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11 Nov, 4 tweets, 2 min read
On this Veteran’s Day, I’m thinking of this disabled Iraq war veteran, who cared for homeless & ailing vets at a VA hospital. Forgot his twin babies in his car & they died. Bronx DA charged him w/ manslaughter. Later allowed plea to misdemeanor. But why? nypost.com/2019/07/27/dad…
On this Veteran’s Day, thinking of 21-year-old army veteran Romantic Bradford Jr. Shot by cops at a mall on Thanksgiving night while trying to save people during an active shooting. It is unconscionable that in America today you can’t even be a hero while black.
This Veterans Day I’m thinking of Bobby Sneed. 74 year old veteran. Caged in Angola Prison 47 years. Unanimously granted parole. Then hospitalized. Prison claims a drug overdose. Now 6 months after his scheduled release date. They still won't let him go. thelensnola.org/2021/05/04/a-m…
On this Veteran’s Day, I’m honoring all those criminalized & accused bc of untreated trauma they suffered in service. And my extraordinary public defender & social worker colleagues who specialize in representing veterans & others with mental health issues. Treatment not prison!

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Scott Hechinger Profile picture
13 Nov
The judge, smiling, describes how he screenshots his funny text message conversations w/ friends then emails them to himself. But when he tries to zoom in: “it’s all a blur.” Which is why he won’t allow prosecutors to zoom in on CCTV footage of the incident for the jury to see.
This judge did this knowing the entire country was watching. Imagine what goes on every day in empty courtrooms.
Seeing a lot of people who *know* — mostly public defenders — how horrifying the state of the judiciary is. It’s not just cruelty. It’s arrogance, stupidity, laziness, & a dangerous combination of ignorance of & disdain for the law. Cases are determined on feelings. Not reason.
Read 18 tweets
Scott Hechinger Profile picture
12 Nov
NEWS: Chief Defender of Chicago calls on Supreme Court to end NY's racist gun laws: "While I support policies to stem flow of guns, prevent violence & heal harm, Black men aren't protected by criminalization. We're arrested, prosecuted, & imprisoned." More:thenation.com/article/politi…
First hand: "Ive been close to gun violence my entire life. Growing up on South Side of Chicago, I’ve seen classmates carry firearms to keep themselves & families safe. I later represented those same individuals in court—for possession—when I started work as a public defender."
"The people I knew growing up, & now the people I fight for in court, are also victims of gun violence themselves. I see those same people get arrested, prosecuted, & caged for the simple act of possessing a firearm—something protected & even exalted elsewhere in our country."
Read 17 tweets
Scott Hechinger Profile picture
6 Nov
When you think of a state w/ most racist, cruel, & outrageous system of criminalization & incarceration, you probably don't think of Maryland.

Learned some brutal facts today. Let's start w/ this:

Maryland incarcerates more Black people than any other state in country. More:
70% of people in Maryland prisons are Black.

That's the highest percentage in the nation.

Double the national average.

More than 25% higher than MD's nearest competitor - Mississippi.
Maryland charges more children as adults per capita than any other state besides Alabama. And Alabama recently changed their law, so Maryland is now likely the worst.

Maryland charges children *automatically* as adults for more than 33 offenses, including misdemeanors.
Read 11 tweets
Scott Hechinger Profile picture
4 Nov
Teen Vogue has become the most unexpected yet indispensable journalistic voice for exposing the horrors of mass incarceration. Such important and impressive work. Grateful.
This powerful commentary by Iveliz Orellano about prosecutions of protestors, is just the latest in a Teen Vogue series written by Chicago public defenders about media sensationalism and crime policy. teenvogue.com/story/black-li…
In July, public defender Takenya Nixon Brail took on violence & fearmongering about a "surge" in a crime. "A tragic death was once again being weaponized by the media, police, leaders, & lawmakers to scare the public into thinking more police is the answer.teenvogue.com/story/rising-c…
Read 4 tweets
Scott Hechinger Profile picture
4 Nov
THREAD: For stealing dish soap: 7 years prison! Prosecutors call it "looting." Not one Chicago cop charged in violent crackdown. Yet nearly 200 protestors still face 100s years for similar things. Their public defender explains why we allow this to happen: teenvogue.com/story/black-li…
"During court hearings, people I & other public defenders in Chicago & suburbs are now fighting for are reduced by prosecutors & judges to words like “looter,” “rioter,” “mob,” and “criminal,” racially coded terms that politicians have long used to refer to Black & brown people."
A familiar cycle: "Outside of court: Police & prosecutors share their version; then the media, prints black-and-white stories devoid of context using words like "looting"; the public then equates protest w/ violence & calls for justice w/ “criminality.” teenvogue.com/story/black-li…
Read 14 tweets
Scott Hechinger Profile picture
4 Nov
Just 1 Black juror. 11 white. To decide killing of Ahmaud Arbery. Simply jogging. Pursued & shot by a group of white men in a pickup truck last year. Judge found “intentional discrimination” in jury selection. But hands tied by law. This is not okay. More:cnn.com/2021/11/03/us/…
Even though judge in Ahmaud Arbery’s case found intentional discrimination in jury selection, in Georgia “all the defense needs to do is provide that legitimate, nondiscriminatory, clear, reasonably specific & related reason," for why they struck a juror. usatoday.com/story/news/nat…
Ahmaud Arbery’s killer’s attorney: “We are very pleased that we have been able to select now 16 members of this community.” In Glynn County, GA, more than 26% of the 85,000 residents are Black. Only one Black juror was picked. “Community.” cnn.com/2021/11/03/us/…
Read 7 tweets

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