More Racial Injustice in Prison Sentencing
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Law, News, RaceYesterday I wrote about the disparity between America’s incarceration rate and the rest of the world.
Now I find this story from the Chicago Tribune about Paris, Texas…
There was the 19-year-old white man, convicted last July of criminally negligent homicide for killing a 54-year-old black woman and her 3-year-old grandson with his truck, who was sentenced in Paris to probation and required to send an annual Christmas card to the victims’ family.There are the Paris public schools, which are under investigation by the U.S. Education Department after repeated complaints that administrators discipline black students more frequently, and more harshly, than white students.
And then there is the case that most troubles Cherry and leaders of the Texas NAACP, involving a 14-year-old black freshman, Shaquanda Cotton, who shoved a hall monitor at Paris High School in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun.
The youth had no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor–a 58-year-old teacher’s aide–was not seriously injured. But Shaquanda was tried in March 2006 in the town’s juvenile court, convicted of “assault on a public servant” and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until she turns 21.
Okay, got that? 7 years locked up in juvenile detention for shoving somebody!
Ready for the yin to that yang?
Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family’s house, to probation.
Try to read the whole thing. It’s extraordinarily troubling and speaks to just how far we have yet to come until we’ll be able to offer life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness equally in this country.
This entry was posted on Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 and is filed under Law, News, Race. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:27 am
I tried to ind some more information about this case but it was difficult with all the posturing going on about it. Does the charge of “Assault on a Public Servant” carry mandatory sentencing requirements in Texas?
And as for comparing it to the arson charge I would think it would be more apt if the girl burned down someone elses house, as I dont think you will find such sentencing is unusual nationwide given this paticular situation.
I’m all ready to be outraged, but I want all the facts first.
March 23rd, 2007 at 8:23 am
7 years in jail for pushing a hall monitor–if you’re black
What began as a bad day for 14-year-old Paris (Texas) High School freshman Shaquanda Cotton ended up as an apartheid nightmare. It seems that Shaquanda shoved a hall monitor in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun. She was trying to get to the nurse’s office to get her daily dose of medicine for her “attention deficit” disorder. Was this African-American youngster suspended? Kept after school? Sent to a counselor for some anger-management intervention? No.
Shaquanda, who had no previous arrest record, was tried in March 2006 in the town’s juvenile court, convicted of “assault on a public servant,” and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years until she turns 21. Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family’s house, to probation.
For more see Chicago Tribune story, “To some in Paris, sinister past is back.”
This letter is in response to a story published in the March 12th 2007 issue of the Chicago Tribune regarding the continued confinement of Shaquanda Cotton of Paris Texas. I am simply infuriated at the severity of the sentence imposed by Judge Chuck Superville. The incident initially considered a misdemeanor, was elevated to a felony, and Judge Superville imposed an indeterminate sentence with one year certain, up to age 21. Yet despite the Lamar County’s District Attorney and his staff protestations to the contrary, one can only conclude that race and the efforts of the Shaquanda’s parent to receive equal treatment for Black children from the school Board and the administration of Paris High School. This action implies an attempt to squash legitimate dissent, a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Surely this is not something you would approve, nor any other true American.
Additionally, once Shaquanda was remanded to the custody of the Texas Youth Commission, that initial callousness was further compounded by treating Ms Cotton, diagnosed since age 7 with attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD), with the drug seratraline (Zoloft). This drug, based on a public warning issued by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), indicated an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with the use of this antidepressant medication, especially if the recipient was under 18 years old. Shaquanda has since been recorded as having three attempted suicides in the course of the 11 months she has been incarcerated. Shaquanda Cotton, I may add has never been arrested or charged with any other crime previously, at most, a few minor infractions of school rules. Does wearing her skirt one inch too short or pouring too much paint in a cup, deserve such an overwhelming draconian response by the justice system in Paris Texas? I think you will agree with me that it does not.
This situation is unconscionable, I am sure that you, and anyone else can see this injustice wants to see Shaquanda Cotton returned home, to recover her childhood, to grow up and become a fine upstanding citizen of whom we can all be proud. Send her home, now, and let her begin, realize her human possibilities.
Thank you.
Matt Brookman
Owner, designer, and maintainer of
http://www.mysticalvillage.net
March 26th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
[...] Southwest Bureau Chief for the Chicago Tribune, Howard Witt, just contacted me with an important update about the remarkably unjust, race-motivated sentencing of Shaquanda Cotton in Paris, TX. [...]
March 26th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
[...] Southwest Bureau Chief for the Chicago Tribune, Howard Witt, just contacted me with an important update about the remarkably unjust, race-motivated sentencing of Shaquanda Cotton in Paris, TX. [...]
March 28th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
This case and all similar instances concerning racial bigotry, indifference, and blatant injustice is typical of the institutional racism that is practiced on a daily basis by the white populace. Let’s not be fooled into thinking for one moment that the decisions made by the judge in Paris were not racially driven. Whenever white people can get away with racism, they will do it! That is why we should never, ever allow Affirmative Action laws to be dissolved. Black people need these laws to maintain equality and to keep white people in check! Look at the news. It’s there right in front of us every, single, solitary day! They hate us. And that hate will linger on and on as long as we are able to walk, talk, live and breathe air in America. Don’t be fooled by the media, the movies, TV or the few interracial marriages you see. The old, white racists are still alive and have perpetuated their racist ideals and passed them on to the younger generation…alive today! The law and black unity is all we have left…we must use it to it’s fullest extent in dealing with this hatred!
April 16th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
how are you doing
never give up Miss Shaquanda Cotton
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:01 am
Open letter to Judge Superville:
Greetings Judge Superville,
I’m an American living in Germany for the last 10 years and recently received an e-Mail regarding your sentencing of the Black teenager Shaquanda Cotton.
After doing a little research of my own, I discovered that you and your colleagues have a record of handing down unjustifiably harsh sentences to Blacks while you treat the extreme criminal acts of Whites with kid gloves.
Shaquanda’s being free is not enough! It is clear that you and your colleagues are trying to perpetuate a society that enslaves minorities by intimidation and imprisonment. Your offenses do not go unrecognized.
Take a look at what you’re White youth are doing. Because of people like you they are getting away with MURDER!!!
Get a grip! Earn the title HONORABLE that was bestowed upon you.
Al-Yasha Anderson
July 1st, 2007 at 9:14 pm
I am a 25-year resident of Houston, Texas, but grew up (17 years, through high school) in Paris, Texas. I am also a public school teacher. I am totally shocked at the information coming out on my home town–I had not heard a thing about the problem with the Paris schools, and a colleague at work suggested I just google Paris, Texas.
I am truly horrified at the information in the Tribune article. The story about Shaquanda Cotton sends chills up my spine. Regarding her medical issues in prison, people need to be aware that this is rampant problem in the jail systems in Texas, regardless of race. My son, who had a 3-year diagnosis of bipolar disorder, was also treated with the wrong meds in jail, and tragically, committed suicide within 2 months of release from the Harris County jail system.
Most of all, I am shocked that this is what has become of my home town. My mother was a huge anti-segregationists in 1964 when Paris schools first integrated blacks. My mother made sure our elementary school did not have police there on the first day. She fought our Principal over this! Things went smoothly, and I am truly not aware of a single racial problem in the years I was in Paris schools (through 1973).
Saddened and Shocked, Kathy L.