[Colleen32008]

Well, exactly. I’d say it has more to do with poverty than racism, per se – the basic problem is that the biggest factor in escaping death row is not the defendant’s guilt or innocence, but how much money the defendant has to pay a defense lawyer. Rich defendants – and I’d say the vast majority of rich murder defendants are white – can afford the kind of quality legal service that can get them off entirely or at least have the sentnece reduced to life. Poor defendants – and though I don’t have the statistics in front of me, I’d be willing to bet they’re often black – get a public defender with 30 or more other cases to handle at the same time and alomst no funds to hire detectives, interview witnesses, or pay for expert testimony. Mounting a thorough defense in a murder 1 case can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Racism plays a part with the jury, too. Confronted with a young black male defendant, they see thier stereotypes brought to life, and might find it less taxing upon thier consciounce to convict. Personally, when I think that a bunch of Northwestern journalism students working part time found enough evidence to bounce 11 innocnet men off Illinois’death row, I find prospect of how many other innocent men have been killed or are even now waiting to die quite frightening.

User Detail :  

Name : Colleen32008, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 21, City : NYC, State : NY, Country : United States, 

[Author]

Posts