Dallas Man Cleared, Freed After 27 Years In Prison

by Steve McGonigle - January 3rd, 2008 - The Dallas Morning News

Mr. Chatman, who was a 20-year-old, part-time janitor on probation for burglary at the time of the rape, always maintained his innocence. He told the jury that he was working as far away as Arlington the night the assault occurred near the Dallas Zoo.

The lead prosecutor at the trial called Mr. Chatman a liar and insisted that since the victim was a nurse, she was a trained observer and incapable of making a mistake.

Everyone is patting themselves on the back that "justice" worked. This man only spent 27 years in jail for a crime he did not commit. Oh what a great system we have. It is willing to free a known murderer on a technicality, but will convict an innocent black man on the bigoted testimony of a white racist.

Our court system is a contemptible system of injustice and greed. No one could get justice for Mr. Chatman before now because all the lawyers were tied up extorting billions from smokers because they dared to continue a habit others found disgusting. Legal but disgusting. That is justice in America today. Don't ever find yourself as a part of a disfavored group. You will never get justice in our system if you are.

Actually I guess not much has changed. Mr. Chatman was convicted for the same crime, being a part of a disfavored group. That is still law in America.