Straight Talk with Ed Gray
Amber Guyger guilty verdict surprised many in the city of Dallas. I was one of those who wanted a guilty verdict for the killer of Botham Jean. These killer cops must be held accountable for their actions. Nobody is above the law, be they a police officer or President of the United States. Dallas, for one brief shining moment, was the paradigm for a movement to hold police officers accountable. The third consecutive conviction and sentencing of wayward police officers gave me hope a change was going to come.
Last year, Roy Oliver, the assassin of Jordan Edwards, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the shooting, killing, and yes cover-up of the murder of an innocent fifteen-year-old. After the conviction of the defrocked police officer, Amber Guyger, I expected 20 to 27 years to reflect the years Botham was alive. Instead, Amber received a sentence of ten years. Then it happened, justice is given, a jury gave a sentence of ten years for the killer.
The jury spoke magnitudes with the conviction, was mute, quiet twenty-four hours. Later with the comparatively light sentencing of Amber Guyger. Don’t mess with Texas when it comes to Injustice. Crystal Mason, a black woman, was sentenced to five years for voting. Amber Guyger kills a man and gets ten years. Comparative justice, Texas-style. In a fair world, there would be no difference between black and white. However, who says the world is fair.
The legal system offers us all an equal chance; however, some are more equal than others. The “Blue Shield” provides police officers a covenant of protection after conviction. This protection was evident in the sentencing when a jury composed of minorities gave a sentence of ten years for Amber Guyger. Despite the calls of racism, the fact remains that the decision was made when the chief prosecutor is a black District Attorney. The presiding judge was an African-American. Justice was made, though I don’t agree with the decision, the sentence was made by a jury composed of minorities. The community is looking for answers and good verdicts, and those verdicts must come from the PEOPLE.
I am Ed Gray, and this is Straight Talk.
Ed Gray is a presidential scholar at Southern Methodist University. He is the host of The Commish Radio Show airing Saturdays 3-5 p.m. on FBRN.net, can be reached at eegray62@att.net. NDG was awarded NNPA’s 2018 Robert S. Abbott Best Editorial for Gray’s “Confederate Statues: The White Man’s Burden” column.
