Pubdate: Sun, 22 Jun 2003
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2003 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact:  http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Mike Woodward
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/tulia.htm (Tulia, Texas)

TULIA, TEXAS, NIGHTMARE BEGAN WITH A MALICIOUS 'JUSTICE' SYSTEM

The report out of Tulia, Texas, says that 12 people were freed by a
judge who said they "were railroaded by a white undercover
agent"("Texas convicts get bail," News, June 17).

That is not true. They were not railroaded by a white undercover
agent. They were railroaded by biased or incompetent judges and a
system hell-bent on convictions and "justice," i.e. punishment. That
the word "justice" is today synonymous with punishment is indicative
of the malaise in our "justice" system.

When there is a miscarriage of justice there is no point in blaming
the equally biased - and therefore incompetent - police,
prosecutors and "informants," nor in blaming government-supplied
defense lawyers. But, yes, governors such as Texas' former governor,
George W. Bush, are culpable. It is the primary duty of every judge to
see that justice is done. This rarely ever happens, whether it is a
traffic ticket or a major trial.

MIKE WOODWARD, Morrow
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake