Innocent till proven guilty…Doesn’t anyone believe that anymore?

               Going to Manhattan’s Criminal Court really opened up my eyes to the injustice that continues to happen in society. I clearly saw that African Americans are targeted more than any other ethnic group. Out of about twelve to fifteen defendants, eleven to fourteen of them were African Americans. I felt uncomfortable with the way these people were treated. Police Officers spoke to them very aggressively for no particular reason. Judges barely looked at them as they addressed them, and lawyers spent most of the time on facebook. The criminal justice system seemed informal to me, when instead it should be a place where justice should be served very respectfully, while taking into consideration the future of most criminals. I definitely sided with Paul Butlers theory of African Americans getting targeted much harshly. I remember the case in which the young man was taken to court for harassment because he was a part of a group, and I am assuming someone felt uncomfortable so they notified the police. His public defendant so cleverly stated that, that reason in its self is not enough to convict someone of a crime. If that were the case those who walk on Times Square 42^nd Street would be in trouble. I found the experience to be very informative; I grew a deep appreciation for lawyers who are assigned to the more serious cases. Overall we must stop targeting one specific group, take responsibility more serious, especially when it deals with ones freedom.