"The Most Powerful Pages on The Planet"
November 20, 2010
Volume 3, Number 14
Darwin Campbell, Executive Publisher
An Exclusive Report Publication
Send comments, news tips and story ideas to: lonestarpp08@gmail.com
Fighting Double Standards of Justice in Paris/Lamar County Texas
Tour For Justice Takes Justice System Injustices To Washington, D.C.
Darwin Campbell
LoneStarPowerPages
Tour For Justice Exposes Racism in Paris, Texas
Austin, Texas - Increasing cases of discrimination and systematic racism have activists demanding a complete overhaul of the criminal justice system in Paris and Lamar County, Texas.
“There is a pattern of racism and injustices against African-American in Paris that has gone unchecked for years,” Jim Blackwell, leader of Tarrant County Local Organizing Committee (L.O.C.). “We are campaigning and marching to represent all African-Americans in Paris who have no outlet, no voice and nowhere to express their opinions.”
In the first of a triad of stops, Concerned Citizens for Racial Equality, the L.O.C. and the Nation of Islam held its initial rally protesting on streets of the state capitol to refocus attention on the myriad of injustices happening in Paris, Texas.
Austin is the first step in a three-city pilgrimage that will take the groups from Austin to Houston and finally ending at the United States Attorney’s Offices in Washington, D.C.
The citizens are delivering a report to officials and requesting a formal investigation by the Texas Attorney General of the Lamar County criminal justice system due to a systematic pattern and practice of racism and discrimination perpetrated by officials in the Lamar County criminal justice system, including but not limited to the Paris Police Department, the Lamar County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety-Paris Office, the Lamar County Attorney's Office and the judicial system.
Blackwell, Concerned Citizens President Brenda Cherry, community activist Creola Cotton and other citizens of Lamar County are filing the complaint due to concerns about the shattering affect institutional and systematic racism and discrimination has had on the lives and psyche of minorities within the criminal justice system in Paris, Texas.
Questions are also being raised about the double standard involving the way Lamar County District Attorney Gary Young handles cases involving Whites versus Blacks.
Blackwell and Concerned Citizens are calling attention to more than a dozen cases involving African-Americans where serious questions about miscarriages in justice have occurred.
Along the way, the groups are presenting a factual report on racism and discrimination in Paris that is an exhaustive review of cases involving African-Americans who were given unequal time and unequal justice when compared to whites who committed similar crimes.
Cases named in the reports include incidents involving residents Bobby Yates, Cornelius Gill, Donald Stewart, Keyon Mitchell, Detwonne Alexander, the late Brandon McClelland, Aaron Hart, Richard Martinez, Kierra Gunn and the recent issues involving racism and discrimination at Turner Pipe Industries.
According to the study, official reports on each case are filled with visible discrepancies that indicate racism, unbalanced justice and actions against African-American males using little or no evidence, inaccurate police reporting, falsified reports, unequal protection, racial profiling and unequal sentencing, retaliation, bond disparity; discrimination, excessive bonds and unfair sentencing.
“We want all these cases reopened, looked into and reinvestigated and these people set free,” he said. “We are calling for the double standards of justice to be overturned and completely overhauled.”
The group has held numerous protests to raise awareness and appeal for justice, but to no avail. Now, activists believe further actions are necessary to shine the light on Paris injustices because other attempts to communicate and address citizen complaints have been unsuccessful.
According to Cherry, activists have attempted to address and settle these issues for the past six years.
In 2008, activists sought to work with the Paris Diversity Task Force.
It is composed of the public officials and Paris civic groups and citizens claiming to want to find solutions to claims of racism, injustices and other social ills plaguing the community.
Activists also participated in a community dialogue with Carmelita Freeman Pope of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations service – that too failed.
After attending most meetings and events, none yielded concrete results and little changed.
According to Cherry and Cotton, during discussions many of the abuses continued and were never addressed. That neglect and refusal to open honest dialogue about any of the issues led to taking the fight all the way to officials in Washington.
Also, attempts to meet and speak with the district attorney, law enforcement officials and local state representatives also have fallen on deaf ears.
Undaunted by the closed doors of status quo, Blackwell and the group presses on.
“Justice should know no boundaries,” he said. “We are prepared to fight no matter who is in power. Parties don’t matter. We will stand up for our rights and stand up and be heard.”
Cherry promises that the issue of injustice and fighting for judicial fairness and equality will continue to remain at the forefront until change comes.
“We are committed to getting things changed with or without their help,” Cherry said. “A small number of dedicated and determined people with a common goal can get more accomplished than a large group of people who have different agendas, with some worrying about stepping on someone’s toes, some worrying about politics, and others shaking in fear and trying to sit on both sides of the fence.”
Blackwell agreed.“We will not be bowed because the Tea Parties are a testimony to how small groups with a few voices can stand up and make a difference. You can’t question the effectiveness of getting your message out.”
Next stop one the tour for justice is Houston, Texas.
Contact Darwin about this story at : lonestarpp08@gmail.com
“There is a pattern of racism and injustices against African-American in Paris that has gone unchecked for years,” Jim Blackwell, leader of Tarrant County Local Organizing Committee (L.O.C.). “We are campaigning and marching to represent all African-Americans in Paris who have no outlet, no voice and nowhere to express their opinions.”
In the first of a triad of stops, Concerned Citizens for Racial Equality, the L.O.C. and the Nation of Islam held its initial rally protesting on streets of the state capitol to refocus attention on the myriad of injustices happening in Paris, Texas.
Austin is the first step in a three-city pilgrimage that will take the groups from Austin to Houston and finally ending at the United States Attorney’s Offices in Washington, D.C.
The citizens are delivering a report to officials and requesting a formal investigation by the Texas Attorney General of the Lamar County criminal justice system due to a systematic pattern and practice of racism and discrimination perpetrated by officials in the Lamar County criminal justice system, including but not limited to the Paris Police Department, the Lamar County Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety-Paris Office, the Lamar County Attorney's Office and the judicial system.
Blackwell, Concerned Citizens President Brenda Cherry, community activist Creola Cotton and other citizens of Lamar County are filing the complaint due to concerns about the shattering affect institutional and systematic racism and discrimination has had on the lives and psyche of minorities within the criminal justice system in Paris, Texas.
Questions are also being raised about the double standard involving the way Lamar County District Attorney Gary Young handles cases involving Whites versus Blacks.
Blackwell and Concerned Citizens are calling attention to more than a dozen cases involving African-Americans where serious questions about miscarriages in justice have occurred.
Along the way, the groups are presenting a factual report on racism and discrimination in Paris that is an exhaustive review of cases involving African-Americans who were given unequal time and unequal justice when compared to whites who committed similar crimes.
Cases named in the reports include incidents involving residents Bobby Yates, Cornelius Gill, Donald Stewart, Keyon Mitchell, Detwonne Alexander, the late Brandon McClelland, Aaron Hart, Richard Martinez, Kierra Gunn and the recent issues involving racism and discrimination at Turner Pipe Industries.
According to the study, official reports on each case are filled with visible discrepancies that indicate racism, unbalanced justice and actions against African-American males using little or no evidence, inaccurate police reporting, falsified reports, unequal protection, racial profiling and unequal sentencing, retaliation, bond disparity; discrimination, excessive bonds and unfair sentencing.
“We want all these cases reopened, looked into and reinvestigated and these people set free,” he said. “We are calling for the double standards of justice to be overturned and completely overhauled.”
The group has held numerous protests to raise awareness and appeal for justice, but to no avail. Now, activists believe further actions are necessary to shine the light on Paris injustices because other attempts to communicate and address citizen complaints have been unsuccessful.
According to Cherry, activists have attempted to address and settle these issues for the past six years.
In 2008, activists sought to work with the Paris Diversity Task Force.
It is composed of the public officials and Paris civic groups and citizens claiming to want to find solutions to claims of racism, injustices and other social ills plaguing the community.
Activists also participated in a community dialogue with Carmelita Freeman Pope of the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations service – that too failed.
After attending most meetings and events, none yielded concrete results and little changed.
According to Cherry and Cotton, during discussions many of the abuses continued and were never addressed. That neglect and refusal to open honest dialogue about any of the issues led to taking the fight all the way to officials in Washington.
Also, attempts to meet and speak with the district attorney, law enforcement officials and local state representatives also have fallen on deaf ears.
Undaunted by the closed doors of status quo, Blackwell and the group presses on.
“Justice should know no boundaries,” he said. “We are prepared to fight no matter who is in power. Parties don’t matter. We will stand up for our rights and stand up and be heard.”
Cherry promises that the issue of injustice and fighting for judicial fairness and equality will continue to remain at the forefront until change comes.
“We are committed to getting things changed with or without their help,” Cherry said. “A small number of dedicated and determined people with a common goal can get more accomplished than a large group of people who have different agendas, with some worrying about stepping on someone’s toes, some worrying about politics, and others shaking in fear and trying to sit on both sides of the fence.”
Blackwell agreed.“We will not be bowed because the Tea Parties are a testimony to how small groups with a few voices can stand up and make a difference. You can’t question the effectiveness of getting your message out.”
Next stop one the tour for justice is Houston, Texas.
Contact Darwin about this story at : lonestarpp08@gmail.com
Tour For Justice
Fighting Injustices For Brandon McClelland and Countless Others
