Saying “enough is enough,” the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus (ALBC) has issued a resolution denouncing what it calls unequal treatment of blacks in Mobile, and has called for a United States Justice Department investigation into the indictment against former Judge Herman Thomas. .jpg)
The resolution was signed by ALBC Chairman Rep. John Rogers (D-Birmingham) and represents the views of the 35 members of the state’s black legislative delegation.
In a separate development, Southern Christian Leadership Conference President Rev. Byron Clay announced that a rally in support of Judge Thomas will be held in Mobile June 16.
It is the second such rally the SCLC has held in Mobile in support of the former judge, and according to Rev. Clay is to “demonstrate support for Judge Herman Thomas due to the Willie Lynch Theory,” a reference to the British slave owner from the West Indies who came to the United States in 1612 to teach American slave owners how to keep their slaves under control.
“We will not stand by to watch this lynching (of Judge Thomas) without preparing this community to react to these slanderous lies,” said Rev. Clay.
Thomas, who is secretary of the organization 100 Black Men, which mentors African-American youth, resigned from the bench in 2007 amid allegations that he took over other judges' cases without their knowledge, checked inmates out of jail and paddled them, and involved himself in cases where he had personal connections.
He has denied the allegations, but a Mobile County Grand Jury returned a 29-page, 57-count felony indictment against him in March of this year, that lists nine un-named victims ... each of them current or former inmates.
In the ALBC resolution, the caucus not only cited the issues surrounding Thomas, but expanded its thoughts to other prominent judicial matters in Mobile including former school board official David Thomas (a distant relative of the judge) and former City of Prichard Mayor Jesse Norwood ... both removed from office amid charges of official misconduct.
“We just want to make sure the playing field is level and that people aren’t just singled out for prosecution because of the color of their skin ,” said Rep. Rogers.
“We intend to monitor the situation in Mobile very closely. We are very upset with (Mobile District Attorney) John Tyson.”
The resolution reads that the caucus has officially put “John Tyson, Jr., and the entire state of Alabama on notice (that) we are sick and tired of being treated as second class citizens. Mrs. Rosa Parks did not sit down for us not to stand up.
“We are requesting the United States Department of Justice to review the problem and petition of unfair indictment of Blacks in Alabama generally, and in Mobile specifically.
“We are calling on the state leadership to call an end to (the) selective prosecution and persecution.”
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