I am no lawyer. I'm just a regular guy that for a few years has been trying to teach high school kids right from wrong and how to be accountable for their actions in the real world. I even taught a civics class and one of the wonderful things we read about in this country was equal justice. After seeing these two stories unfold I am doubting the existence of this concept.
For starters we can eliminate race and fame from the discussion. Both men are African-American and both are professional football players with lots of money. We can only look at the disparity in the sentencing. Both acts are terribly irresponsible and reckless and could have resulted in injury or death to the general public. So why the differing sentences? In this country we share many values that make us Americans so why in two different states that belong to the same union could we come these legal conclusions? If we indeed value public safety, the sentences would have been at least the same.
Can we look at the result of the actions of the individual? If we do I think we can all agree that Plaxico Burress got screwed. He was his only victim and received a much stiffer penalty. I have read some reporters that say Donte Stallworth will bear the burden of killing a man for the rest of his life and that is punishment enough. Bunch of savages in this town! Sure he will suffer after he serves an NFL suspension, plays, makes a begillion more dollars and lives comfortably for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, the family of his victim will always feel the loss.
I'm stumped on this one! Maybe we should take equal justice out of the textbooks until society figures this thing out and makes the adjustment.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4270311
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Applying-the-Donte-Stallworth-precedent-to-Plaxi?urn=nfl,173358
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-21-haugh-bears-chicago-aug21,0,6489499.column?track=rss
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