Appellate Attorney Phillip Cherney for the defence.
At the dawn of the justice system, the ancient Greeks envisioned a goddess with arms outstretched holding a pair of scales keeping the system in balance and a sword ready to deliver the punishment.
Your honour and members of the jury, I am not here to argue that this man, Vincent Brothers, is innocent. Nor am I here to debate whether the death penalty is morally just. I am here to question whether Mr Brothers received the death penalty for his crime, or because of an unjust system.
Today Vincent Brothers stands before you wondering how and why he has found himself in this position. Rising from humble beginnings, this man made the best of the meagre opportunities provided by this state,…show more content… Look around you. This is an all-white jury convicting an African-American man. This might not seem to be such a problem in this one case, but looking at the broader picture exposes a very startling trend. Wide spread racial discrimination was documented across 8 southern states, including Alabama county, where 4 out of every 5 African Americans who qualified for jury service in capital cases were dismissed by prosecutors (Neufville, 2010). Our justice system is obsessed with refusing African Americans the right to be judged by their own. Instead, the juror’s bench is only open to white people - people who don’t share the same experiences of an oppressed race. Thus, are much less likely to see my client’s side of the story. Furthermore Amnesty International found that, capital punishment has been exercised “…disproportionately against the poor, powerless and marginalised”. The reason is right in front of you. This systematic discrimination needs to…show more content… During the Voir Dire you were questioned as to your position on capital punishment and your answer was in favour. In fact, all of you are death qualified. That’s right, the jury selection process for a capital case requires that every one of you is open to sentencing my client to death. Let’s face it, before my client was even brought to trial, this process implied his guilt, ensured you were primed for conviction and ready to strike (Blume, 2008). Prejudice is rampant. This all-white jury has not only perpetuated discrimination but predetermined his fate. Your honour, the scales have
