Quote:
Originally posted by PM_Mama00
Ah yeah. Don't get the "specifically black men" comment. I named Michael Jordan because he's the most famous basketball player that I know of, and OJ Simpson for obvious reasons. Not my fault that they are coincidentally all black.
And about being wrongly accused... my ex boyfriend/good friend who I love dearly is probably going to jail next week on his birthday for something that he didn't do or had anything to do with, but there is really not a lot of evidence to prove him innocent. So yes, I do believe people can be wrongly accused.
And yeah I hope the equal rights activists are protecting everyone. My whole point of my post was to say that there are a LOT of athletes who get away with things... as well as politicians, actors/actresses, musicians, and it's sick. When any other normal Joe would get arrested for drug abuse or whatever, if he got charged/convicted he woudln't be able to work because he'd be in jail (I guess... that's how it is in my friend's case). However, a lot of famous people, like Robert Downey, Jr. are continuously released and let to work again. Or in athletes situations, play again and receive millions of dollars.
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PM_Mama, since you didn't get the "black men" comment, I will explain it to you. I made the comment about black men being wrongly accused of crimes not because of Michael Jordan or Allen Iverson, but because of my work. I work as a public defender, which means I represent people charged with crimes who cannot afford to hire a private attorney. I spend day after day sitting in jail or lockup talking to my clients, most of whom are poor black men, about the charges they are facing, many of which are bogus. Every day I see how our society is doing a disservice to both the poor and minorities, as they are frequently arrested and thrown in jail on charges are based upon a bunch of crap.
I also don't think that you are qualified to comment on what happens when "any other normal Joe" gets convicted of a crime. Most people who are convicted of lesser felonies, including drug possession, weapons possession, forgery, theft, battery, etc., especially when it is a first offense, do NOT get jail time. Our jails are overcrowded as it is, and often probation is an option because we do not have the resources to be rounding up all the "average Joes" and throwing them in jail.
I'm not trying to argue with you, but as someone with experience in criminal law, I don't want people coming away from this thread with a grossly inaccurate picture of how it all works, or doesn't work as the case may be.