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

[Sesshou]

And going to jail for 10 years for the attempted theft of a $120 TV is an injustice.

Actually, that is the most ridiculous part of the story. Maybe the term was so long because he was potentially able to avoid it entirely?

[purebalance]

People take Alford plea's because its often the easiest way of getting on with your life.

And going to jail for 10 years for the attempted theft of a $120 TV is an injustice.

It's not the value of the TV so stop spouting that bullshit. He broke into a home. If there was an altercation and the owner shot him you'd be all "mah injustice against a black man amg guns are bad". Stay the fuck out of people's houses. It isn't an injustice.

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Actually, that is the most ridiculous part of the story. Maybe the term was so long because he was potentially able to avoid it entirely?

Pretty much. It's also back dated as stated in the article which means he isn't serving 10 years now it's whatever is left of 10 years.

[Ivanstone]

It's not the value of the TV so stop spouting that bullshit. He broke into a home. If there was an altercation and the owner shot him you'd be all "mah injustice against a black man amg guns are bad". Stay the fuck out of people's houses. It isn't an injustice.

Its an injustice. The punishment should be proportional to the crime. The accused met the terms of his original sentence until something else randomly decided to fuck with his life. On top of that, this is a complete waste of the taxpayer's money. It was originally a non-violent petty crime that the perpetrator showed remorse for.

Furthermore, not guilty does actually mean innocent. If you don't like it, why don't you investigate the case yourself.

[Dr Assbandit]

Race baiting, then people commenting how this is more of an issue than imigration being behind frequent terrorism.

Nice.

People still not being informed enough that the majority of recent terrorists were homegrown citizens and not immigrants.

Nice .

[s_bushido]

Furthermore, not guilty does actually mean innocent. If you don't like it, why don't you investigate the case yourself.

This story seems like a miscarriage of justice, but there is a significant difference between "not guilty" and "innocent." Being found not guilty simply means that the prosecution was unable to make a convincing case, not that the defendant didn't commit the crime. It's precisely the reason "not guilty" is used instead of declaring them innocent.

[Hctaz]

Uh, look at the first sentence.



He's going to jail for another crime.

No. That's not what this sentence is saying. It's saying "He was on probation for another, previous crime. The judge ruled he broke this previous crime's probation in regards to this incident and got him jailed."

Basically the guy did something wrong a while ago, was on probation, "matched" the suspect in looks, knew he was black and a former criminal and would get fucked, turned himself in to the police because he was innocent and didn't want them to come find him and probably beat the shit out of him for "hiding" or "resisting arrest", the jury found him not guilty of the crime, but somehow the judge ruled this as a breach of his probation regardless and he got prison time.

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Except if you are on probation and get "accused" of another crime that is enough to revoke your probation. Which is what happened here. Which is why the guy tried an alfred plea from the start and most likely why the journalist didn't include that because it doesn't fit the narrative. There really is nothing more to discuss here.

But... he didn't fucking do the crime. Why the fuck is getting accused or something enough to revoke your parole when you aren't even guilty of the fucking crime and you're proven as such? I'm actually mad right now. This is fucking stupid and if he were white he wouldn't have gotten this punishment. They would have just let him on his merry way to finish his probation in peace.

[De Lupe]

The title of that article is ridiculous. They couldn't have just said "man will go to prison"? They FORCEFULLY DRAGGED race into a situation that didn't need it.

[Hctaz]

The title of that article is ridiculous. They couldn't have just said "man will go to prison"? They FORCEFULLY DRAGGED race into a situation that didn't need it.

I mean I'm pretty sure the fact that he's black has a factor in this especially considering the judge has been known to have a history of sentencing minorities with harsher punishments. Race was very likely a factor in why this judge decided to fuck with this guy and it's awful. It that had been me up there the Alford plea would not have been denied and I would not have "violated" my parole by being accused of a crime I didn't commit. The judge would have waited to sentence me until after the trial to convict me was over and not before like in this case.

[Toppy]

He basically said the guy violated the the conditions of his probation by committing the crime he was found innocent of. The judge said that he disagreed with the jury and sent the dude, who was so far successful in his probation, back to prison. That judge is a piece of shit and far from honorable, like many southern judges. The south has the most corrupt criminal justice system in western civilization, and it's PROVABLE corruption, not just an opinion, there is hard data that indicates extreme bias and incidents of false charges.

What needs to happen is we need to put a government program in to relocate all minorities out of the south, get them to other areas of the country where the criminal justice system isn't infected with inbred racists, and watch the southern economy fall apart...let them learn their lesson.

Getting tired of the "only the south is racist" narrative I see constantly.

The whole damn country is racist, but by just focusing on the South the bullcrap that goes on up north continues to be ignored.

[Toppy]

I mean I'm pretty sure the fact that he's black has a factor in this especially considering the judge has been known to have a history of sentencing minorities with harsher punishments. Race was very likely a factor in why this judge decided to fuck with this guy and it's awful. It that had been me up there the Alford plea would not have been denied and I would not have "violated" my parole by being accused of a crime I didn't commit. The judge would have waited to sentence me until after the trial to convict me was over and not before like in this case.

Does he have a history of disproportionately sentencing minorities, or is it that he rules on more crimes involving minorities?

Like, he could just be a harsh judge in general rather than a harsh judge on minorities alone.

[Xarkan]

Furthermore, not guilty does actually mean innocent.

Presumption of innocence would indicate that if a person is not found guilty then he must be presumed innocent. He may or may not be innocent but you [well not you, the courts] must presume it

Assuming that the not guilty is not innocent removes the presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty.

[Jotaux]

Race baiting, then people commenting how this is more of an issue than imigration being behind frequent terrorism.

Nice.

Terrorism is so rare I don't know why its even a concern.

[Alvito]

It is his own fault he took a plea it is on him. Be mad at the system all you want but he is the one that made the bad choice and got where he is as a result.

[Masark]

It is his own fault he took a plea it is on him.

He didn't take a plea. He tried to take a plea, it was rejected and went to trial, he was found not guilty, then sent to prison anyway.

[Dextroden]

Getting tired of the "only the south is racist" narrative I see constantly.

The whole damn country is racist, but by just focusing on the South the bullcrap that goes on up north continues to be ignored.

Nope. It's only the South. That's why New York is a perfectly racism free zone.

Welcome to the long term ramifications of painting racism as "Angry rednecks and Klan members". Why do you think they attributed all that to Trump winning?

[pathora44]

To people wondering why he tried to take an Alfred Plea do some research into public defenders. They are vastly underpaid, underfunded, and overworked to the point where many of them will push their clients to take a plea. Being on probation I am going to presume that Chatman is using a public defender said public defender more then likely pushed him to take a plea for a lesser crime then the greater crime.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...too-overworked

[Jinpachi]

it wont stick

[kail]

Uh, look at the first sentence.



He's going to jail for another crime.

I thought the same at first, but I kept reading.

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.

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.

Judge pulled a BS move.

[Deleted]

Meanwhile we have angry people who think the best use of their time is fighting against political correctness and immigration.

Yeah, and people who think the best use of their times is fat shaming on a daily basis. You forgot about those people.

[kail]

To people wondering why he tried to take an Alfred Plea do some research into public defenders. They are vastly underpaid, underfunded, and overworked to the point where many of them will push their clients to take a plea. Being on probation I am going to presume that Chatman is using a public defender said public defender more then likely pushed him to take a plea for a lesser crime then the greater crime.

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...too-overworked

The very concept of an Alfred Plea is silly IMO. Either an innocent knows the justice system will screw him/her, or a guilty person will try to abuse the plea to lighten the sentence and record. I understand the need for it's existence, but it says a lot about our justice system.