Often, suspects dont get to testify, as officer Wilson was given the opportunity to do. Theres the perception that Wilson received special treatment. The unfairness here is it seems like Darren Wilson got the gold-plated grand jury, where most Americans get the aluminum foil version, or something, maybe tin, but nothing gold-plated, Andrew Ferguson, an associate professor of law at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law, told NPRs Diane Rehm on her radio show Tuesday. Police officers do a very special job, one that entails inherent risk. Laws are written with this in mind, to protect officers who use deadly force justifiably. That may be exactly what happened in Ferguson. But without the adversarial process of a trial, where evidence is challenged and both cases are made, well never get the whole story. And so, those who dont trust the criminal justice system in this country can add another reason to their lists. Those who see a pattern of unfairness and special treatment will keep seeing it. Theyll add Ferguson to the troubling numbers. Like 288, which is the number of consecutive times Harris County grand juries cleared Houston police officers in shootings through the end of last year. Thats 288, and counting. Lisa Falkenberg, columnist, Houston Chronicle
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 11:44:02 +0000
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