Shaquanda Cotton Case Draws NAACP Attention
Plight of Imprisoned Teenager Shaquanda Cotton in Paris, Texas Gains National Attention
As a 14-year-old, Shaquanda Cotton was sent to youth prison with violent offenders for allegedly causing bodily injury to a PISD teaching assistant. After a trial in March 2006 that lasted three days, County Judge Chuck Superville sentenced Shaquanda Cotton to an undefined sentence at Texas Youth Commission.
"In Texas, a white teenager burns down her family's home and receives probation," wrote Witt. "A black one shoves a hall monitor and gets 7 years in prison. The state NAACP calls it `a signal to black folks.' "
This article indeed acted as a call to arms, and in response, bloggers across the country took up the plight of Shaquanda Cotton, urging supporters to swamp Texas Governor Rick Perry with emails and phone calls until justice is served.
The Honorable M.C. (Chuck) Superville, Jr., of Lamar County -- the judge who sentenced Shaquanda Cotton -- who had no prior record - to up to seven years in prison, also came under fire for what some say was a harsh and unfair sentence.
Other anonymous residents of Paris, Texas, decry the unfair racist portrayal their town has received in light of this incident, noting that the teaching assistant required medical attention after the run-in with Shaquanda Cotton.
This did not stop "about 100 New Black Panther Party and Millions More Movement members and some Paris residents" from protesting on March 19, at the Lamar County Courthouse and Paris Independent School District Administration Building over Shaquanda Cotton's imprisonment.
In addition, according to the Paris News, the Paris Branch of the NAACP is seeking a "timely release" of Shaquanda Cotton after an executive meeting held Saturday that lasted four hours.
The Paris Branch of the NAACP has requested that an emergency item be included on the Paris City Council's agenda Monday night to name a diversity task force, as well as calling for an "expedited appeal" of Shaquanda Cotton's case by the Texarkana Court of Appeals.
Richard Manning, mayor of Paris, Texas, has been quoted as saying that it is "premature at this time to consider it," and that though he believes it is a good idea, "the council needs some time to make sure we can legally do this and then make sure we have the right people."
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26 Comments
Post a CommentThis is outrageous and I cannot imagine how this young woman and her mother are coping with this injustice. Racism is alive and kicking in Britain . The BNP peddle there Racist filth and prey on disenfranchised white working class. We should all unite against Racism, it murders our young people, Stephen Lawrence, Rohit Dhougle. and de humanises us all as human beings. If we allow people to be treated as 'other' in the Racist media, this gives the Racists the opportunity to continue their incitement to hatred and murder of anyone who is not 'white'
I wish before things are written sources would be checked. The white girl did get sent to TYC. THere wasn't a march for her or big names coming to Paris for publicity. Her family did the best they could with the means they had. She went to Brownwood Texas Commission Unit. SHe is still there today. Even after a 30 year old guard has admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing her. Is this justice? It is time to unite and not make it a colored thing. It is an economic thing. Write your state reps and get these state ran teen prisons cleaned up. THis guard had many warning and offenses on his record. He is the 5th guard to be fired in the past 7 months. You can read his article in the Abliene paper. Google it and lets get on the same page. God Bless The Weak
After reading this article I've notice that many American can not look beyond equality when racial injustice is in their face. The Texas State Supreme Court must get involved to stop the injustice by Judge Chuck Superville...justice must be fair, this is not the 50's. The NAACP and other national figures must step to the plate to stop these injustices. Jena 6 is not the tip of the iceberg; many injustices against blacks and minorities occur everyday. People, how can we call ourselves a world power wne we can't take care of home?
Well, nothing has changed in some places of USA. The authorities welcome Cubans, Mexicans, and all other people, while dissing and locking up their own black citizens. Shame, shame shame.
I'm a West Indian woman still living in the West Indies and from the looks of this story not migrating anytime soon. Strangely that idiot judge and I share a last name. Fortunately we're not related. I just heard about this tragic unfair, affair. I can only say that this is one black person who is grateful that she doesn't live in the USA. Your legal system is so unfair to minorities. When they publish those statistics about how many blacks and minorities are in prison they need to break them down into how many are there because of unfair racist sentencing.
why SHOULDN'T the NAACP get involved
UPDATE: ShaQuanda Cotton featured in September issue of Seventeen magazine, page 162.
Updates on Shaquanda Cotton?s Case. New this week (July 9, 2007) interview with Cotton?s Mother Creola Cotton, Brenda Cherry and more. Plus updates on Ginarlow Wilson case (GA). www.DryerBuzz.com or find archive at www.BlogTalkRadio.com/DryerBuzz
Feshizzle, you had the right idea when you said reading would make YOU dumber because your whole comment on this article after supposedly reading it couldn't have been more idiotic if I'd written it myself for YOU. *rolling my eyes* Anyway, I don't understand why this article is rated so low. All it is is a news blurb with no opinion made; just an update on the case. I've followed this trial. I think it's messed up that the white girl could burn her family's home and get no serious penalty but this girl pushing someone sent her to jail. Wow! Anyway, she's free now, right? And as for the name Shaquanda, Feshizzle, it has nothing to do with the case. If her name was Mary Ann, her complexion and her actions wouldn't change. At least if you're going to pick on the article, talk about the actions and not her name.
Is this rated low because of the content or the writing? Seems like this is an unbiased newstory that was simply reported!?!?