Thursday, September 06, 2007

The State NAACP Suddenly Discovers Due Process

The N&O is reporting that the state NAACP and its president, William Barber, are back in the news. Reporter Titan Barksdale: “The NAACP filed a complaint today with the N.C. State Bar alleging that an assistant district attorney in Wilson mishandled the murder case of a 21-year-old Wilson man.”

Rev. Barber’s statement: “We must fight for justice across the board, irregardless [sic] of class and irregardless of race.”

That would be, it’s worth remembering, the same state NAACP that:

--Demanded a gag order against defense attorneys in the case, with the head of its Legal Redress Committee suggesting that the defense attorneys, not Mike Nifong, had committed ethical misconduct;

--Published an 82-point guilt-presuming memorandum of law riddled with factual errors and unfounded speculation;

--Remained silent as Nifong ordered the DPD to violate its own procedures and conduct a third photo lineup confined to suspects only.

“Justice across the board,” indeed.

Hat tip: C.K.

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

"Irregardless" is a non-standard word. In other words ,it is a form of "regardless" that has no correct usage in English. Of course, given the rather unconstitutional view the NAACP had of due process in the lax hoax, its leaders may need to brush up on English in order to read and to understand the constitution. Professor of Ethics

Anonymous said...

But do we know the race of the person they're fighting for now? Let me guess....

Anonymous said...

Candidly, given the NC NAACP's shameful performance during the Duke Lax Hoax, I couldn't give one whit what it does, says, whatever about *anything* else. The NC NAACP's credibility--whatever it might have been pre-Duke--was damaged far, far beyond repair. That the damage was self-inflicted is both ironic and sad. These morons revealed themselves as little more than charlatans and hucksters that trade in racial divisiveness. Their game is over, forever.

Anonymous said...

Y'know, it would be nice (and appropriate) if you started covering the emerging Jena 6 story, since it's sort of mirror image of Duke Lax.

not to tell you what to do, but i think it would certainly add to your reputation in a blogeshere that likes to avoid inconveint truths (just look what happenned to the Duke story on the feminist blogs when it became clear the kids were innocent)

Anonymous said...

In the Duke lacrosse travesty, one of the more odious if not obvious transgressions of the many who have rushed to judgement is a continued blind disregard of any evenhaded approach to justice. They seem to be unaware of how inconsistent their positions are . . . as if the law can change on a dime or be so intimidated by their potbanging as to be made to not really affect them. The sad thing about their behavior is that they are almost right . . . but not now and not here, not in the lacrosse case. Being consistent would do wonders for the NAACP.

Anonymous said...

The News & Observer has learned that David Saacks, a longtime prosecutor in the DA's office, is about to be appointed Durham district attorney.
DG

Anonymous said...

Hey, if they have learned something and are truly concerned about justice (ir)regardless of race, that's great. Some people can have a "road to Damascus" experience.

But, until there is some clear pattern showing that this erstwhile civil rights organization has righted itself, it is still the . . .

National Association for the Aggrandizement of Corpulent Preachers

Anonymous said...

Hey 5:00

Are you Manju Queen of the Potbangers?

Anonymous said...

I would agree that covering the Jena 6 case might be appropriate.....personally, I'll turn my attention to that case as soon as the NAACP, Group of 88 (Houston baker in particular), Manju Rajendran, Dinushika Mohottige, Chauncey Nartey, and the rest of the bigots who enabled Mike Nifong to start a lynch mob.

As soon as that happens....I'm all over the Jena case.

Anonymous said...

Yes, irregardless in non-standard English, but it so abused as to make it the standard for about 60-70% of the population. I do not want to say "get over it," but listen to what people are trying to say . . . dern. No, I am not a member of what I call the DukeGroup88, but don't let something as small as this get in the way of a call for justice. The thing I dislike about so many is what they allow to get in the way of justice . . . the call is always for justice and then for mercy . . . some are bright enough to ask for mercy first . . . there is an interesting story of R. Lee and this . . . look it up.

Anonymous said...

Manju, can you explain what you meant by, "just look what happenned to the Duke story on the feminist blogs when it became clear the kids were innocent."

I am unclear about this. Did you mean these blogs simply avoided the subject of the players innocence and moved on to other topics because it was an inconvenient truth? That's how I took it, but I wanted to be sure, thanks.

Anonymous said...

Gee, I am so happy that the NC NAACP has "seen the light." Would they have seen it a year ago, instead of pushing a hoax.

Anonymous said...

manju 5.00

How about you starting one? KC has provived a model you could follow.If it's well-researched, I would read it.

I'm not that familiar with the case, but what little I know, it is nothing like the Duke case.

I understand the NAACP and others are defending the accused.

KC is moving on to another project, but maybe his hard work and dedication that thousands have witnessed, can encourage others to get off their easy chairs and fight for justice everywhere.

Anonymous said...

Jena 6 story--what is this all about??!!

Anonymous said...

KC, you seem to have selectively quoted the Rev. Barber for your own malicious purposes.

I don't see how it's possible that Rev. Barber left out the conditional, "unless those charged are non-poverty stricken white males. Then we should skip straight to sentencing.", from his call to action. Do you? So, it would seem that Rev. Barber's statement is wholly in keeping with his past actions. Now, be a good boy and let a bigot be a bigot.

Unless, for some unfathomable reason, Rev. Barber feels the same way about due process for white males as he does for any other racial group and he has renounce his previous, despicable ranting on the Duke Lax case and the Duke Lax players in particular. In that case, I'll pack my ice skates and head for Durham, because hell has just frozen over.

Anonymous said...

manju 5.00

Were you on the MSNBC Rita Cosby show on 3-28-06?

I quote from the transcript:

RAJENDRAN: Well, I hope that we see this as a moment to galvanize as a community. I hope that we see this as a moment to—for Duke and Durham to really analyze our relationship and for us, as a community, to really wrestle with issues of racism, classism and sexism. I hope that this begins a real challenge to sexual assault. And the banging of pots and pans is going to be facing the Duke lacrosse team at every turn that they make until justice is served.

In your opinion, should this person apologize?

Something happened in the Jena story. NOTHING HAPPENED IN THE DUKE LACROSSE CASE. NOTHING!! The cases are not similar.

Did Rita Cosby get fired? Have you asked for her help?

Anonymous said...

I no longer give a rat's patoot what the NAACP says, North Carolina chapter or other. The shameless racism from the NC chapter regarding the Duke LAX case - and the deafening silence from most all other chapters - sunk their ship as far a I'm concerned. I put them in the same category as the KKK, NBPP, NOW, et al., and thus give them the same consideration, which is to say, none at all.

Anonymous said...

Jena case as commented above involves a real attack. Who started what we may never know. Fighting happens all the time in High schools.

But a bunch of guys kicking someone in the head when they are unconscience? Well you go to jail for that.

The Jena case is another example of why Black org. should look at a case before jumping to a conclusion, sucjh as they did with the Duke, Vick, and Brawley cases.

Anonymous said...

from the Women's e News
manju says on 4-2-6:

"We need to get together and make a big noise!" Durham residents Theo Luebke and Manju Rajendran wrote in an e-mail that spread to community members and student groups, such as the Women's Center.

Demonstration organizers estimate that almost 200 students and community members gathered to stand in solidarity with the alleged victim on March 25, Saturday night, outside the house rented by three members of the lacrosse team that is the site of the alleged rape.
::::::

Looks like you are pretty good at sending messages over the Internet.
Start your own Jena blog.

Anonymous said...

I think it is pretty obvious that the jig (no pun intended) is up for all the clowns in the naacp, state and national. They are superfluous and they know it. Suggest they read "1984" and "Amimal Farm" to get a bearing on where they stand in today's world. Pathetic!!!!!!

trinity60

Anonymous said...

I find it very hard to believe that Manju Rajedran is posting here.

Anonymous said...

Manju @ 5:00 --

My advice is to start your own blog, or perhaps a wiki, on the subject, and follow in KC's footsteps by putting front and center the evidence which shows that something is going on which is contrary to the pursuit of justice. If you're right and the "Jena 6" case really is the "mirror image" of the Duke lacrosse case, involving similar amounts of outrageous police and prosecutorial misconduct, then you'll attract high-quality commenters who can assist you in making the injustice clear for all to see. Good luck.

Anonymous said...

To Manju @ 5:00

I agree with you regarding the Jena case, from what little I've read about it. I would love to see KC put his considerable intellect into it.

There are some key differences, i.e. an assault actually occurred, but there also appears to be some major small-town bigotry involved. There are related issues regarding prior threats by the prosecutor and the competency of the attorney for the young man.

I would love to see a blog on this case of the quality that KC has modeled here.

To the posters that choose to ridicule or flame Manju for his comment, I suggest you consider modeling the polite posting that KC has done here.

-RD

Anonymous said...

"Manju, can you explain what you meant by, "just look what happenned to the Duke story on the feminist blogs when it became clear the kids were innocent."

I am unclear about this. Did you mean these blogs simply avoided the subject of the players innocence and moved on to other topics because it was an inconvenient truth? That's how I took it, but I wanted to be sure, thanks."

Yes that's what I meant. But its even worse than that. Over at feministing, Samhita had this to say on her Jena 6 post:

"And I like the apt comparison he draws between mass media coverage of the supposedly wrongly done Duke Lax players, while Mychal Bell, a 16 year old, rots in jail and gets sentenced to 22 years with little to no coverage in MSM. One of the key arguments made by feminist and POC bloggers in response to the Duke case was that the coverage and the treatment of those men would be different if they were black. As we can clearly see, this is true. Where is the outrage about this? Why isn't FOX news or some of the conservative blogs making noise and demanding justice?"

"supposedly wrongly done" says it all.

Anonymous said...

No I'm not this Manju Rajedran character. I'd start my own Jena Blog but to be completely honest, i'm a very busy ibanker and I like to drink whisky on my free time. So it's easier for me to tell KC what to do.

i just thought it would be a smart tactical move for him, putting him furher above the rest of the blogesphere. Plus it makes sense in light of Duke Lax. Talking about reverse-racism without discussing racism is like studying McCarthism without any reference to Communism.

Anonymous said...

"Regardless of race". Unless you're white. Nothing new here same old acceptable racism from a so called black leader.

Anonymous said...

Those kids in Jena did it. They should be punished.

We need to use this case to make a statement. We need to get some pots and pans and get down there and be sure those kids face the banging of pots and pans at every turn until justice is served.

Does this sound familiar?

How about some rational clear thinking and analysis of the facts instead. The key is knowledge. Many people spoke with certainty in the Duke case, but they had no knowledge. Let's get some knowledge and then speak about what's going on in Jena.

You know, like KC Johnson has done here. The opposite of what Duke Professors, the potbangers, and the NAACP did. The NAACP has a long way to go in rebuilding their reputation in my book.

For now I consider the group unworthy of any respect. During the Duke case they made it very clear they were more than happy to tell outright lies (long after they had been publicly proven false) to serve their agenda.

It will take a long time for me to forget the NAACP's list of torts that mentioned a "mountain of evidence" that remained on their website long after the charges were dropped and it was clear there was no evidence whatsoever.

So, the NAACP is willing to lie if it suits them, period. That's not the type of group I respect or deem worthy of any consideration whatsoever.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the Jena 6 thing is a worthy cause, I don't know. But if it is, someone other than Manju Rajendran ought to do the blog, since she has left all her credibility outside David Evans' house last year
-----------------------------------.

One who still believes.

Some of the early potbangers say privately now that they feel misled
by media reports and the district attorney’s comments. But Rajendran said that she did not regret her early stance. “We decided to have this ceremony saying, ‘We’re banging on pots and pans to break the silence,’ ” she said. “This was a case of sexism, racism and classism. … “The way that women, particularly women of color, are disbelieved around rape and sexual assault is so different from when the survivors of any other crime step forward. I believed her [Mangum] then, and I believe her now.”

Staff writer Anne Blythe can be reached at 932-8741 or
ablythe@newsobserver.com.
Copyright 2007, The News & Observer Publishing Company

Anonymous said...

manju's reference to women's groups leads me to think she is rajendran. maybe not.we have had imposters here before.

manju was quoted on 3-30 in the Autonomist:

"This is a wake-up call to challenge sexual assault and racial violence," said another agitator, Manju Rajendran, 25, a Durham resident and organizer of Sunday's event. "We're trying to break the silence. ...Women have a right to dignity and respect," she said.

Present in the forefront of the mobs were representatives of Duke's lesbian groups, who shared the misandrist sentiments of Miss Rajendran.

Although no charges have been filed, the team members have already been convicted in the minds of the authorities, the agitators and the politically correct nimrods on campus."

::::::::::::

Did any of this happen is Jena? Why not call the Innocence Project?
KC has done such a great job that I think people think KC is the man from La Mancha. I have not read any of the "regulars" ask KC to take on one of THEIR pet projects. Most of us just want him to write on Israel and WHATEVER his next project. I'm a little suspicious of these "do-gooders". Hmmmm, I hear the helicopters. Besides, one person cannot right every wrong, but others can learn from the experience of watching him. Get blogging you guys.

my humble opinion :>)

Anonymous said...

I thank Manju for comments. I was previously unaware of the Jena 6. Today, I heard of this situation at work in a conversation unrelated to this blog.

It has already been noted that there are distinctions and differences from the HOAX. It appears that an assault did occur. The alledged victim was evidently treated for serious wounds in a hospital.

But I think the important point is the extent to which a prosecutor pursued charges that were beyond the crime (if any). I don't know the facts, and so I must reserve judgment. But I do know that one person was convicted of assault ... not attempted murder. The extent to which the composition of the jury in a parish that is evidently largely white (one source says 85%) played a part in the verdict should well be evaluated.

----------------------

So, the issues appear to be the severity of the charge in relation to the undisputed facts of the case and the extent to which change of venue would produce a more just result.

It also begs the question of the extent to which access to compentent counsel can affect outcomes. This is a systemic problem -- but is being addressed by such organizations as the Innocence Project. Perhaps more law firms need to devote resources to addressing the needs of innocent defendents facing aggressive and politically motivated prosecutors.

-----------------------

Although interesting, this does not seem to rise to the level of abuses seen in the prosecution of the HOAX...with all due respect.

I admit that my judgment may be wrong.

Anonymous said...

according to the times (of london) a white kid is alledged to have pulled a gun on the black kids. one of the black kids wrestled away the gun and was charged with theft (of a firearm)!

high school fights happen, and after the noose hanging incident there were many, bu no white kids were charged. and i've never heard of a kid on trial for attempted murder because of a fight (especially when the victim didn't even stay on the hospital overnight.

but the story is still developing, and as the duke lax hoax shows, things aren't always as they seem. but those were the alledged facts that drove me to comment here in the first place.

Anonymous said...

"I'm a little suspicious of these "do-gooders"."

Anonymous:

I'm not a do-gooder. I prefer bad.

Anonymous said...

I've looked at feminist sites. Search for the words duke, lacrosse, feminist(s) innocent. Or substitute not guilty. Include rape.

You'll find that most femblogs dropped the subject about the time Cooper issued his "innocent" report.
But some think it still happened. Others, reluctant to let it go, swear on and on about how the laxers are not nice guys and so on and so forth.
There's all kinds of stuff about how Crystal got dissed.
Nobody's said, to my knowledge, thank God the woman wasn't raped. Which, when you think about feminists and their attitudes toward rape, is kind of strange.

Anonymous said...

we should really give the Rev. Barber wide latitude in his positions....

Anonymous said...

manju 11.42

i've never heard of a kid on trial for attempted murder because of a fight (especially when the victim didn't even stay on the hospital overnight.
:::::

Just do a search and you will see that people are sent to jail for attempted murder, even when no one is hurt--just the attmpt and possiblility--sometimes it's just flashing a weapon like a gun or knife, using poison--but the vic does not die, just planning the deed. Squeaky Fromme (Manson family) pointed a gun at President Ford. She did not realize the gun was an automatic and she had not pulled the slide. Even if she had not been stopped by the Secret Service, the gun would have never fired. She got life. Prez Ford was unhurt. The fact that you fail doesn't get you a pass.

The defendant kicked the vic in the head. I think there were quite a few guys, and the vic passed out. I guess everyone is lucky he did not die.

I'd like to be certain of the facts. If I was black in that town, I would be terrified --just like being a young white college male must have been in Durham last spring.

I hope these young Jena defendants get good representation. I just wonder were Jesse and Al are on this whole thing. It seems like these black kids really need advocates.

Anonymous said...

3 months ago re the Jena case:

But as jury selection was about to begin in Bell's case Monday, District Atty. Reed Walters reduced the charges to aggravated second-degree battery and conspiracy to commit aggravated second-degree battery, which together carry a maximum of 22 years in prison. Walters, who is prosecuting Bell as an adult, also offered the teenager a plea agreement including a suspended sentence, which Bell's father said the youth rejected.

Anonymous said...

AS to the Jena 6 case...
I agree in large part with inman's comments earlier. There are similarities and differences here. I guess the big question here is, to what extent did racism and presumption play a role in how this case was prosecuted and/or adjudicated. It would seem that a provoked fight on schoolhouse grounds would not be grounds for 22 years in prison. I have seen a fight where a star athlete got bent out of shape and injured three coaches who tried to subdue him and he was not even suspended...I guess he was too valuable. The overriding theme here is that our system has become inequitable regardless of your skin color (the aforementioned athlete happened to be black, a friend of mine, and a very popular student...twenty five plus years ago. BTW, I am white and come from an upper middle class family). It was the right thing then to handle the problem within the system of a community caring for each other, and it should be the right thing now. When people quit caring about each other, and only about power within a group that can keep them in power...then we have a problem. I don't know the specifics of the Jena 6 case, and like others here, I would probably follow a blog on it. I only hope that whoever does blog about it has the integrity and honesty to blog as KC has here...with an eye towards the truth and not towards a predetermined outcome.

Anonymous said...

If the NCCA,G88, MSM and feminists (who want respect and acceptance) all say they are sorry about how they tried to crucify three innocent white men because of the lies started by a minority woman: I will pay attention to truthful unjustices of others. Until then I suggest you start your own blogs> if there is truth others will see it as KC has shown with Wonderland. It wasn't a big group of bloggers who kept the light shining on a terrible travesty of behaviour by many people who should have known better if they remembered how to be decent human beings.
The laws of our country and presumption of innocence are essential to our freedom and way of life. The fact so beautifully highlighted in UPI is that people with authority at Duke, in Durham and in the media showed their prejudice and disregard for our laws.

Anonymous said...

Manju said...
"Y'know, it would be nice (and appropriate) if you started covering the emerging Jena 6 story, since it's sort of mirror image of Duke Lax"

(1) It's not exactly a mirror image as it involves bad actions on both sides. Yes, the local authorities clearly undercharge white criminals and overcharge black criminals. But beating someone into unconsciousness and then being charged with attempted murder rather than assault and battery is not nearly as clear-cut an injustice as dropping in on a loud party, leaving after five minutes, and then being charged for a rape that was alleged to have happened after you left.

(2) KCs going on to bigger and better things, i.e. Israel. If he can clarify public understanding of what goes on there the way he clarified public understanding of what goes on in Durham and Duke, he's going to do the world a major service.

Since you're interested in Jena, maybe you could do it.

Anonymous said...

Manju-
"Talking about reverse-racism without discussing racism is like studying McCarthism without any reference to Communism."

I love this analogy! Both are a genuinely abusive reaction to a genuinely real problem. Both have the effect of undercutting one's "own" side.

I've been known to sarcastically propose the conspiracy theory that McCarthy was an "agent of influnce" paid by the Soviets to make anti-communists look bad. If so, he succeeded. The NAACP is busy doing the same to the claim the white-on-black racism is a real current problem in America.

Anonymous said...

Inman:

"It also begs the question of the extent to which access to compentent counsel can affect outcomes. This is a systemic problem -- but is being addressed by such organizations as the Innocence Project."

But focusing on indvidual instances is still useful for making the importance of the problem palpable. "A single wrong prosecution is a crime, a millin wrong prosecutions is a statistic."

Anonymous said...

Manju said...
"according to the times (of london) a white kid is alledged to have pulled a gun on the black kids. one of the black kids wrestled away the gun and was charged with theft (of a firearm)!"

If true the this is a much more unambiguous injustice than going to prison for beating someone into uncosciousness.

You mention the Times of London. Are you British? If so you're probably not used to one of the disgusting quirks of American jurisprudence - the plea bargain. Most of our cases end with a guily plea rather than a trial, and part of the associated gamesmanship is that overcharging is standard practice. Not all-too-common while acknowledged to be wrong, the way witholding evidence and making inflammatory statements to the press are, but a standard, routine part of the process.

Anonymous said...

luke said...
"we should really give the Rev. Barber wide latitude in his positions...."

[ preacher mode ]
We need to give the man latitude with his platitudes!
[ / preacher mode ]

Anonymous said...

My strongest reaction is to yet another press failure. They must be just as aware of the irony as we are, yet nobody called Barber on it. Hmmm... I wonder why....

Anonymous said...

"I've been known to sarcastically propose the conspiracy theory that McCarthy was an "agent of influnce" paid by the Soviets to make anti-communists look bad."

I've had an amusing moment or two suggesting that Abe Foxman had an arrangement with Mel Gibson to help promote the Passion of the Christ.

Or just blowback - something these masterminds must always be on the lookout for.

Debrah said...

The NAACP should be shunned and ignored.

If the organizaton conducts itself in a harmful and criminal manner---as they did in the lacrosse case---then their actions should be highlighted with continued condemnation.

As with the KKK in days of old.....racist actions cannot be tolerated.

You see people, when this country finally begins to treat everyone like grownups and when embarrassing excuses stop being the rule of the day, then some real equality will surface.

Until then, we simply engage in treating a certain loud and childish segment of society like petulant children...who are rewarded for their negative behavior.

Anonymous said...

Friends,

Re. commenters who come here and launch attacks on KC

1. KC is a big guy; he can defend himself. No need for everyone else here to take it personally.

2. Just because someone may have a wrong view does not make him/her an evil person. And personal attacks are more likely to confirm this person in his/her wrong view, rather than help him/her to be reflective about it.

3. It's better to confront ideas than people. Good people can have bad ideas (and, yes, vice-versa).

4. There is no sense in letting KC's enemies associate him with racist ideas due to comments here. I'm not saying that we should cease to challenge the dogmas of PCness from fear of being called "racist" (the last refuge of a PCer), but when we write about the races, make sure our writings are tailored to perfectly match the facts.

Just some thoughts.

Anonymous said...

What the supporters of the Jena 6 don't post:

Mychal Bell:
Before the beating, he was on probationg for
Battery Dec 12-25-05 and while on probations for this charge
Criminal damage to prop 7-25-6
Battery 9-2006
Criminal damage to prop 9-206

Three of those charges are still pending. Since his foes don't mention the 2 battery charges, I will jump to the conclusion that they were against blacks.

Anyway, I do believe that he's at risk in an 85% white town, but it seems to me that he does not deserve another probation, and prior acts are the best predictors of future behavior. When a kid starts criminal behavior at 15, and nothing has slowed him up, I wonder where is parents are.
Also, he was a football star, and never suspended--coach likess winning?

I believe he is in front of the same judge that gave him probation the last time. What do you think the judge is thinking? That makes 3 battery charges!

mac said...

KC,
Did the NC NAACP really "discover due process," or did they merely find their behinds once someone cut on the lights?

Anonymous said...

"I just wonder were Jesse and Al are on this whole thing. It seems like these black kids really need advocates."

Jena:

Estimated population in 2005: 7,395
Estimated median household income in 2005: $30,814

You could squeeze that town dry and there wouldn't be enough money to get either of those guys to get on a plane.

Anonymous said...

to ralph

good point!