The State wins again.

posted by Mr. Vidiot @ 11:35 AM Permalink

A few Novembers [corrected date] back, an unarmed black man was shot to death my three policeman. Yesterday, the judge said that the testimony of the policemen sounded more credible than that of the young black men and therefore, they were not convicted of any charges.

In announcing his verdict in the non-jury trial, the judge said that the inconsistent testimony, courtroom demeanor and rap sheets of the prosecution witnesses — mainly Bell's friends — "had the effect of eviscerating" their credibility.

But of course their testimony sounds more credible, because these cops are in courtrooms on a daily basis, they're trained on how to behave in court and coached by expensive lawyers. And the uniform, in itself, makes them appear more credible in the eyes or the so-called 'decent' of the American society as well as the courtroom. The courtroom is the police officers' backyard, their turf, where they have authority and are well respected. It is their home-field advantage.

For the black man, the courtroom is a place of fear, accusation, humiliation and dehumanization. It is a place where they are out of their comfort zone and in unknown and hostile territory, where they are looked upon with distrust and scorn. Of course they don't sound credible.

Labels: police state, power, racism