Pittsburgh Judge Mark Tranquilli called a Black juror "Aunt Jemima," and said that "when she goes home to her baby daddy, he’s probably slinging heroin, too," according to a complaint filed by an Allegheny County Assistant District Attorney.
huffpost.com/entry/pennsylv…
huffpost.com/entry/pennsylv…
In a closed door meeting with defense counsel and ADA after an acquittal in a drug trial that lasted 2 weeks, the judge said to the prosecutor, “You weren’t out of strikes when you decided to put Aunt Jemima on the jury," referring to a Black woman juror who had worn a head wrap.
“As soon as she sat down she crossed her arms and looked like this," he said, folding his arms and scowling.
“You know darn well that when she goes home to her baby daddy, he’s probably slinging heroin, too."
“You know darn well that when she goes home to her baby daddy, he’s probably slinging heroin, too."
The ADA filed a complaint with the court and forwarded it to defense counsel. The judge has been reassigned to a court part where he handles minor cases like traffic infractions and is being investigated by the state judicial conduct board.
Interestingly, the Allegheny County DA's office under Stephen Zappala has itself faced intense scrutiny because of massive racial disparities in its prosecution of children. 80% of children prosecuted as adults & 100% sentenced to jail & prison are Black. theappeal.org/in-pennsylvani…
And, most notably, over his handling of the prosecution of Michael Rosfeld, the police officer who shot 17-year-old Antwon Rose in the back as he was running away, and was acquitted by a jury last year. motherjones.com/crime-justice/…
So, while the DA's office ultimately filed the complaint with the court, I am just wondering how the ADA's complaint has gone down back in the office.
