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.

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

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

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.