Man will spend six years in prison despite jury finding him 'not guilty'

[CmdrShep2154]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a7744326.html

I think private prison CEOs should pay for programs in the inner city that fight the glorification of gang culture and anti intellectualism as well as promote science, technology, and cool looking spaceships!

The judge and this so called jury do not want to make the world a better place! They don't want to better humanity! And they certainly don't an interstellar future for humanity!

They need a good space opera!

[Tennis]

How awful. We need to take a stand against this! Meanwhile we have angry people who think the best use of their time is fighting against political correctness and immigration.

[Barnabas]

The story doesn't make sense. If he "knew was innocent" then why do any type of alford plea at the beginning? Why the willingness to take an assault charge? Seems like something is missing in this story.

[Khaza-R]

While I don't like race-baiting threads, this is pretty absurd.

6 years for violating parol on a small misdemeanor charge? That is the kind of punitive damage that turns people into career criminals

[GodlyBob]

The story doesn't make sense. If he "knew was innocent" then why do any type of alford plea at the beginning? Why the willingness to take an assault charge? Seems like something is missing in this story.

Yeah, justice.

#sunglasses

[Vash The Stampede]

Uh, look at the first sentence.

A black man who was found not guilty of armed robbery will still serve up to seven years behind bars after a judge ruled he had breached the rules of his probation sentence for another crime.

He's going to jail for another crime.

[callipygoustp]

Disgusting, utterly disgusting.

Edit:
Kind of feeling a little guilty that I bought stock in a couple private prison companies back in Feb.

[Hiricine]

I'm a little confused about a lot of the details on this case. Was it a parole violation while on parole for a crime he didn't commit?

Either way, cases like this are generally why executives of state are given pardon authority and to communicate sentences.

[Pendulous]

Pretty sure the judge does not have the power to overrule a jury's verdict? I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that makes logical sense to me.

[ujx]

Why mention race besides to bait a shitstorm? Plenty of people of all races are wrongfully convicted.

[Calfredd]

Uh, look at the first sentence.



He's going to jail for another crime.

Except there was also this:

Court documents nonetheless showed he did everything asked of him during his probation, including checking in, paying restitution and finishing his community service. He was also holding down a job.

[elvesrus]

IANAL but this seems like a violation of his 6th amendment rights

[Dr Assbandit]

Uh, look at the first sentence.



He's going to jail for another crime.

No, he isn't. From all accounts he never violated the rules of his probation and this judge clearly needs to be investigated.

[Dr Assbandit]

Why mention race besides to bait a shitstorm? Plenty of people of all races are wrongfully convicted.

Yes but black people have been known to be incarcerated at a much higher rather than other races in the US. Also good job missing the main point of the article and instead find something minuscule to focus on .

[Barnabas]

Yeah, justice.

#sunglasses

Whoever the source is for these articles didn't do the facts any justice.

[callipygoustp]

No, he isn't. From all accounts he never violated the rules of his probation and this judge clearly needs to be investigated.

Yeah, hopefully the ACLU or NAACP look into it.

[Sesshou]

Pretty sure the judge does not have the power to overrule a jury's verdict? I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that makes logical sense to me.

He doesn't. The judge can't sentence him to time for the crime the jury found him not guilty of. The judge apparently can force him to finish the sentence for his first crime which he was granted parole for. I don't really get how that works because I would have thought that couldn't happen unless he violated the terms of his parole, and it doesn't sound like the guy did...

[Dr Assbandit]

I don't think he directly overruled the jury, so much as ignored their finding in handling this person's parole. What happened was he changed the original sentence, as opposed to giving him a new sentence for the crime he was not convicted of. Not really sure what the rules are there.

I mean if it happened as the article says, that seems really suspect and like something that should get the judge skewered by any sort of appeal.

From what I'm seeing this particular judge has been particularly trigger-happy with handing down maximum sentences for minor violations as far as minorities are concerned.

[Endus]

The important part is here;

The following February, a judge decided it was likely he did commit the robbery and as a result Chatman was re-sentenced for the original crime of stealing a TV and ordered to serve 10-years behind bars, back dated to the day of the crime.

Judge A, ruling on this guy's probation, decided he'd probably committed the newer armed robbery, and ruled that doing so breached his probation, and sent him back to prison on the charge he was originally granted probation for. This was in February.

Then, in August, the trial for the newer armed robbery actually happened, and he was found not guilty. Meaning the first judge clearly acted unjustly, and at the very least, the guy needs to be released and put back on probation. Even if the first judge was ensuring Chatman was around to stand trial by cancelling his probation, the second judge should not have any authority to refuse to release Chatman after the jury verdict came down.

[ujx]

Yes but black people have been known to be incarcerated at a much higher rather than other races in the US. Also good job missing the main point of the article and instead find something minuscule to focus on .

Sorry for pointing out a manipulative headline. If it were Walter L. Whiteman who was wrongfully convicted I'm sure it wouldn't mention his race.