Criminal Justice Committee

<Newsletter Front Page>
<Newsletter Index>
Justice.jpg (4645 bytes)

By Evelyn Bomer
Chair		 The Criminal Justice Committee joined with other Unitarian Universalists and other concerned persons November 13-15 for the National Conference on Wrongful Convictions and the Death Penalty sponsored by Northwestern University School of Law and Amnesty International. Many of the former 74 Death Row prisoners who had been exonerated and freed in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976 shared their experiences. In nearly every case, it was outside pressure, not the criminal justice system, that brought these terrible miscarriages of justice to light. Our State Representative Barbara Flynn Currie, House Majority Leader, along with other noted speakers throughout the country, spoke on the need for a moratorium so that the death penalty process can be reviewed.

There are, to be sure, criminals in this world, but when persons are sentenced, we should be sure that the person accused really did the crime. We cannot continue to assume that TV coverage is true and complete. To support the proposed one-year Moratorium and review of the Illinois death penalty statute, we urge you to call, write, or fax messages of support to the Governor, State Senators, and State Representatives. Politicians are very sensitive to communications from and actions by constituents.

A special thank you to all who in the past year have signed our petitions on the Moratorium for the Death Penalty.

One example of a wrongful sentencing to death is the case of Nathson Fields, who was convicted and sentenced to death by then Judge Thomas J. Maloney, the only judge in U.S. history ever convicted of taking bribes in a capitol murder case. When Judge Maloney realized that the FBI knew of the bribe, he returned the money, but found both men guilty and sentenced them to death. The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously granted Fields a new trial in January 1998.

Yes, there are criminals, but we should demand that the seeming (in)justice system be a fair one. The criminal justice system’s prison business is the new growth industry in this country. We are becoming a service economy, and millions are being laid off from work as manufacturing is leaving the country in search of cheap labor. What is the fate of the millions out of work and hungry? Prison??? Thousands of our tax dollars in Chicago now are being spent for legal fees by the Mayor to support the antiloitering bill and overturn the consent degree prohibiting police (legal spying) on ordinary people and gatherings.

Attorney Rick Gutman, who worked closely with our past minister Jack Mendelsohn, will be in town the week of November 16 for a press conference regarding the possible reestablishment of Chicago’s Red Squad. In September I attended a hearing at the Federal Building where the city had seven or more lawyers asking to change the wording in the Red Squad Consent Degree (our church was one of the groups spied on in the 1960s and 1970s).

The Criminal Justice Committee meets the first Sunday of each month and has an information table at the Social Hour at which pros & cons on issues may be distributed. Do not rely on TV for all your information; it may be both limited and biased.

<1st Unitarian Home Page>