I said there is no justice
As they led me out of the door
And the Judge said, This isn't a court of justice, son
This is a court of law.
-Billy Bragg, Rotting on Remand
Almost anyone with even a passing acquaintance with the US legal system, is left with the impression that something is very wrong. Often, systemic social and economic factors determine the outcome of a legal proceeding in the same way that they determine the outcome of a mortgage application or job interview.
This isn't to say that people should not be held accountable for their actions, just that the government entities in the US have a pretty lousy track record when it comes to fair play and ethical conduct, at home and abroad, and are utterly lacking in credilbilty. Those of us who are not in the black robes or orange jumpsuits share some of the responsibilty, especially when a life is taken. We have made it very clear that we want someone, anyone apprehended and convicted, with great haste, and this is why US death rows are populated with the illiterate and the unwanted, most of whom could not afford competent counsel. This is how initiatives such as the Innocence Project are able to exonerate dozens of wrongfully convicted people.
The aftermath of the shooting death of James Stubbs, in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood, unfolds like the kind of legal thrillers popular for vacation reading, but the accused was not rescued from the jaws of the system at the eleventh hour. The recent conviction (after two mistrials) of Joseph Hall, of Penn Hills, has many of the hallmarks of this kind of case: bad lawyering at the start (later replaced with competent counsel), an total lack of any forensic evidence, the State's refusal to allow new evidence that could have exonerated Hall, but admitting evidence from a former school cop, now employed by Churchill, almost 1 1/2 years later, and a case that hinged on testimony that changed multiple times throughout, ultimately resulting in the prosecution's main witness being charged with perjury. Despite these circumstances, Mr. Hall was sentenced to 17 1/2 to 35 years, and the judge in the case, David Cashman, refused to reduce this sentence.
The shooting death of Mr. Stubbs is tragic enough, without the wrongful conviction of Joseph Hall. When attempting to explain these kinds of deaths, the media blames everything but the true culprit: capitalism, as it is practiced in the US. Since the arrival of Columbus in North America, wealth has been accumulated at the point of the sword and out of the barrel of a gun. What is commonly referred to as "gang violence" is simply a literal interpetation of the nightmare that is the "American dream", with all the slavery, genocide, apartheid, and violence that it entails.
For more information, on the way this cae has unfolded, from someone directly involved with it, check out this video interview of Joseph Hall's mother, Cecilia Coleman, by Pamela Johnson, one of the founders of the AAMI. An especially telling moment occurs at 27:45, where someone from the DA's office is trying to keep from smiling when he is telling the public to beware of an allegedly "armed and dangerous", Joseph Hall.
This case is currently under appeal, and a local efforts are underway, to provide support others who are in similar predicaments, and their loved ones.
Comments
Amazing. How can a country as educated as the US have so many innocent people in their prisons? Oh yes, I know, everyone in prison says that they're innocent!!! (normally around the same time that they are saved by finding Jesus. Or Allah) Amazed that they NEVER seem to get a guilty one.
Just once you know, maybe the accused DID do it.
The US educational system isn't all that great compared to other industrialized nations. Why is the US the leader in putting people in prison to begin with? Do you think there could be some relation?
People plead guilty all the time. I don't understand what you're so upset about?
To Sick of Bleeding Hearts,
No one is trying to free guilty prisoners. For a prisoner to maintain their innocence they suffer with longer prison sentences, are denied privileges they may have if they "showed remorse" and are less likely to receive parole. It is "unwise" to say the least to maintain innocence once convicted. Just google wrongful convictions. The judicial system is failing and as American Citizens you need to be informed before it happens to you and you see yourself looking for hundreds of thousands of dollars to defend your innocence. Our country is not longer innocent until proven guilty, it is guilty and prove your innocence at the expense of thousands!
THAT'S WAT HIS ASS GET...HIS DUMB ASS MOM SHOULDA KEPT HER MOUTH SHUT...STUPID BITCH! MISS. COLEMAN IS THE SNITCH! SHE IS THE REASON HER SON GOT THAT MANY YEARS
AND ANOTHER THING...HE AIN'T GETTIN OUT...YEAH YOUR RIGHT,H DIDN'T DO IT BUT YOU BEEN LYING FROM DAY ONE GETTIN PEOPLE ALL CAUGHT UP IN THE MIX...YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT STORIES...DNT KNOW WHICH ONE TO BELIEVE.... CECILIA, YOU'RE A JOKE..YOUR THE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS...SAD TO SAY BUT TRUE YOUR SON IS GONNA DO ALL 17 YEARS PLUS MORE...HE GON BE SOMEBODY'S BITCH,SUCKING DICK AND IRONING UNDERWEARS...HE GON BE GETTING DICK UP HIS BUTT AND HE WILL THEN BECOME A SHE..STOP WASTING TIME...ITS OVER...THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO...SO YOU CAN TAKE YA SNITCHIN ASS BACK TO WHERE U CAME FROM...STUPID BITCH! YOUR MOM,PAM JOHNSON IS A DUMB BITCH TOO..YALL LOOKED LIKE SUM DAMN FOOLS IN THAT INTERVIEW..YALL ACTIN LIKE YALL DNT KNW EACH OTHER AND PAM IS TRYING TO LOOK SHOCKED! LAME ASS BITCHES...YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ALL THAT...
THANKS FOR THE GREAT ARTICLE. IT WAS HELPFUL AND ATTORNEY PAUL GETTLEMAN APPROVE OF IT ALSO. I HAVE OTHER INFO TO SHARE WITH YOU.
ms. brown , my family pray for you. just pray and you will see that your life can be fullfilled. we forgive you,and you are in our prayers
hey ,check out www.macoti.org
Why da f**k u got Monty's letter up there stupid b**ch! That's not gon help ur son! Sad to say but so true,your son is not getting out, all he is is a number,lost in da system...I do believe he's innocent but ur goin bout it da wrong way. Dnt give credit to Ms.brown for my work! I called it how I see it...Wrong person b**ch! I will let her know u got her name all up on da internet too..Dnt pray for me, I dnt like everybody prayin for me, pray for ur son...I dnt respect ya movement...Why dnt u tell da truth...U want everybody else to take da blame...U tryna get my man caught up in more mess. And truth be told ur just mad because Monty dnt have da same sentence as ur son. Im tired of u and ur shyt! gettin people all caught up and shyt. Monty ain't no snitch! Neva was and neva will be...Good Luck On Ya Case...Deuces
B*#@h's is weird ...you're not monnie's #1 and i dont know why ms. cecilia put monnie's letter up there. he's gon be mad bout that...although da police did try 2 get him 2 lie, he didn't...i dnt think he would appreciate being in ya project to free joe...bad enough he's under alot of pressure and caught up in thid bulls**t....this is gettin out of hand...when will it stop? Im done wit dis site..
JOIN MACOTI,BECOME A MEMBER. ITS A GOOD CAUSE.THANKS EVERYBODY FOR VIEWING AND PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH. WE WELCOME ALL COMMENTS. WE KNOW YOU CAN BE ANYWHERE ,BUT YOU CHOOSE TO VIEW THIS ARTICLE AND LEAVE COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I think President Obama should step up to the plate and do something to hold judges, attorneys and other court personnel accountable for obstruction, perjury, murder and more. As long as they get away with what they do, they will continue putting our children in jails for nothing.
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