VTMBH Article: Body
Two ethnicities, two crimes, two different responses from the judicial system and the public. That is the feeling that lingers over the African-American community as the comparison is made between how the Lionel Tate case was handled versus the crime involving twin brothers Alex and Derek King. Lionel, an African-American 16-year-old student, was convicted of murdering six-year-old playmate Tiffany Eunick. The incident occurred while he was imitating maneuvers he saw performed by wrestlers on WWF wrestling.
Lionel was 12 years-old at the time of the incident. Alex and Derek, who are both white, were charged with murdering their dad with a baseball bat.
An examination of both of these cases can give some insight on how justice is administered in our country differently based on ones ethnicity. For years, African-American criminal justice activists have pointed out how the federal courts give more severe penalties to those convicted of crack cocaine-related cases in comparison to those convicted for cocaine related offenses. It is no secret that African-Americans constitute the overwhelming number of arrests and convictions for crack cocaine, while whites are convicted at a substantially higher rate for cocaine.
Examples of judicial inconsistency are why the two cases of Lionel and the King boys are important. Alex and Derek could have faced life in prison, but the judge overturned their jury conviction based on his belief that the prosecutor had presented a contradictory theory of the crime. His opinion had much to do with an earlier trial of the alleged accomplice of the boys, Terry King, who was acquitted of killing the boys father. After Derek and Alex were convicted, the public responded with outrage and horror.
The response of the criminal justice system mirrored the publics demeanor. An overwhelming level of sympathy swept through the country after the conviction of Alex and Derek King. Although a recent ABC News poll showed that 55 percent of Americans believed juveniles convicted of violent crimes should be tried as adults, there was loud calls for leniency for these two boys. One protester outside the courtroom stated that when she looked at the faces of the two boys she could only see the innocence of childhood. The passion that was displayed even had actress/comedian Rosie ODonnell hiring two Miami lawyers in an attempt to replace Derek and Alexs current legal team.
Following Alex and Dereks trial, advocates immediately started the process of attempting to change laws that require juveniles to be treated as adults.
In contrast to the response for the King boys, Lionel invoked the public to call for stiffer penalties for juveniles convicted of crimes.
This hypocrisy is not isolated to the state of Florida. Across the country, similar responses are displayed depending on the ethnicity of the person involved in a crime. How young people of color are depicted after a criminal act is different than others. The major news media use offensive adjectives to describe the criminal act and person. Yet when white youths are accused of committing similar crimes, softer terms such as juvenile, youth, etc., are used.
Experts also attempt to identify and analyze why the white youth will perform an illegal act. This analysis is not carried out for children of color. It is immediately accepted that the child of color has a propensity for violence.
Nathaniel Brazils case is an example of this. He was a seventh grade honor student who was convicted of shooting a teacher in Lake Worth, Florida.
There was a clear distinction of how he was depicted in comparison to the two white youths who entered Columbine High School and killed 13 people and wounded 23. Although Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were found to have taken their own lives, there was no unfavorable adjective used to describe them or their actions. Instead, the medias slant was, Why do good kids go bad?
Pointing out how crimes are treated and viewed by the criminal justice system and the public is not an attempt to justify criminal behavior. Any criminal offense against an innocent person is wrong. In order to find the proper balance on how we as a nation should respond to criminal behavior carried out by juveniles or adults, we must ensure the scale of justice is balanced and consistent.
Lionel was 12 years-old at the time of the incident. Alex and Derek, who are both white, were charged with murdering their dad with a baseball bat.
An examination of both of these cases can give some insight on how justice is administered in our country differently based on ones ethnicity. For years, African-American criminal justice activists have pointed out how the federal courts give more severe penalties to those convicted of crack cocaine-related cases in comparison to those convicted for cocaine related offenses. It is no secret that African-Americans constitute the overwhelming number of arrests and convictions for crack cocaine, while whites are convicted at a substantially higher rate for cocaine.
Examples of judicial inconsistency are why the two cases of Lionel and the King boys are important. Alex and Derek could have faced life in prison, but the judge overturned their jury conviction based on his belief that the prosecutor had presented a contradictory theory of the crime. His opinion had much to do with an earlier trial of the alleged accomplice of the boys, Terry King, who was acquitted of killing the boys father. After Derek and Alex were convicted, the public responded with outrage and horror.
The response of the criminal justice system mirrored the publics demeanor. An overwhelming level of sympathy swept through the country after the conviction of Alex and Derek King. Although a recent ABC News poll showed that 55 percent of Americans believed juveniles convicted of violent crimes should be tried as adults, there was loud calls for leniency for these two boys. One protester outside the courtroom stated that when she looked at the faces of the two boys she could only see the innocence of childhood. The passion that was displayed even had actress/comedian Rosie ODonnell hiring two Miami lawyers in an attempt to replace Derek and Alexs current legal team.
Following Alex and Dereks trial, advocates immediately started the process of attempting to change laws that require juveniles to be treated as adults.
In contrast to the response for the King boys, Lionel invoked the public to call for stiffer penalties for juveniles convicted of crimes.
This hypocrisy is not isolated to the state of Florida. Across the country, similar responses are displayed depending on the ethnicity of the person involved in a crime. How young people of color are depicted after a criminal act is different than others. The major news media use offensive adjectives to describe the criminal act and person. Yet when white youths are accused of committing similar crimes, softer terms such as juvenile, youth, etc., are used.
Experts also attempt to identify and analyze why the white youth will perform an illegal act. This analysis is not carried out for children of color. It is immediately accepted that the child of color has a propensity for violence.
Nathaniel Brazils case is an example of this. He was a seventh grade honor student who was convicted of shooting a teacher in Lake Worth, Florida.
There was a clear distinction of how he was depicted in comparison to the two white youths who entered Columbine High School and killed 13 people and wounded 23. Although Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold were found to have taken their own lives, there was no unfavorable adjective used to describe them or their actions. Instead, the medias slant was, Why do good kids go bad?
Pointing out how crimes are treated and viewed by the criminal justice system and the public is not an attempt to justify criminal behavior. Any criminal offense against an innocent person is wrong. In order to find the proper balance on how we as a nation should respond to criminal behavior carried out by juveniles or adults, we must ensure the scale of justice is balanced and consistent.