In a 4-3 decision, the Georgia’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of Genarlow Wilson from the jail at which he was serving a 10-year-sentence for aggravated child molestation.

In what I, and others, called a gross miscarriage of justice, Genarlow Wilson was convicted for have consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old schoolmate when he, at the time, was 17 years old. Ironically, had Wilson had vaginal sex with the girl instead, he would have been facing misdemeanor charges.

Critics, myself included, have long pondered if his sentence was related to the fact that he was a young black boy who had wild, drunken sex with a young white girl. I believe that had they both been of the same ethnicity, the original conviction would have never happened.

Regardless of how they arrived at their ruling, a majority of Georgia’s Supreme Court concluded that his sentence constituted cruel and unusual punishment. The year after Genarlow Wilson was convicted, the law was changed so that young people in similar situations would face, at most, a misdemeanor charge and not have to be registered as sex offenders.

At any rate, Genarlow Wilson is out of jail. I just hope that he will be allowed to get on with his life.

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Living in Ohio, I am far from familiar with the dynamics of gang relations in California. However, in communicating with people from that part of the country, I have heard rumblings about the various beefs between Black and Latino gangs and how, innocent civilians are being targeting in the process. However, what I was being told never seemed to rise above the level of rumors.

Newsweek has picked up the stories and are now asking about whether or not certain Latino gangs are targeting Black civilians, in addition to gang rivals.

In particular, they target the activities of one highly-organized Latino gang, Florencia 13, also known as F13. According to the federal indictments of various gang members, black civilians have been robbed, assaulted and murdered on the basis of skin color:

“…But the assaults went beyond rival gangs; they “target[ed] African-American individuals for assault,” according to the indictment. Gang leaders even allegedly instructed foot soldiers in how to hunt blacks in the most efficient manner, the feds maintain. A wiretap cited in the RICO indictment reveals that one gang leader allegedly told an underling that “when he went looking for African-Americans to shoot, only a driver and a shooter were needed.

…

The F13 indictment marks the third high-profile Latino gang charged with attacking blacks in the past two years. Last year federal prosecutors won life sentences against four members of the Latino Avenues gang for civil rights violations of blacks they had murdered simply for moving into the gang’s Highland Park turf. State prosecutors say the Latino 204th Street gang targeted African-Americans not affiliated with gangs, writing graffiti such as “187 N———” (187 is shorthand for “kill”; it’s the California penal code section number for homicide). Two 204th Street members face an upcoming trial on state murder charges for the slaying of 14-year-old Cheryl Green, a black teen killed on the street last December.”

However, let’s be clear: most gang violence targets people of the same race. Therefore, we should construe this as some wild “let’s blame Latinos for violence against black folks” rant. Instead, I am calling attention to a changing dynamic. These communities, many of which are changing as they transition from being majority-Black to majority-Latino. As these still remain poor communities, crime, unfortunately, follows in some areas.

Nonetheless, since innocent black civilians are also being targeted, I feel that I would be remiss in not speaking up.

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At a school for the deaf in Washington, DC, a black student there was attacked in an apparent hate crime. At the dorms of the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, the student was attacked by 7 other students — six white and one black — who held him against his will and scrawled ‘KKK’ and swastikas on his body with a marker.

The offenders, ranging in age from 15-19, have all been sent home. As yet, no charges have been filed. The victim is home with his family.

Popularity: 24% [?]