Showing posts with label RACIAL PROFILING. Show all posts
Showing posts with label RACIAL PROFILING. Show all posts

Thursday, June 27, 2013

"Are you claiming in any way that you don't understand English?" Trayvon Martin's Friend Takes the Stand

 
Throughout the entire Trayvon Martin Trial, Trayvon Martin's girlfriend Friend,  Rachel Jeantel has been the most painful witness to watch. Jeantel is a 19 year old high school senior who was the last person to speak to Trayvon moments before he was gunned down. She had a very close relationship with Trayvon and in her testimony yesterday told a very detailed explanation of the phone call that took place in the last moments of his life.

She recalled her conversation with Trayvon in court Wednesday saying "A man was watching him," "He said the man kept watching him. He kept complaining that a man was just watching him." She went on to explain how she told Trayvon to run, when he thought a man Zimmerman was following her. The last thing she heard Trayvon say was, "Get off, Get off".

The defense attorney West was extrememly rude and came off as a complete bully (as most defense attorney's are), nevertheless Jeantel was agressive but consistent. Today in court Jeantel had a completely different attitude, answering most of the defense attorneys questions with "yes sir".

Even when her intelligence was constantly brought into question, she kept her composure. She was even asked by West (Defense attorney):

"Are you claiming in any way that you don't understand English?" (West)
"I don't understand you, I do understand English," said Jeantel.
 "When someone speaks to you in English, do you believe you have any difficulty understanding it because it wasn't your first language?" asked West.
 "I understand English really well," said Jeantel.

The saddest part of the testimony for me was when the defense lawyer:
The prosecutor asks Jeantel if a friend wrote her letter to Martin's mom. She said yes.
"You can’t write in cursive, correct?" asked de la Rionda.
"Yes, sir," said Jeantel.
"You also can’t read in cursive?" asked de la Rionda.
"Yes, sir," said Jeantel.

The fact that the defense attorney had to attack her character, speech, her education in order to discredit her was cruel, but this is a murder trial. However I believe his questioning blew up in his face because Jeantel may have lost her temper a few times, and may have got a little mixed up when he asked confusing questions, SHE WAS CONSISTENT. And a consistent witness is always a good witness. 

Friday, July 24, 2009

President Obama stands by his friend and puts racial profiling at the forefront



Racial Profiling messed with the wrong brother
By Abba A. Onyeani
ceo-Theblackurbantimes.com

Finally President Obama has addressed an issue that I knew he would at some point and time. The conflict between the Cambridge Police and Dr. Gates comes at a time when the most powerful man in the world is African-american. Racial profiling will finally have a chance to be put at the forefront. It is a hot button issue for blacks and latinos, but whites see nothing wrong with it. They cannnot understand it. Hopefully this incident will bring dialogue to an issue that my friends and I as an African American man have all experienced. The book, "The Unofficial Handbook for Men of the Hip-Hop Generation Volume 1: 5 rules to remember when you're stopped by the Cops, Five-O, or One-Time" addresses this very issue.

You can even buy the book on scribd.com or amazon.com/kindle. Buy the book on scribd.com here for Kindle users..get it here

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Officer Omar Edwards R.I.P. ..Another victim of racial profiling by his fellow brethen NYPD?


Shot like a dog, Omar Edwards deserved better.
By Abba A. Onyeani


Officer Edwards did not have a chance that day he was shot. He is a black man running down the street with his gun drawn. Was he looked at in a certain way..maybe he was looked at the same way that Diallo was looked at or Dorismond? What will the excuse be this time from the NYPD? This is one of your own. What is the excuse that a black man running down the street can be nothing else but a criminal. The NYPD has become the antithesis of "Protect and Serve". Someone please tell the woman and young babies in these photos that the world will change one day.

source

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