As an African-American male attorney, I am sorry that the young men and the families in the middle of the Duke lacrosse case were tried and convicted in the media and in the court of public opinion before any of the evidence could be substantiated. It is my hope that their lives will begin to revert to some normalcy from now on.
What we all can take from this case is this. It does not matter whether you're white, black or brown, one can be falsely accused and have their lives unfairly ruined over the smallest of allegations. African-Americans, poor whites and other racial minorities have had to endure this type of justice for hundreds of years in this country. If wealthy Americans, with means, realize what the underbelly of the American justice system looks like by examining this case, how a rush to justice can ruin lives and how public furor can drive a case without evidence, and try to even the playing field for those who cannot afford thousands or millions in attorneys fees, we are all the better for it.
I would hate to think what would have happened if these kids could not afford aggressive attorneys. Unfortunately the consequences of being poor occur in American courts every day. Sometimes God makes messengers out of the most unlikely of us. What we do with the message that He sends is up to us.
SO TRUE, So TRUE
you are so right on!! just imagine how this case would have gone had the families NOT been able to hire the FULL COCHRAN of Wade Smith, Cheshire and company.