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Parent Article: Patrick Thompson Trial Underway |
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Hidden with code "Duplicate post" |
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Re: Patrick Thompson Trial Underway |
by BD
BD (unverified) |
Current rating: 0
05 Jul 2006
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Racist Criminal Justice System Exposed!!!
Day one of the Patrick Thompson trial.
Jury selection was completed and opening arguments were made.
Jury of 12 includes: 7 men, 5 women, 2 alternate women.
One Black juror was chosen, but only after contest.
Of approximately 40 potential jurors, only 1 was African-American.
After questioning, special prosecutor Vukovich dismissed the single Black male juror. Patrick Thompson's attorney Harvey Welch contested the dismissal.
When questioned by Judge Harry Clem about the dismissal, Vukovich claimed the juror had "unstable unemployment" and could not be an impartial juror.
Of course, this same scrutiny was not applied to the economic status of the many retired jurors or housewifes (whose actual work often goes unrewarded).
Judge Clem was not convinced and ruled to admit the single Black juror.
Of the 12 jurors, 1 is African-American.
In the opening arguments, the prosecutor attempted to cast Patrick Thompson as a sexual predator, repeating perverted sexual comments to arouse jurors.
Otherwise, Vukovich's argument was to explain away the most obvious fact of the trial: THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE collected by Urbana police or that will be presented by the prosecution.
Harvey Welch simply stated the obvious:
there is no evidence - 21st Century (countering Vukovich's comparison with TV shows Law and Order and CSI) or 20th Century.
There are not only no fingerprints or fibers, there are no scratches, no bruises, no neighbors, no witnesses.
Welch said, "this is a struggle that left no marks."
Come be witness to the Thompson trial:
Thursday 9 a.m. Courtroom A.
Downtown Urbana, Champaign County Courthouse.
Several witnesses to appear Thursday.
P.S.
Community Court Watch supports more than $15 a day for jurors. Many working class Black and white Americans cannot afford to serve on a jury.
They have to go to work. |
