Excessive punishment for sex act? - Page 2

teena · #16 03-08-2006, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ladygreek
I may be thinking about another case, but I think after a petition drive that young man was pardoned.

You might be right. But that was after he was sentenced?

Eclipse · #17 03-08-2006, 05:50 PM

The Douglasville Six case, McDade insists, in no way detracts from his long-standing track record. McDade says that critics are merely playing the proverbial race card. “I think there is an attempt to shy away from a focus on the specifics of this case by some who would like to use any case to create racial disharmony in this community,” he says. “I think the members of the black community should stand up and say, ‘We don’t condone the behavior of these young men.’” Had he not pursued charges against the boys, his critics could have just as easily chastised him for failing to protect the rights of the two black females. “I’m standing up for African-American victims in this case, as I would for any white victim,” says McDade, an alum of Douglas County High, where he played baseball. “Calling me a racist denigrates the people who are victims in this case.”

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/article.php?id=158

I pulled this excerpt from Atlanta Magazine. McDade is the District Attorney. The 'victims' are both African American.

The article is actually very good. You should check it out. It also speaks to the publicity that Marcus Dixon (the young man from about 2 years ago) and the lack of publicity this case is getting.

ETA: I don't think McDade is in a position to tell the black community what they should do, but I do think that ALL of our children--male and female--need to be protected--sometimes from themselves, sometimes from others that look like them, and sometimes from a racist system. We as a people should be just as outraged in any of these situations.

teena · #18 03-08-2006, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eclipse
The Douglasville Six case, McDade insists, in no way detracts from his long-standing track record. McDade says that critics are merely playing the proverbial race card. “I think there is an attempt to shy away from a focus on the specifics of this case by some who would like to use any case to create racial disharmony in this community,” he says. “I think the members of the black community should stand up and say, ‘We don’t condone the behavior of these young men.’” Had he not pursued charges against the boys, his critics could have just as easily chastised him for failing to protect the rights of the two black females. “I’m standing up for African-American victims in this case, as I would for any white victim,” says McDade, an alum of Douglas County High, where he played baseball. “Calling me a racist denigrates the people who are victims in this case.”

http://www.atlantamagazine.com/article.php?id=158

I pulled this excerpt from Atlanta Magazine. McDade is the District Attorney. The 'victims' are both African American.

The article is actually very good. You should check it out. It also speaks to the publicity that Marcus Dixon (the young man from about 2 years ago) and the lack of publicity this case is getting.

Thanks for the correct info!

ladygreek · #19 03-08-2006, 06:02 PM

To the attorneys on here:

If the legislators are successful in rewriting the law and making the offense a misdeamnor could it then be grandfathered into this case?

Boom_Quack13 · #20 03-08-2006, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SKEEphistAKAte
The "victim" must've been white.

No. They are all Black. I have relatives in Douglassvileand Winston, who are familiar with the case.

ZetaStorm · #21 03-09-2006, 01:45 AM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by teena
[B]I am absolutely certain that something exactly like this happened about 2(?) years ago in Georgia(?).

Young 18 male athelete had consensual sex with a white 16 year old. He had college prospects and all. I believe that guy got like 10 years.

As another poster stated I think you're talking about Marcus Dixon. I was in Atlanta at the time all of that happened. Her father was racist so she was basically trying to protect herself. The sex was consensual not rape. Fortunately everything turned out ok for him but it's a bad situation to find yourself in. Oprah really backed him and offered to pay for his college tuition. She originally was sending him to Morehouse but then told him he could choose. He is now a student at Hampton U.

Conskeeted7 · #22 03-10-2006, 01:10 AM

This case really made me upset. I saw the coverage on Primetime Live. It's so unfortunate that his life is being destroyed in this manner. I hope he doesn't have to serve the entire sentence and can continue with his education and life.

Beanblossom1 · #23 03-10-2006, 01:16 AM

I saw the video on Good Morning America. The girl was blurred out, but it was obvious what she was doing.

It appeared consentual on both of their parts. No one was forced and both were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I think thats really unfair to punish the boy when the girl was obviously a willing partner.

James · #24 03-12-2006, 06:27 AM

I am not sure whats worse, that the county has a pattern of descrimination in these cases or that the DA's blithe defense is that he would cheerfully ruin a white kid's life over this just as quickly.

WE need to stop trying to legislate social issues like that.

AlphaFrog · #25 03-12-2006, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Boom_Quack13
No. They are all Black. I have relatives in Douglassvileand Winston, who are familiar with the case.

Well then, I'm sure glad no one here jumped to conclusions and pulled the race card.

teena · #26 03-12-2006, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Well then, I'm sure glad no one here jumped to conclusions and pulled the race card.

If you havent been where I've been and seen what I've seen, you will not understand the conclusions that I will jump to.

In the AA community, we get the short end of the justice stick, all the time, even today. So if I 'jump to conclusions' it is a naturall response from what I see and have seen. It is not a card game. It is what I see all the time in the media and in the work place. I'm wrong this time, it doesnt mean it doesnt happen, on the regular.

AlphaFrog · #27 03-14-2006, 02:01 PM

Since I brought this up in the other thread...I was biting my tounge before on this, but I'm just going to go ahead and say it:

Some of you were being extremely racist at the begining of this thread. Racism works both ways.

I do believe that the punishment in this case is way too harsh for the crime, BUT the law does not say that you can aquit someone because you don't like the punishment. He broke a law and got caught. The jury has no choice but to find him guilty -regardless of his race or what he's got "going for him". If he's going to find reprive, he needs to find another way, maybe write the govenor for a pardon.

Boom_Quack13 · #28 03-14-2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Since I brought this up in the other thread...I was biting my tounge before on this, but I'm just going to go ahead and say it:

Some of you were being extremely racist at the begining of this thread. Racism works both ways.

I do believe that the punishment in this case is way too harsh for the crime, BUT the law does not say that you can aquit someone because you don't like the punishment. He broke a law and got caught. The jury has no choice but to find him guilty -regardless of his race or what he's got "going for him". If he's going to find reprive, he needs to find another way, maybe write the govenor for a pardon.

All you had to do was say what you felt in here, instead of making a butt of yourself in the other thread. However, I completely disagree with you. All laws are not good laws. It was once a law against me having freedom. There have also been laws that said you shouldn't have a Mexcasion baby. Would you not want people voicing concerns for your right to live your PERSONAL life as you want, without government interference?

Or would you prefer to be force to write the "govenor" for a "reprive?"

AlphaFrog · #29 03-14-2006, 02:25 PM

I NEVER said it was a good law. There is a reason for it, but it needs revised. It's designed so that same 15-year old doesn't commit sexual acts with a 30-year old, however the 17 year old got caught up in the letter of the law.

I don't know about NC, but when I lived in IL statutory laws had brackets (at least I think I remember learning it like this in Sociology) where a 15 year old could be with a 17 year old because they we within 2 years of eachother (actually, I think it's 3 years max).

Either way, it doesn't matter. MY POINT was that they cannot aquit him because the minimum punishment is too harsh. If he is guilty, they HAVE to find him guilty, legally, no matter how bad the law is.

Marie · #30 03-15-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
I NEVER said it was a good law. There is a reason for it, but it needs revised. It's designed so that same 15-year old doesn't commit sexual acts with a 30-year old, however the 17 year old got caught up in the letter of the law.

I don't know about NC, but when I lived in IL statutory laws had brackets (at least I think I remember learning it like this in Sociology) where a 15 year old could be with a 17 year old because they we within 2 years of eachother (actually, I think it's 3 years max).

Either way, it doesn't matter. MY POINT was that they cannot aquit him because the minimum punishment is too harsh. If he is guilty, they HAVE to find him guilty, legally, no matter how bad the law is.

AlphaFrog,

I don't think that anyone has questioned the jurors and their application of the law. We all know and understand that once an issue is taken to court, then it is the letter of the law that must stand.

However, what people were questioning was the original intention of the person(s) who chose to prosecute this young man in the 1st place. As has already been mentioned, there was recently a case very similar to this where a young man was accused of rape after having what was found to be consensual sex with a younger girl. In this instance Yes the girl was white and Yes her father had some very strong feelings about his daughter being with a black man. This was believed to be the motivation by many people viewing and invloved in the case including the young man's, white adoptive parents.

Furthermore this is a scenario that many of us have seen played out in smaller settings time and time again. I primarily have heard of instances where interacial couples have been stopped and extensively questioned by the police for little or no reason other than that individuals displeasure with their relationship. While it is with out a doubt that some people in this thread made assumptions without 1st investigating the facts, it is undeniable that their assumptions have proved true many times in this country's history. Certainly their assumptions were not unfounded. I don't understand why there is such resistance to the notion that racism still occurs everyday in this nation and that many of us have experienced it 1st hand. Hence it is quite feasible that many people would be concerned when they hear a story that starts out like another that they've heard many times before.