The New York State Bar Association just released a study of 53 wrongful convictions in New York City, and the results are beyond upsetting. The study demonstrated a comedy of errors by prosecutors, judges, law enforcement, and the reliance on false testimony by witnesses. There was even evidence of human error in DNA analysis. Of the 53 cases, 36 involved misidentification by witnesses, and 31 involved errors by prosecutors, judges or law enforcement. (Source: NYT)
To make matters worse, the NYPD and other law enforcement agencies are not even required to tape record interrogations. Factor in overworked DA's who are under tremendous pressure to get convictions, and this is a recipe for disaster. What is even more shocking is that New York State does not even have an oversight commission to review procedures and standards? Many states have innocence commissions to review potentially wrongful convictions, as well as, making sure that appropriate procedures are adhered to. These commissions can also draft legislation to remedy inadequate policies and procedures.
What is clear is that the New York State Bar Association needs to act swiftly. Judges and prosecutors need to be held to the highest standards, as well as, law enforcement.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Fall from Grace
This past Thursday, HBO Documentary Films premiered Alexandra Pelosi's 45-minute documentary, The Trials of Ted Haggard. This is the follow-up to her previous documentary, Friends of God. Ms. Pelosi shows Ted Haggard's fall from grace; at one point he was one of the most powerful and influential Evangelicals in the country. He founded the megachurch, New Life Church, which boasts a membership of about 15,000. He was an icon and spoke to stadium crowds.
Unfortunately, Mr. Haggard was hiding and battling very serious and overwhelming demons. He admitted to having had homosexual tendencies at the age of 7 and, I believe, that religion was his way of trying to rehabiliate himself. At the age of 50, he confessed to buying meth from a male escort and masseuse. Just over the last couple of days he admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a 20 yr old male. The New Life Church exiled Mr. Haggard from Colorado Springs to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he and his family essentially lived out of a Uhaul, relying on the help of strangers. He is now back in Colorado selling life insurance. The church he founded has excommunicated him, and gave the 20 yr old male an undisclosed amount to keep quiet.
Some of you may be wondering where is my anger and outrage. I can empathize with Mr Haggard. I, too, have had to deal with my own demons. He is a good person, who unfortunately, could not admit to this behavior while preaching morality. Evangelical Christianity holds homosexuality with such disdain, that in some circles, it is worse than murder. Some of you may consider him a hypocrite who prosleytized God's word, yet committed egregious sins. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Mr. Haggard. The New Life Church required him to undergo a "spiritual restoration". The press had reported that he was now "completely heterosexual", which he denied. I thought Christians were supposed to be forgiving, yet, the church he founded has abandoned him. I hated him several years ago when Friends of God was released on HBO. I thought he was self-righteous, arrogant, and a moral absolutist, now I realize that he is human, scared, destroyed and, as he says, " a loser".
Give him a break, if you want to be angry, blame Evangelical Christianity.
Unfortunately, Mr. Haggard was hiding and battling very serious and overwhelming demons. He admitted to having had homosexual tendencies at the age of 7 and, I believe, that religion was his way of trying to rehabiliate himself. At the age of 50, he confessed to buying meth from a male escort and masseuse. Just over the last couple of days he admitted to an inappropriate relationship with a 20 yr old male. The New Life Church exiled Mr. Haggard from Colorado Springs to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he and his family essentially lived out of a Uhaul, relying on the help of strangers. He is now back in Colorado selling life insurance. The church he founded has excommunicated him, and gave the 20 yr old male an undisclosed amount to keep quiet.
Some of you may be wondering where is my anger and outrage. I can empathize with Mr Haggard. I, too, have had to deal with my own demons. He is a good person, who unfortunately, could not admit to this behavior while preaching morality. Evangelical Christianity holds homosexuality with such disdain, that in some circles, it is worse than murder. Some of you may consider him a hypocrite who prosleytized God's word, yet committed egregious sins. I couldn't help but feel sorry for Mr. Haggard. The New Life Church required him to undergo a "spiritual restoration". The press had reported that he was now "completely heterosexual", which he denied. I thought Christians were supposed to be forgiving, yet, the church he founded has abandoned him. I hated him several years ago when Friends of God was released on HBO. I thought he was self-righteous, arrogant, and a moral absolutist, now I realize that he is human, scared, destroyed and, as he says, " a loser".
Give him a break, if you want to be angry, blame Evangelical Christianity.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Ghetto Superstar?
Poor, poor Melody Morales, the 21 year-old former Hooters girl, could not get a job at the more upscale Hawaiian Tropic Zone near Time Sq. She was told by managers that she was ghetto and didn't speak white. I must say that being a waitress there pays very well. The annual salary for a scantily-clad waitress is $130,000. I agree that she has a great body. She chose to apply at the Hawaiian Tropic Zone, because the Hooters uniform was too restrictive for her. She was so upset with the interview process that she is suing for defamation of character.
I am not so heartless that I would condone such pejorative comments. The managers could have expressed themselves in a more respectful manner, but as incendiary as the some of comments may appear, the underlying concerns are quite clear. Ms. Morales may have the body for this job, but she does not possess the verbal acuity needed when interacting with customers. She is Hispanic, mainly half Puerto Rican and half Dominican. Her accent and verbal skills are the issue. I should also note that the Hawaiian Tropic Zone does employ Hispanics and Latinos. Even though, the Hawaiian Tropic Zone is an equal opportunity employer and cannot discriminate based on race, color or creed, they can heavily scrutinize whom they choose based on appearance. She kept repeating how beautiful her body was, instead of acknowledging that personality and verbal skills are an important factor in this position.
The managers were wrong in how they responded to her, but the underlying concerns are appropriate and Ms. Morales needs to understand that some positions require a certain level of refinement, not just a nice body. I expect that she will lose the lawsuit. She'll have to prove that words truly wound.
I am not so heartless that I would condone such pejorative comments. The managers could have expressed themselves in a more respectful manner, but as incendiary as the some of comments may appear, the underlying concerns are quite clear. Ms. Morales may have the body for this job, but she does not possess the verbal acuity needed when interacting with customers. She is Hispanic, mainly half Puerto Rican and half Dominican. Her accent and verbal skills are the issue. I should also note that the Hawaiian Tropic Zone does employ Hispanics and Latinos. Even though, the Hawaiian Tropic Zone is an equal opportunity employer and cannot discriminate based on race, color or creed, they can heavily scrutinize whom they choose based on appearance. She kept repeating how beautiful her body was, instead of acknowledging that personality and verbal skills are an important factor in this position.
The managers were wrong in how they responded to her, but the underlying concerns are appropriate and Ms. Morales needs to understand that some positions require a certain level of refinement, not just a nice body. I expect that she will lose the lawsuit. She'll have to prove that words truly wound.
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