Justice, Texas style.

Dusting off my racism chasing track shoes.

I just got off the phone with a wonderful lady named Brenda Cherry who happens to be a resident of Paris, Texas. (Yes, that Paris, Texas. h/t to Nancy Lockhart for this story)

I called her, because I couldn't believe the story Nancy Lockhart sent me via e-mail about a man named Bobby Yates. Ms. Cherry confirmed that it is true, and that what is happening to Bobby Yates is not so unusual for the good citizens of Paris.

"(Paris, TX) – April 14, 2011 - Local residents and others are seeking financial assistance for the legal defense of a Paris man accused of sexual assault in a case civil rights activists state is one of several that illustrates racism within the town’s criminal justice system. Bobby Yates, a 51 year-old African American Paris resident, who lost his lower limbs in a hunting accident over two decades ago and who is also paralyzed, is set to stand trial this month for the alleged sexual assault of a 16 year-old white female, who came to his home with two adult white males at 2 a.m. on March 18, 2008. Yates called 911 for help and can be heard on a 911 tape on the morning of the alleged incident, stating the group beat him and requesting police help with forcing them to leave his home. Local activists allege a police report filed in the incident states instead that the female was the one to make the call to 911. They also suggest that the arrest report purposely includes a photo of Yates which may lead one to believe that he is standing up and leaves blank the question of height and scars. They state that on another report, a height of 5”9” is listed. Activists also claim that accompanying information did not disclose his amputation information or his penectomy resulting from complications after the amputation.

A gag order has reportedly been issued in the case, and related records sealed. This is a concern for those attempting to help Yates with raising funds for his defense due to the inability to obtain and verify information about the case.

Yates is scheduled for jury selection April 20, 2011. His court appointed attorney filed a motion to withdraw as attorney of record, after Yates refused to accept a plea.

Yates recently found an attorney willing to represent him; however, activists say funds are needed to help with his defense. "

Ms. Cherry told me the names of the two (white) Assistant District Attorney's prosecuting the case, and before I put them on blast I am going to call their office, tomorrow.

Ms. Cherry told me that a jury trial starts on May 26th. I think I will grab my passport and head on down there. (Field haters, that was a joke. I know you don't need a passport to go to Texas. Not yet.)

Anyway, you Negroes can help Bobby Yates by going to this website.

The Lamar County court house address is 1119 North Main Street, Paris, Tx. 75460.

If any of you Negroes know how to write you might want to drop them a line.

"America is my country and Paris is my hometown."

I am quite sure that Gertrude Stein wasn't referring to Paris, Texas when she said those words.

There is plenty to see and do in Paris, France. The Ave Des Champs Elyses; The Louvre; a wine bar in the Entrants Rouge Market; the Le Marais District, I could go on and on. Paris, Texas, on the other hand, not so much. Unless you consider pick up truck, Negro dragging , something to do.

I know they have a Main Street, and apparently they have a farmer's market as well. (That's always nice) And, they have their very own civic center, named: (Get this) The Love Civic Center. Yep, I kid you not. THE LOVE CIVIC CENTER!

Maybe it's because they don't have much to do in Paris, Texas why black folks and white folks have been at each other's throats so much. Now, of course, this was before the beerfest and our teachable moment in A-merry-ca, so this post is probably obsolete. Right now as I type this post, some of those very folks who were screaming at each other across the side walk in the hot Texas heat, could be sipping ice tea and eating watermelon slices together while they watch Hee Haw reruns.

Just a couple of weeks ago the Panthers and the KKK were squaring off in the the republic of Texas in open defiance of the O man's post racial A-merry-ca. Thank god Skip Gates and Sgt. Crow[ley] came along. They were just in time to bring us all together.

Still, I can't only rip the people of Paris, Texas. Hell they have lots of things to do around here and in Boston and look how the racial harmony thing has been working out for us. Of course we didn't have any of our Negroes dragged to death like they did in Jasper and Paris, because that has not been designated a sport here yet. Not yet. We are still pretty much into our Eagles and Phillies, and I am sure the folks up in Boston love their Red Sox and Patriots as well. Of course, that could change. Maybe we just need folks up here to buy more pick up trucks.

Now I see why W moved to Texas: He loves their laws.

I love me some Howard Witt, I really do. He is one of the last truly fearless journalist left in A-murder-ca. Anyway, he sent the following article to the Afrospear, and I wanted to share it with you, my fellow field hands and lurkers.

"Tribune correspondent April 6, 2009 HOUSTON - The crime Aaron Hart confessed to was undeniably repellent. Last September, the 18-year-old man was charged with sexually assaulting a 7-year-old neighbor boy behind a tool shed in the small east Texas town of Paris. A relative of the victim said she walked outside and saw Hart with his pants pulled down, standing next to the boy. Police read Hart his Miranda rights and he quickly admitted his guilt. On Feb. 11, Hart's court-appointed attorney entered guilty pleas to each of five related felony counts, a jury recommended multiple sentences and a judge then ruled that the prison terms be served consecutively, for a total of 100 years.

That might have been the end of Cause No. 22924 in the 6th Judicial District Court of Lamar County, Texas-just another dismal criminal case on the docket of an obscure town. Except that now, less than two months after Hart was sentenced, every court official who had a hand in the case seems to agree that he doesn't really belong in prison for what amounts to the rest of his life.That's because Hart is profoundly mentally retarded. He has an IQ of 47, and his parents say he functions at the level of a 9-year-old. The boy he confessed to molesting is mentally retarded as well. What's more, the judge and the jury never heard any expert testimony about Hart's diminished mental functioning, his capacity to understand his Miranda rights or his ability to assist in his own defense, because his defense attorney never subpoenaed any experts. And since he has been in jail, Hart himself has been repeatedly raped, according to his parents. The first assault, allegedly by an inmate who is serving a far shorter sentence of just 8 years for sexual indecency with a child, so disturbed the alleged rapist's mother that she called Hart's parents to apologize.

'I have nightmares thinking about Aaron in prison and how he is going to survive in there,' said Robert Hart, Aaron's 70-year-old father. 'He's the type of kid who his whole life people beat him up, took stuff from him, and he wouldn't defend himself. He can't read or write. He can't hardly talk.' Hart's complex case is threatening to once again bring unwelcome outside scrutiny to the functioning of the criminal justice system in Paris. The town of 26,000 drew national civil rights protests in 2007 following a Tribune report contrasting the judicial treatment of a 14-year-old black girl, who was sentenced to up to 7 years in youth prison for shoving a hall monitor at her high school, with the treatment of a 14-year-old white girl, who was given probation for the more serious crime of arson. More racial tensions erupted last year after the slaying of a 24-year-old black man, allegedly at the hands of two whites. "

Wow, great community that Paris, Texas. Anyway, I hope that all of you will be as equally outraged when I tell you that there was no racial component to this story, and that both the victim and the accused are white. Sorry house Negroes, you can't accuse the field of racism chasing tonight. Nope, tonight I am chasing just plain injustice, and I will be damned if I didn't find it. I don't give a damn if the person being subjected to this injustice is purple yellow or green; this was outrageous, plain and simple. The good folks of Paris, Texas, once again, have some "splaining" to do. But before they start, they might want to read some law books.

Story here.

On a side note: It looks like our Police Chief apologized to State Rep. Williams for that incident I blogged about yesterday. Now let's see if he fires those two punks.