Was Justice Served?
Published December 14, 2012
Superior Court Judge Gregory Weeks overturned the death sentences of three convicted killers, applying The Racial Justice Act. In the four-week trial Weeks cited several instances where prosecutors made a concerted effort to reduce the number of black jurors in the three trials.
Family members, law enforcement officials, and prosecutors disagreed, some strongly, to changing the sentence to life without parole. Defenders of the act say the case was made that racial prejudice played a role in the trials.
Was justice served? Should these rulings be appealed? Is there racial prejudice in our judicial process? Do you believe people sentenced to life without parole will be freed? Should we eliminate the death penalty?
The Racial Justice Act continues to be one of the more controversial pieces of legislation passed in the past decade.
December 14, 2012 at 9:51 pm
Ramona Stafford says:
The survivors of the heinous murders of their loved ones have a right to be outraged with the overturn of the sentences. Do not forget that the defense will choose jurors who will likely see the defense point of view and those jurors would likely be black. Therefore, the defense would be racist. Based on previous decision by Judge Weeks I am concerned about his biases. In the name of justice for the violent death of these victims I trust the decision to overturn these sentences will be appealed to a higher court of judges.
