I recently stumbled upon this story on reddit, and after watching the report on it, it made my blood boil. These type of stories shouldn’t bother me this much because we all know it’s a daily operation (read: targeting minorities, a la Stop & Frisk), yet it’s still an issue of concern. Kalief Browder from the Bronx was just 16 when he was misidentified as a robbery suspect and sent on an upnorth trip for a three year stint. For something he never committed. An innocent 16 year old sent to do a bid in the infamous Riker’s Island.
“I spent three New Year’s in there, three birthdays…,” Browder, now 20, said in a recent interview with WABC, adding that he was released with “no apology.”
Then one day, without so much as an apology, Kalief was released; thrown back into society. No explanation. Nada. Thankfully, he’s got a civil rights lawyer on his side, and I damn sure hope this brother sees some real justice and sues the fuck out of the city. I hate to be the cynical one here, but let’s keep it 100, this type of bullshit will never cease, as long as we continue to be ignorant of our constitutional rights and our unethical justice system. There are so many men who share the same story as Kalief: Derrick Deacon released after 25 years for a murder he did not commit, Ryan Ferguson released after nearly 10 years for a murder he had no part in. And another recent case in which Michael Morton was released after spending 25 years in prison because a corrupt prosecutor kept evidence from Morton’s attorney. The most fucked up part about it? That same DA got a fucking slap on the wrist: 10 days in jail, 500 hours of community service, a $500 fine and being disbarred.
