Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Should The Prosecutor Recuse Himself?

If a public prosecutor can't be trusted to perform his duty in pursuit of justice because his police officer father was killed by a black man, can those protesting because a white officer killed a black man be trusted to recognize justice?

Rodney King was filmed being beaten by the Los Angeles police. OJ Simpson was provably guilty. When race becomes a part of a case in America, all too often, facts don't matter and we should be as concerned about that as any other social context. Justice is blind but not deaf, dumb and stupid and this cuts all ways or it isn't justice.

Consider that highly litigated processes tend to drive out competent people because the risks of becoming collateral damage are too hgh. If we continue on the path we've been walking, there will come a time when there are no competent professionals in the justice system and the only recourse will be mobs driven by social media and ratings seeking mainstream media. The talking heads will be both judge and prosecutor and every day will see a new Ox Bow Incident.

Then if you are a minority, your chances of being fairly treated go to zero quickly.

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