- 12 Apr 2023 07:08
#15271189
A man was sentenced to life in prison because he was driving the car when one of his acquaintances who was in car used a gun to shoot out the window killing someone else.
In other words, he was inside a car that was involved in a drive-by shooting.
Some might view this as "guilt by association". He was "in a group". One of the persons in that group committed a murder, and so he is also going to be viewed as responsible.
Whether or not he even had any idea that shooting was going to take place.
I totally understand why they convicted him of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. But is it really fair?
The young black man claimed that he had gone to a football game. He offered another young man there a ride in his car to an after game party. There were a total of six people in the car.
According to his three sisters, he had nothing to do with the shooting. The person who was killed was actually a friend of his.
In court, the prosecutor painted him out to be a menace to society. According to his sisters, this man's nickname was "Oops", a name that was given to him at birth, but in court the prosecutor said that was his gang name alias. The sisters say he was never in a gang, and that he was college-bound. He had no prior violent criminal history.
He was charged with "felony murder" and "aggravated assault".
The judge stated that due to mandatory sentencing, he had to give him life in prison.
Dr. Phil
Sisters Say They Can't Enjoy Life Because They Claim Brother Was Falsely Convicted Of Murder, Is In Prison
Ashley says life for her and her siblings changed forever on October 31, 2008. She says police showed up at their house, put her younger brother, Jerome, in handcuffs and took him away. Ashley and her sisters, Fallon and Ebony, say they struggle to enjoy life since Jerome has been behind bars.
"My brother, Jerome Burgess, was driving the vehicle, but he had nothing to do with the shooting."
Sisters Say They Can’t Enjoy Life Because They Claim Brother Was Falsely Convicted Of Murder, Is In Prison | Dr. Phil - April 11, 2023
link to Dr Phil video
Is this yet another example of how so many innocent black men can end up in prison?
Could the court have been less likely to want to give this young man the benefit of the doubt because this young man was black, and they held the idea that many young black men in that area are involved in gangs and drive by shootings?
In other words, he was inside a car that was involved in a drive-by shooting.
Some might view this as "guilt by association". He was "in a group". One of the persons in that group committed a murder, and so he is also going to be viewed as responsible.
Whether or not he even had any idea that shooting was going to take place.
I totally understand why they convicted him of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. But is it really fair?
The young black man claimed that he had gone to a football game. He offered another young man there a ride in his car to an after game party. There were a total of six people in the car.
According to his three sisters, he had nothing to do with the shooting. The person who was killed was actually a friend of his.
In court, the prosecutor painted him out to be a menace to society. According to his sisters, this man's nickname was "Oops", a name that was given to him at birth, but in court the prosecutor said that was his gang name alias. The sisters say he was never in a gang, and that he was college-bound. He had no prior violent criminal history.
He was charged with "felony murder" and "aggravated assault".
The judge stated that due to mandatory sentencing, he had to give him life in prison.
Dr. Phil
Sisters Say They Can't Enjoy Life Because They Claim Brother Was Falsely Convicted Of Murder, Is In Prison
Ashley says life for her and her siblings changed forever on October 31, 2008. She says police showed up at their house, put her younger brother, Jerome, in handcuffs and took him away. Ashley and her sisters, Fallon and Ebony, say they struggle to enjoy life since Jerome has been behind bars.
"My brother, Jerome Burgess, was driving the vehicle, but he had nothing to do with the shooting."
Sisters Say They Can’t Enjoy Life Because They Claim Brother Was Falsely Convicted Of Murder, Is In Prison | Dr. Phil - April 11, 2023
link to Dr Phil video
Is this yet another example of how so many innocent black men can end up in prison?
Could the court have been less likely to want to give this young man the benefit of the doubt because this young man was black, and they held the idea that many young black men in that area are involved in gangs and drive by shootings?