| One day I happened to go to downtown | | | | eyes - I took what money I had in my pocket |
| Charlotte to register some business documents | | | | and wrapped it in a piece of paper and gave it to |
| and was told to go from this building to that. | | | | her when I walked out. She needed it more than I |
| From this room to the next. I have a disability | | | | did and it was the right thing to do. What has this |
| from a bad car accident, so on the way through | | | | world come to. We punish those who can least |
| one of the buildings - which happened to have | | | | afford it - if this lady were rich she would have |
| some of the criminal and/or traffic courts I had | | | | had her lawyer take care of these things for her. |
| to sit and rest my back. The only place to sit was | | | | I just recently read an article in the Charlotte |
| inside one of these courtrooms. So I sat and was | | | | Observer that described how many |
| amazed at what I heard. | | | | inconsistencies there are with the court and |
| It wasn't what I heard from the judge or | | | | policing system in Charlotte. Basically from what I |
| assistant district attorney that caught me | | | | saw is the system is geared to take advantage |
| offguard. It was what I heard from the police. | | | | of the poor and destitute. These people aren't all |
| They were there to answer for the citations and | | | | bad. They are your blue collar hard workers and |
| such they issued. According to the U.S. | | | | they are trying to climb out of financial holes |
| Constitution every person is innocent until proven | | | | many were born into. It wasn't just this one lady. |
| guilty. But to these police officers, that was not | | | | It was one after another, after another. Good |
| the case. These people were referred to as | | | | people getting slammed by the system and at |
| scum, inbreeds that belonged on Jerry Springer, | | | | fees that they cannot possibly afford - $110 court |
| etc... I overheard racist remarks, jokes about the | | | | costs + fines. Let's see at least 100 people were |
| defendents, etc... all muttered between the police | | | | in that one court room. Thats a lot of money. |
| officers. I thought these officers took an oath to | | | | And there are many courtrooms full of people |
| uphold justice and American laws. It sure didn't | | | | just like this one in Charlotte. |
| sound like it. | | | | Hmmm, it sounds like we are taking advantage of |
| Then I noticed something even more disturbing. | | | | the poor to fill probable extravagant local |
| There were a few deviant individuals in there, but | | | | government pockets and coffers. This is just |
| mostly it was the poor and destitute in there. It | | | | taking advantage of the people that these police |
| was also mostly black people. As I looked around | | | | as sworn officers swore to protect. It sounds to |
| there was not one wealthy or even middle class | | | | me like we have created a legalized bully system |
| person present. The only people in these | | | | as I did not hear one police officer that had |
| catagories was the lawyers, assistant DA and the | | | | anything nice to say about these people. And |
| judge. It was mostly poor people that are | | | | after watching the news and looking things up on |
| working hard to just barely make it by. The black | | | | the internet I see many articles on police brutality, |
| lady I sat next to was there to fight a speeding | | | | missuse of power, fraud, corruption - and its not |
| ticket and an unregistered license plate. The | | | | just one instance - there are thousands and |
| Assistant DA came over and offered to drop one | | | | thousands of these. |
| citation if she would plead guilty to the others. | | | | This is wrong and needs to be changed. I'm sure |
| The lady's reply - | | | | this happens in every city and every state. We |
| "I was held after at my first job and was rushing | | | | need to stand up to this - why is it that the local |
| to get to my second job so I wouldn't be late. I | | | | firemen are the first to the scene, always happy |
| have already been late due to my first job and | | | | to see kids and help out, and always speak |
| my other job on the weekends. I was afraid of | | | | positive regardless of the situation. The police |
| being fired and I would lose my kids to Social | | | | scare people lately. I wouldn't hesitate to take my |
| Services as I wouldn't be able to provide for | | | | kids to see the firemen - they come out with |
| them. I have three jobs just to put food on the | | | | coloring books, stickers and let them play on their |
| table - I can't afford even one of those fines. I | | | | trucks. The police are too busy and don't have |
| can hardly afford gas. Maybe I should just go on | | | | time, and to be honest, I wouldn't want to take |
| welfare." | | | | my kids to see the police. Not after what I saw in |
| I couldn't believe what I heard - This lady was | | | | one day in downtown Charlotte. Maybe all I saw |
| working 3 jobs to provide for her kids. She wasn't | | | | were the bad police - where are the good ones? I |
| doing anything wreckless - her ticket was for | | | | know there must be some. I just wish there |
| going 5 miles over the speedlimit. There was no | | | | were more of them. |
| way she was lying. This brought tears to my | | | | |
