Innocent teenager spends three years in jail without trial

[wrightway]

I know this article is a little over a month old, but there wasn't a topic about it yet. And it will never stop being rage worthy.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/12/02/kalief-browder_n_4373544.html

In 2010, a complete stranger accused Kalief Browder, then just 16 years old, of robbing him. Browder was walking home in the Bronx from a party one night when police officers stopped and arrested him. Browder says officers told him he'd probably be freed later that night. Instead, Browder would go on to spend three birthdays on Rikers.

This past January, Browder was offered a deal: Plead guilty and be sentenced to time served, or plead not guilty, and if convicted, face another 15 years in jail. Browder, who has always maintained his innocence, refused to plead guilty, and in June, charges against him were suddenly dropped.

I'd love to say this is an isolated incident, or mutter that it's just New York, but this is something that goes on every single day to much lesser degrees. It needs to stop.

[ironbite]

Color me surprised a black man spent 3 years in jail without a conviction.

Ironbite-or even a trial.

[Kain]

Color me surprised a black man spent 3 years in jail without a conviction.

Ironbite-or even a trial.

But racism is dead, guys, honest.

[R. U. Sirius]

I'd wager that this is a LOT more common than it's reported, especially if a suspect is held pending trial.

[Canadian Mojo]

So how exactly does habeas corpus work in your country?

[Ultimate Paragon]

Color me surprised a black man spent 3 years in jail without a conviction.

Ironbite-or even a trial.

Let's not go playing the race card just yet.  We don't know the full details at the moment.  If it is genuine racism, then that's just one more thing wrong with this situation.  If not, it's still a grotesque violation of his human rights.

[kefkaownsall]

do you really think a white kid would have been suspected

[Ultimate Paragon]

do you really think a white kid would have been suspected

Maybe.

[Witchyjoshy]

Color me surprised a black man spent 3 years in jail without a conviction.

Ironbite-or even a trial.

Let's not go playing the race card just yet.

How about "fuck no."

It's a proven fact that black people are more likely to be pulled over, arrested, and put in prison for crimes (or even not-crimes) that would get white people a fine, a stern warning, or even just outright ignored.

All of these instances happen far more to black people than they do to white people, and that absolutely merits discussion.

[The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist]

Literally the first thing that went through my head when I read this was, "I bet he's black". I had a very hard time believing that a white kid would have been held for three years without a trial for robbery, of all things.

Plus, the cops and witnesses are usually more likely to distinguish white people by facial features, hair colour, etc. With black men, the only descriptive that sticks in people's head is "black male". My friend once witnessed the cops manage to confuse two tall, dark skinned African guys with two short, light-skinned Jamaican men after a fight broke out near the strip mall. If she hadn't happened to walk by a second time while they were arresting the latter two guys and mentioned that they weren't the ones involved in the fight, they would have ended up in prison for the night despite looking absolutely nothing like the actual perps.

[QueenofHearts]

do you really think a white kid would have been suspected

Maybe.

Not by the NYPD. Not if he's white.

[Ultimate Paragon]

Okay, maybe it is racially motivated.  However, we shouldn't automatically assume that just because he happens to be black.  I, personally, am inclined to believe it is a racist incident.  On the other hand, I don't know enough of the details to assume so.

[Thejebusfire]

do you really think a white kid would have been suspected

A white kid would have been given a proper trial.

[Ultimate Paragon]

do you really think a white kid would have been suspected

A white kid would have been given a proper trial.

That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it.  However, you can't automatically assume that.  I knew a guy who looked like a stereotypical WASP, and he ended up being the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

[Kain]

Okay, maybe it is racially motivated.  However, we shouldn't automatically assume that just because he happens to be black.  I, personally, am inclined to believe it is a racist incident.  On the other hand, I don't know enough of the details to assume so.

Cool story bro.