Letters: A problem with race in DN story
JUST a tad bothered by your article titled "Bum Rap" in regards to Rapper Meek Mill's suit being tossed out of court. The first sentence of the second paragraph reads, "The mostly white panel of four men and four women found that Officer Alvin Outlaw and then-Officer Andre Boyer did not unlawfully stop, detain and arrest Mill on the night of Oct. 31, 2012."
JUST a tad bothered by your article titled "Bum Rap" in regards to Rapper Meek Mill's suit being tossed out of court. The first sentence of the second paragraph reads, "The mostly white panel of four men and four women found that Officer Alvin Outlaw and then-Officer Andre Boyer did not unlawfully stop, detain and arrest Mill on the night of Oct. 31, 2012."
Why was the jurors' race brought into this saga? Why was it even mentioned? Is this what the Daily News has to do in order to sell papers? If Mr. Mills would have won his lawsuit, would the Daily News have put as much effort into headlining race as the reason for the victory?
If I am correct, the jury was selected and agreed upon by both sides of the table, but since Meek lost, now race is most likely the reason, forget the law, the justice system, the rights and wrongs - lets just say that he was destined to lose because there was a mostly white panel of jurors.
Also, I'm just a bit confused: Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Williams, was born in Philadelphia, which is in Pennsylvania, which is in America, but yet you choose to title him as an "African-American." And on the flip side, Meb Keflezighi, whose real name is Mebrahtom Keflezighi (2014 Boston Marathon winner), was born in Eritrea, which is nowhere near America, but yet you choose to title him as an American and not an "Eritrean-American," which is what he really is. Why is that?
Andrew J. Dankanich
Philadelphia
Cruel and unusual
Will miracles never cease? Again Christine Flowers and I agree. The suffering that that convict experienced was nothing in comparison to the agony his victim endured at his hands. It appears the only compassion in the justice system is for the offender. As far as I'm concerned the man didn't suffer enough. Activists say the death penalty is not a deterent but one thing is certain: that particular four-time felon will not kill anyone else. It sure as hell deterred him.
C.M. Parns
Philadelphia
I have to admit that it felt good to take off my lawyer's hat to render my opinion on the execution experience of Clayton Lockett. Here it is in only two words: BOO HOO. I, of course, agree with Ms. Flowers regarding the law.
Joseph Ridgway
Marlton, N.J.