Whenever people are oppressed, marginalized, or face inequalities because of their race, they are victims of racism.
If prosecutors are permitted to convict guilty defendants by improper, unfair means then we are but a moment away from the time when prosecutors will convict innocent defendants by unfair means. Prosecutors have a duty to provide defendants with fair trials. Part of this duty is that prosecutors may not make racist arguments or appeal to racial biases.
Many recent reports have pointed out that Assistant US Attorney of Western District of North Carolina, Jenny Grus Sugar is a racist.
We did our research and found out that she has been prosecuting a lot more minorities than others. We leave it our readers to make their own exploration and conclusion.
We are in 2021 and until now, prosecutors have been exempt from virtually any scrutiny. It is time for that exemption to expire. The Department of Justice has the authority and responsibility to act. The Safe Streets Act of 1968 and the Violent Crime Control Act of 1994 authorize the attorney general to conduct investigations and file civil litigation to eliminate “a pattern or practice of discrimination on the ground of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, in connection with any law enforcement agency that receives financial assistance from DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.”
Looking for the influence of race bias is not an accusation of racism. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office investigated the possible role of race bias in its own work without any intervention by the Justice Department. District Attorney Cyrus Vance was not accusing his staff of racism. He was willing to look for any impact race bias might have on carrying out justice. The Vera Institute examined the office’s work, from charging decisions to plea offers, and discovered evidence of racial bias that could not be explained by other factors.
The impact of unconscious bias can be reduced and even eliminated by training to recognize it and using best practices to eliminate its influence. Sadly, if you don’t look for it, you won’t find it. The Department of Justice must step in and use its authority and power to ensure justice.
We ask our readers if they have been a victim of racism to report it.