Prejudice on Trial

[Snoggera]

http://www.courttv.com/news/2004/0416/dragging_ap.html

BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — One of the two white men condemned for the notorious 1998 dragging death of a black man from Jasper is asking for an execution date.

In a letter dated April 2, Lawrence Russell Brewer wrote to State District Judge Monte Lawlis, the trial judge in his case, and asked a date be scheduled for his lethal injection.

"I think it's about time that we bypass all these childish games and make the necessary arrangements for an execution date Sir," Brewer wrote.

He said his request wasn't because of "so-called guilt on my behalf, but rather the inactions of the counsel I've had thus far."

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The part that stands out for me is the statement "so-called guilt"

What is he saying? That he's not guilty of the crime, or that the crime shouldn't have been a crime to begin with?

(if this is a dupe - apologies. I didn't find it, and thought it interesting)

[theboss]

1. Two word answer: he's dumb

I clerked in a criminal law firm. Most of our defendents barely had the brain power to negotiate the act of buttoning a dress shirt.

Don't look for hidden meaning in their letters.

(Unless the letter is written by Charles Manson. An attorney I worked with somehow got his name in a prison newsletter, which somehow got the attention of Manson, who wrote him a bizarre, rambling letter seeking help. The letter was ignored until Manson wrote again. All it said in big letters was, "WHY HAVEN'T YOU WRITTEN ME BACK?!?!?!" The attorney wrote a very pleasant letter explaining that he was not licensed in CA and guided him towards a nice Legal Aid society).

[Snoggera]

2. Another prejudice trial

I haven't been to this site before, and find it intriguing; the type of crimes that are being covered. It seems like a good trend.

http://www.courttv.com/trials/news/0404/16_transgender_ap.html

Trial begins for men accused of murdering teen they thought was female



HAYWARD, Calif. (AP) — The attorney for one of three men on trial for the slaying of a transgender teen said his client acted out of shame and revulsion upon discovering that he had sex with a man.

The argument came on the second day of opening statements in the trial of three men charged with murdering Eddie "Gwen" Araujo, 17. The teenager, who lived as a woman, was beaten, strangled and buried in a shallow grave in 2002 after it was discovered that Araujo was biologically male.

"It brought shame and humiliation, shock and revulsion," said Michael Thorman, the attorney for Michael Magidson, 23.

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apparently the defense in this one is that if one experiences revulsion, it is okay to beat, strangle and murder someone.

I'm amazed.

(Poster #1 - I agree wholeheartedly with what you said)

[TexasMexican]

3. I hope he gets his answer.

and I hope he is executed at the soonest possible date.

[kanrok]

4. Hmmmm...sounds like a reasonable request.