Jolt Country

I just wanted to recommend a Netflix docu-miniseries called "When They See Us" about the colossal injustice of the "central park five", where there was a rape in central park and the racist cops and prosecutors raileroaded five innocent teen black boys and got them sentenced to long periods in prison for a crime they didn't do. It's very powertful and makes you want to reach through the screen and strangle some assholes. Really a huge example of institutional racism. Very well done filmwise. Highly recommended

https://www.netflix.com/title/80200549

While the Central Park Jogger case was bad, it pales in comparison to the trials of the Scottsboro Boys, where a group of black men were accused of raping two white women, and sentenced to death in trials that were, in some cases, completed in mere minutes. Despite the fact they were tried by all-white juries, the prosecutor claimed there was no racial bias against blacks (they were prohibited from voting, so jury commissioners never even considered there were qualified black nonvoters.) Despite the fact the lawyers assigned to their cases had no criminal trial experience, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld death sentences for eight of the nine defendants, claiming they had had fair trials. The ninth had his death sentence overturned because he was 13-years-old. The Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court gave a bitter dissent in which he said clearly their trials were not fair.

This case ended up going to the US Supreme Court twice due to the extreme racial antagonism of the deep south.

Tdarcos wrote: ↑Sun May 16, 2021 7:49 am While the Central Park Jogger case was bad, it pales in comparison to the trials of the Scottsboro Boys

That is also bad but I see it was in the 1930s. Should have been better by 50 years later.

Tdarcos wrote: ↑Sun May 16, 2021 7:49 am While the Central Park Jogger case was bad, it pales in comparison to the trials of the Scottsboro Boys

Oh, boy, Odyssia has stumbled onto tDarcos' favorite topic.

Today on NPR's Fresh Air, Dave Davies interviewed one of the Central Park Five (Yusef Salaam) and discussed his new memoir, "Better, Not Bitter."