murdering someone in an extremely cruel manner was so light.

I see these kinds of variations all over the place and I can't blame it on race. Race probably is one of the factors, but if you get busted for 500 pounds of marajuana in Humboldt County, CA, I'm guessing they'd let you off with a warning. Whereas the same offence would probably be punishable by a public beheading ceremony if it happened in Texas. (some exageration there, obviously)

Show me where race was the deciding factor in this ridiculous sentence.

THATS THE WHOLE POINT. Where is the proof? The only proof is experience and unfortunately the majority of people who have been experiencing this form of rasicm is the minority.
I recently went back to the Bronx to attend a funeral. While standing in the front of my old building the police come up to us and tell us to leave. We are in front of my old building. There is a small playground there with benches intended for people to sit. We werent sitting but I was about to be written a ticket or arrested for loitering and disorderly conduct. The only thing that saved me is my Military ID. This is going on everywhere. I do not expect you to fully understand because it doesnt happen to you.
Let me ask you a serious question and please be honest. When the news says, "Eyewitnesses say they saw two black males fleeing the scene where the murder of a Korean grocery clerk took place." Is your first thought, something like this, "another murder committed by a black guy", or something like that.

[sglv]

Originally Posted by Sarge

Let me ask you a serious question and please be honest. When the news says, "Eyewitnesses say they saw two black males fleeing the scene where the murder of a Korean grocery clerk took place." Is your first thought, something like this, "another murder committed by a black guy", or something like that.

Honestly, racism does exist. Profiling exists. In your scenario above, and based on where I grew up, my thought would be - the Korean grocer wasn't armed and didn't shoot them in the back as they were running? Sadly, the prelude to the Rodney King riots was a young black girl being accused by a Korean grocery owner for shoplifting who was walking out the door of the store and was shot and killed in the back. The person who shot the young girl (12, 14, something like that) was given 5 years probation and not a day in jail. It was outrageous. The community said wait, don't go nuts, we'll get justice with Rodney King. Maybe that was the right fight, maybe it wasn't ... I really don't know.

I have also been pulled over by cops in black neighborhoods (because it was a lot faster to get home than the freeway that had a huge accident) because I was white and they felt I was there either looking for trouble of some sort, or looking to buy drugs. I too, back then, had my Military ID to rely on.

However, on the flip side, and about the same time period - on the day of my wedding from my ex-husband, my best friend came to Vegas for the wedding with his friend - white bread boys all the way (and I'm definitely white, blue eyed blond) - who happened to meet the description of two white men driving a blue car, who robbed a 7-11 at gunpoint (or something like that), and within one hour's worth of time, were pulled over on three separate occasions and harassed by Metro. They couldn't get five or 10 blocks without being pulled over by a different Metro unitl. My friend told me it was so upsetting to him in the way they treated him that he would never, ever come back to Vegas - and as far as I know, he never has.

However, where I grew up, most murders were committed by the Mexican gang, the Vatos, the city's "13" group, whatever. So for me, personally, I don't think that way, but yes, I do know people that way. We've had some pretty horrendous crimes committed by white boys (against white boys) that were awful. Also, I think there is only one recorded "seriel" or "mass" killer who was black and that was the New York subway guy. But a majority of the "seriel" killers have been white (and a couple were Mexican [Richard Ramirez]), but not black. I'm more of the opinion that economy, environment, home life, plays a much larger part in whether you commit crimes, then factor drug abuse, alcoholism, and just plain luck.

I'm thinking I'm not in the majority though.