Too Late? Scottsboro Boys To Be Pardoned Posthumously After Spending Years Locked Up, Accused Of Sex Assault On Shady White Girls

Alabama is attempting to revise it’s racist past by taking steps to posthumously pardon one of the most publicized cases of false imprisonment in black history.

Via ABCNews reports:

Nine black teens who were wrongly convicted of rape more than 80 years ago are set to receive posthumous pardons.

The nine “Scottsboro Boys” were accused of gang rape by two white women in Alabama in the early 1930s. With the exception of one boy, all were convicted by white juries and sentenced to death row. The allegations, however, were false. While they were eventually freed without executions, the boys languished for years in prison, missing out on opportunities for education, jobs, marriage and life in general. The last of the men passed away nearly 25 years ago.

Now, Alabama is trying to right past racial injustices and improve its reputation. The state House and Senate have voted unanimously in favor of a bill to posthumously pardon the teens. Governor Robert Bentley is expected to sign it.

While civil rights organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) lauded the decision, they said that racial tensions still exist, and that there is more work to do.

NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous pointed out to the Associated Press that Alabama is currently involved in a Supreme Court case involving whether a section of the Voting Rights Act should be upheld.

Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requires places with a history of discrimination, including Shelby County, Alabama, to obtain preclearance before altering their voting laws. Shelby County says the law unfairly punishes them for past injustices, but voter rights groups, including the NAACP and a group of Latino advocacy organizations, say voters who don’t speak English as a first language continue to be discriminated against, and that voter-roll purges unfairly target minorities.

“Unfortunately,” Jealous told the AP, “Alabama still needs to consider its present.”

This is one of the most infamous cases in AMERICA’s shady history — forget about Alabama. Of the nine men falsely accused of forcing sex on two train-riding skanky white girls (who were definitely spreading legs for white men) some of them were not even physically able to have sex at all! They had their names torn down and the shame of being attached to this case. It’s great that they’re being pardoned now — but Alabama owes them and their families more than just a pardon.

And we agree with Ben Jealous — there are plenty of steps the state needs to take to address racism HERE and NOW!

AP

Read more at http://bossip.com/754505/too-late-scottsboro-boys-to-be-pardoned-posthumously-after-spending-years-locked-up-accused-of-sex-assault-on-shady-white-girls/#dEBmUrL6hOHfLwG6.99 

Family of Rekia Boyd Awarded $4.5 Million After She Was Slain By Police

http://www.atlantadailyworld.com/201303144563/ADW-News/rekia-boyd-4-5-million-settlement-awarded-to-family-of-innocent-chicago-woman-slain-by-police-video

Almost a year after 22-year-old Rekia Boyd (pictured) was gunned down on Chicago’s West Side by Chicago detective Dante Servin, the Chicago City Council Wednesday approved a $4.5 million settlement with the family, reports ABC News.

Boyd was an innocent bystander in Chicago’s Douglas Park around 1:00 a.m. on March 21, 2012 when Servin, responding to a disturbance call, arrived on the scene. The officer exchanged words with Antonio Cross, who was also in the park. After turning away, Servin, who was in his car, claims he saw Cross pull out a gun. It was actually his cell phone, but it was too late.

Servin fired five shots “blindly” over his shoulder, shooting Cross in his thumb and striking Boyd in the head. She died the next day at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Cross was charged with aggravated assault against Servin. The officer did not appear for the court date, so charges were dropped.

“We didn’t even get a damn I’m sorry yet. We’re still waiting,” said Boyd’s brother, Martinez Sutton.

Sutton and Darian Boyd, Rekia’s other older brother said that the family not only had not received condolences from the Chicago Police Department, but that Police Superintendent Gary McCarthy called the death ”justified” in a press conference following the shooting.

“We’ve made multiple attempts to contact them and even asked news stations to please contact them since they won’t talk to us,” said Darian Boyd to Truth-Out at the time, adding, “It just makes it that much harder to deal with the grief.”

Though Boyd’s family will receive $4.5 million as part of a wrongful death settlement, they say justice has in no way been served until or unless Servin is criminally charged  in the shooting death.

ABC reports more on the settlement and continuing investigation below:

“Superintendent (Garry) McCarthy and State’s Attorney (Anita) Alvarez should accelerate their investigation and bring charges,” said Bishop Tavis Grant. “It’s very clear this woman was murdered.”

Detective Servin was placed on administrative duty after the shooting where he remains today.

The Independent Police Review Authority in November turned over its report on the shooting to the State’s Attorney office where it currently remains.

[...]

“This has been a farce all along,” said Benjamin Starks, Cross’ attorney. “They knew they were not going to go forward, but they kept up the charade.”

After approving another multi-million dollar settlement involving police conduct, some council members wonder aloud about discipline.

“There are certain mistakes that people make and they do lose their jobs for them. There are consequences for those mistakes,” said Alderman Howard Brookins.

The financial settlement in the Boyd death came quickly, but the possible criminal prosecution of a police officer is not moving at the same speed.

The State’s Attorney’s office says that its review is ongoing and beyond that no comment on when or whether charges may come.

For Rekia Boyd’s family, her death is much more than a “mistake”:

“Her death certificate says killed by police,” said Sutton, “but I feel like my sister was murdered.”

Boyd was gunned down less than one month after 17-year-old Trayvon Martinwas killed by  neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman. As that case lingers on in the legal system, Zimmerman continues to elude consequences for his crime.

Read more http://newsone.com/2278454/rekia-boyd-chicago-settlement/