Genarlow Staying the Course
Former high school football player Genarlow Wilson has rejected a plea deal that would cut Wilson's 10 year sentence in half for having oral sex with a 15 year old when he was 17. The prosecutor made the offer in writing. Wilson would have to plead guilty to a felony "that recognizes his criminal action with the victim," but would be spared having to register as a sex offender. Wilson would have to be on parole for 15 years, but the prosecutor has promised to support Wilson's immediate release on parole. Which means Wilson could be a free man.
But Genarlow has decided to press on.
He is pressing on despite being denied bond. He is pressing on despite the prospect of having to spend another year incarcerated while waiting for a ruling on the appeal of a judge's reduction of his sentence from a felony to a misdemeanor. There is no guarantee of how any of those proceedings will resolve themselves. Genarlow could certainly end up in jail for the full 10 years of his sentence.
Genarlow has supposedly expressed concern over this latest plea because of the prospect of pleading guilty to a felony and being on parole for so long would impede his academic and professional opportunities.
Let's be realistic.
Wilson's professional and academic opportunities have long ago been impeded. A Black man with a record in this country is impeded. The details of the crime aren't particularly important. Wilson's best case scenario would not leave him with a clean record. Instead, he will have a serious misdemeanor and a three year leave of absence from society that he will have to explain. I don't know that Genarlow's future prospects will be substantially altered whether or not he accepts the plea deal.
And I hope Genarlow is being realistic.
His lawyers may be in it for their own gain. Maybe for notoriety or money. Or just until they close negotiations on Genarlow's movie of the week and/or book deal."Yesterday he just told me to keep going —- that this is not what is
good for him —- that he has concerns about this plea offer," [Genarlow's
attorney] Bernstein told reporters.
It's not clear why Genarlow would turn down certain freedom. I hope he doesn't realize in retrospect that the pursuit of justice may have been too high a price to pay in lieu of freedom.
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3 comments:
The good thing in this case is that it has gained national media attention.
Nice work on keeping the discussion alive.
A misdemeanor is way better than a felony. A felony is a guarntee to no financial aid for school, no voting, no job.
A misdemeanor is managable even with the three year abscence ESPECIALLY if he leaves and goes to school then the three year absence is less of an issue.
A felony it doesn't mater if he's free b/c he'll be imprisoned by the constraints of that felony.
Also he genuinely believes he didn't do anything wrong. Why plea to that. I think u do him a disservice by suggesting he doesn't realize the consequences of his decision not to plea. I think he does.
But thinks it is better to fight then to take a deal that may mean physicl freedom but will definitely keep him figuratively imprisoned for the rest of his life.
The knowlegable and witty woman is definetly not black or witty and one or two friends does not count as understanding the struggle.
Yes in 2007 there is still a struggle. There are already enough obstacles for black men to overcome. Pleading guilty and being imprisioned on the outside is just as bad as being on the inside.
What happend to the little white boys that ran down the halls slapping girls on the butts in school a few weeks ago..the people were upset becasuse of the DA's harsh treatment (handcuffs)and assault charges were dropped...To suggest that he plead to anything more than teen being teens is absurd. Bill didn't inhale. Did they get him for posession. Did the girl get charged with lude acts for actually placing her mounth on his man parts? She was willing. Welcome to our world!
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