Voting Rights Official Calls Dismissal of Black Panther Case a 'Travesty of Justice'

The Justice Department is ignoring civil rights cases that involve white victims and wrongly abandoned a voter intimidation case against the New Black Panther Party last year, a top department official testified Friday. He called the department's conduct a "travesty of justice." 

Christopher Coates, former voting chief for the department's Civil Rights Division, spoke under oath Friday morning before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, in a long-awaited appearance that had been stonewalled by the Justice Department for nearly a year. 

Coates discussed in depth the DOJ's decision to dismiss intimidation charges against New Black Panther members who were videotaped outside a Philadelphia polling place in 2008 dressed in military-style uniforms -- one was brandishing a nightstick -- and allegedly hurling racial slurs. 

The case has drifted in and out of the limelight over the past year as the commission has struggled to investigate it. Former Justice official J. Christian Adams fueled the controversy when he testified in July and accused his former employer of showing "hostility" toward cases that involved white victims and black defendants.

Nearly three months later, Coates backed up Adams' claims. In lengthy and detailed testimony, he said the department cultivates a "hostile atmosphere" against "race-neutral enforcement" of the Voting Rights Act.

He said civil rights attorneys stick to cases that involve minority victims, and he said the Black Panther case was dismissed following "pressure" by the NAACP and "anger" at the case within the Justice Department itself...."

I have no problem with the Black Panther in question full frontal brandishing his big old nightstick. As a free member of this Democratic Republic, he is guaranteed access to arms, be they sharpened, percussive, or bludgeon worthy.

What makes this particular instance an intolerable one, is the fact that only HE is allowed to go so armed. Try the same thing at a different venue, with people of different colors, and see what happens.

It is of important note that our current justice system is being "led" by racists.

Time for a CHANGE we can DEPEND UPON?