Screaming into the void, but perhaps people will listen & consider: 3 years & 4 months in prison is a very long time in prison. Calling for greater harshness will only further help entrench a harsh system that disproportionately hurts Black & Brown people living in poverty.
When we support pain, punishment, torture, harshness long sentences for one-no matter how much we might despise them or think they "deserve it"-we further entrench an unjust system for all. "All" tends to be those I represent: Black & Brown people from only certain communities.
Yes, people I represent routinely get sentenced to far more for far less. We can & should be outraged by disparities in the system. But in calling for less mercy, individualized justice, "leniency," we adopt the language of oppression that will only lead to more disparities.
As we look at options for holding people accountable for causing harm, we should also remember that public outrage can sometimes do more harm than good. What if we channeled our outrage differently?
When Manafort was given his relatively light sentence, I spoke about a man I represented who was offered the same sentence for stealing quarters from a laundry room. But made clear, I didn't want a longer sentence for Manafort. But more justice for all.
When Weinstein was released pretrial on bail he could afford, I wasn't mad at his treatment. Bail worked like it was supposed to. As an incentive not a punishment. Took into account his ability to pay. I asked that everyone I represent get same treatment.
When Brock Turner got his light sentence, I too was mad. But made clear that recalling the judge who sentenced him would only disincentive judges to be merciful across the board. And that it would be Black & Latinx people who would suffer most.
When Amber Guyger got 10 years, it felt wrong bc I know people charged with far less, including marijuana & drugs are serving decades longer. But what would asking for more get us? Nothing. I noted instead than 10 years is a long time for anything.
Wrote how Epstein's preferential treatment for decades compared to how actual victims of sex trafficking were treated. But urged people instead "to grapple w/ how sex trafficking victims are routinely failed & further harmed by the criminal legal system."gq.com/story/harsher-…
Traditionally, it has been pro-carceral forces who have weaponized extreme outlier cases to drive mass incarceration. Mandatory minimums. Pretrial Detention. Long sentences. The criminalization of everything. It's how we got here & how they're trying to maintain the status quo.
More recently, in high profile cases of "leniency" allies in the fight to end mass punishment, people who want decarceration & fairness, are rightfully outraged. But increasingly channeling outrage into calls for greater harshness or at least "the same" harshness that most get.
Just yesterday I got slammed for suggesting Blagojevich's 8 years spent in prison prior to commutation was an extremely long amount of time.
I just think we need more mercy. More leniency. Less jail. Less punishment. Across the board. United States is indeed "exceptional." But for all the wrong reasons. We have become inured to lives disappeared behind bars. This is not normal & shouldn't allow it to be. For anyone.
