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- rune420, on 10/12/2007, -2/+145HOUSTON -- Shaquanda Cotton, the black teenager in the small east Texas town of Paris whose prison sentence of up to 7 years for shoving a teacher's aide sparked nationwide controversy, was released Saturday.
Her release, ordered by a special conservator appointed to overhaul the state's scandal-ridden juvenile prison system, was the first of what could be hundreds as a panel of civil rights leaders begins reviewing the sentences of every youth incarcerated by the Texas Youth Commission to weed out those being held arbitrarily.
"We have no confidence in the system that was in place," said Jim Hurley, spokesman for the conservator, Jay Kimbrough. "And this case is an example of what we expect to happen if something wrong has been done to youths being held inside that system."
Cotton, who is 15, had no prior criminal record when she was incarcerated a year ago under an indeterminate sentence that could have lasted until her 21st birthday. Her case rose to national prominence and became the focus of ongoing civil rights protests after a March 12 Tribune story detailed how a 14-year-old white girl convicted of the more serious crime of arson was sentenced to probation by the same judge.
Cotton's case occurred against a backdrop of persistent allegations of racial discrimination inside the Paris public schools -- allegations that are the subject of a continuing probe by the U.S. Department of Education to determine whether black students in the district are disciplined more harshly than whites.
"When I learned about this case, I thought, this just looks so bad and smells so bad it made me hurt," said state Rep. Harold Dutton, the influential chairman of the Texas Legislature's juvenile justice committee. "I told [prison officials] I wanted her out of there immediately."
The superintendent of the Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Complex in Brownwood, Texas, where Shaquanda Cotton is being held, called the girl's mother, Creola Cotton, Friday afternoon and told her she could come pick up the youth, Creola Cotton said.
But because it is a five-hour drive from Paris to Brownwood, and the weather in the area on Friday was severe, Creola Cotton said she couldn't reach the prison until Saturday morning.
Later Friday, prison officials, who had not told Shaquanda of her impending release, allowed her to call her mother.
'She nearly fell on the floor'
"She thought they were bringing her to the office to tell her I was not going to be able to visit this weekend like I was planning because of the bad weather, so she was already crying," Creola Cotton said. "I said, 'Oh, I'm still gonna come see you tomorrow. But you're going to be coming home with me.' She nearly fell on the floor."
Officials said Shaquanda Cotton was being released on 60 days' probation to allow her to access state health and counseling services. But after that, she would be completely free, they said. Creola Cotton said her daughter would not return to the Paris public schools but would pursue her GED at home.
What effect her release might have on the pending legal appeal of the youth's case was unclear.
Since she has been in prison, Shaquanda Cotton said that she had grown despondent surrounded by other youths who were hardened criminals, and that she had tried to commit suicide. Her sentence, which ultimately was up to the discretion of prison officials, had twice been extended, first because she would not admit her guilt as required by prison regulations and then because she was found with "contraband" in her cell -- an extra pair of socks.
Those sentence extensions drew the attention of Kimbrough, who was confirmed by the state Senate on Thursday as conservator of the youth prison system, which has been rocked by a sex scandal over allegations that guards and administrators coerced inmates for sex.
Kimbrough, a former deputy attorney general, said last week that he was convening a special committee to examine the sentences of all 4,700 youths in Texas juvenile prisons to determine how many might have had their sentences unfairly extended by prison authorities -- and that Shaquanda Cotton's was the first case he intended to review.
Prison officials said it was Kimbrough who personally ordered the girl's release on Friday.
Since the Tribune's first account of Shaquanda Cotton's case, her story has been circulated on more than 400 Internet blogs and featured in newspapers and radio and TV reports across the country. Two protests demanding her release were held in Paris and a third, to be led by Rev. Al Sharpton, was scheduled for Tuesday.
Even before news of her impending release broke Friday, the Lamar County District Attorney's office, which prosecuted her and pressed for her to be sent to prison for up to 7 years, made an abrupt turnaround and said the youth had served enough time and ought to be freed.
Court discrepancy revealed
"Let her out of TYC," said Allan Hubbard, spokesman for Lamar County District Atty. Gary Young. "Hell, she's done a year for pushing a teacher. That's too long."
Hubbard also backed away from claims he and Young made this week in numerous media interviews that the judge in the case, Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville, had had no choice but to send the youth to prison because her mother had testified that she would not cooperate with probation officials had the judge sentenced the teen to probation.
On Thursday, Young's official Web site contained this assertion: "This juvenile's mother (Creola Cotton) told the judge she would not comply with conditions of probation."
But a review of the full court transcript shows no such testimony. In fact, Creola Cotton repeatedly answered "yes" when asked in court whether she would comply with any conditions of probation that the judge might impose.
On Friday morning, after an inquiry about this discrepancy by the Tribune, the district attorney's Web site was altered to read: "Through her actions of non-cooperation, Ms. Cotton told the judge she would not comply with conditions of probation." - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -4/+79I hope that judge gets fired for sentencing her in the first place.
- Griiih, on 10/12/2007, -0/+58Just change the true to false and it will work.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0703310265mar31,1,4935841.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=1&cset=false - adragons, on 10/12/2007, -3/+60"Please register or log in
The story you requested is available only to registered members." - cameron074, on 10/12/2007, -5/+58"Her case rose to national prominence and became the focus of ongoing civil rights protests after a March 12 Tribune story detailed how a 14-year-old white girl convicted of the more serious crime of arson was sentenced to probation by the same judge."
Ah, it's nice to know that racism is still alive and well in that Texas courtroom. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -17/+69So, she's Black and her last name is Cotton? .... .... ...
- captinherb, on 10/12/2007, -4/+50FTA "Even before news of her impending release broke Friday, the Lamar County District Attorney's office, which prosecuted her and pressed for her to be sent to prison for up to 7 years, made an abrupt turnaround and said the youth had served enough time and ought to be freed."
Funny how that worked. They pressed for 7 years untill people found out about it. Then all of a sudden they think she's served enough time. - LowRentDiggs, on 10/12/2007, -1/+26And then she gets to the prison door and they're like "APRIL FOOLS!"
- eplawless, on 10/12/2007, -2/+26"no prior record"
- mrgeekguy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+24Every time a hall monitor is pushed, the terrorists win.
- Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -4/+26Are you going to put your post in it?
- parax, on 10/12/2007, -2/+22They're not racist in Texas, they treat all black people the same way.
- Bartboy919, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18Old habits die hard?
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15This week a six-year old (!) was also arrested, charged for "striking a teacher, throwing a chair, and then crying uncontrollably", and taken to jail. WTF America?
http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/law/2007/03/30/baynews9.6yearold.arrested.affl - eplawless, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14are you daft? we believe in rewarding the content creators (like musicians) instead of multinational corporations (like the music labels)
- kavery, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15Seven years?
Now I'm afraid to fart in my car on the freeway when I have to drive through there. - Zero456, on 10/12/2007, -1/+13"Her sentence, which ultimately was up to the discretion of prison officials, had twice been extended, first because she would not admit her guilt as required by prison regulations and then because she was found with "contraband" in her cell -- an extra pair of socks."
How the Hell are socks "contraband"? - Pottersquash, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14"jsac"
*chuckle* - Absinthminded64, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11@unknownsoldierx Many person's names don't originate from their own ethnic group. But, to respond in kind is it really necessary to quote your text to point out that you're a racist idiot?
I'm very happy about the outcome of this. What's sad is that so many people with the power to make change were already aware of what goes on and yet they chose to do nothing. - kuzotz, on 10/12/2007, -0/+10so if you plead not guilty then you get more prison time?
- kevinrosesmom, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11While it may have gotten lost in my spiel, my point is that rampant racism as I see most of the people pointing their fingers to in these comments is not the problem. It's a much more subtle problem than that, and it's engrained deep in the fabric of the society.
This incident however definitely shows that even one person of power with racist tendencies can have huge effects over people's lives. If this had not caught people's attention this girl's life would have been ruined; how many others were there that weren't given this kind of attention?
Also this happened while I was there, you might find it insightful to the mindset of the school: http://www.thewaterglass.net/archives/000225.html (It really was just pure ignorance on their part. There are no Jews in Paris.) - kevinrosesmom, on 10/12/2007, -3/+12As someone who is originally from this town and this school (Yes, really. Only a few years ago.) there is a very visible racial divide. In the older story that hit the front page it mentioned that something like twice as many black students get discipline referrals as white students. I am certain this is true, though I doubt that it is due to racist school officials (nothing in my time there led me to believe the administrators dealing with students were racist). If you broke the discipline referrals down by income, or even race down by family income, you would see the full story. It's not so much a symptom of the school as it is the entire community. The fact of the matter is that the town has almost no potential for upward mobility. People tend to take over their parent's business or job or move away. This leave the town with a racial divide that will take a really long time to overcome if ever.
As far as the school is concerned, I know the administrators involved on a very personal level and they are good people (mostly, there are one or two I have my qualms about). The judge however gave me weird vibes when I had dinner with him several years ago at a fundraiser.
I'm not going to say the South is worse or better than any other place, but there are many reasons I left the place behind and will not be returning for any length again. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9It's like a kangaroo court. We know you're guilty, just admit it already.
- shmatt, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10well, you'll be fine if you're white
- foolfromhell, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8You make funny!
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8...we dont want debt help and free ringtones...
- reddfox321, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7@diffractions
From what I read she didn't have any prior convictions... - Bartboy919, on 10/12/2007, -8/+15@durk
Think about this for a second. If you were to think which state had more racists, sexists and homophobes between Texas and Ohio, would you pick Ohio. The fact is old habits die hard, and that is exactly why the south would never vote a women or black man into office. - KibibyteBrain, on 10/12/2007, -5/+12@tripacer Or who ever the hell was the idiot who was defending her! How on Earth did they think they had lost that case? Worst case scenario, even a lousy lawyer would have been able to have gotten a pardon from someone. Its just almost impossible to imagine any legal professional could stop putting up a fight so easily.
- Harboggles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Am I the only one who saw "Girl in Paris" and not be suprised?
- foolfromhell, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Umm... no its not!
- PanteroBlanco, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7If someone's abuse of authority landed me in jail for a year and came close to landing me in there for seven, I don't think I'd be "less aggressive" when I got out. More like "murderous".
- draculthemad, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7@catchphrase
"Good luck to her. Maybe she won't go back to jail."
Screw that.
This is the kind of thing civil rights lawsuits were designed to STOP.
Sic the ACLU on that bigoted, child-persecuting moronic district.
Make their damned tax-payers pay through the damned nose until they stop allowing/electing/appointing that kind of thing to happen. - PanteroBlanco, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6Actually, it wouldn't be surprising if she is. Not because she pushed a teacher, or because she's black, but because being in jail/prison, especially one run in a corrupt manner, can seriously ***** you up. Thieves and punks go in, murderers come out.
- morbo47, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6They hadn't been pressing for seven years to send her to jail, they'd been pressing to send her to jail FOR seven years.
I'm glad this worked out. Unfortunately, she's still served a year in jail for something that sounds like it didn't even *need* a slap on the wrist for. Hopefully, she's able to sue the courts for that. - kuzotz, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@joemofo619
so having to deal with the humiliation of being arrested, and given an extremely bogus sentence, and then having to deal with the stress of a legal battle isn't punishment enough?
Also we shouldn't be a society bent on punishment.. We should focus more on rehabilitation.. - mhearne, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7We did leave, exactly 15 years after we were annexed (we did not join). The borders of Texas in 1845 were blocking westward expansion, and they had to take us over to open the west.
I would prefer it, if we were able to break away. Just think, no "War on Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and the Constitution". No more propaganda. No more Fascism. No more "Order".
Why, we might even get to have real money again. We might get to wake up in the morning to a nice day, instead of the never-ending "Crisis".
It doesn't matter what color that girl was, the point is that if you dare to question authority, you will be jailed, or worse. This has been going on for around 25 years now, and there are young adults who don't even remember when this was a free country. - LaSiD, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Duh! The socks were probably made of hemp, obviously she was going to smoke them!
Seriously, I hope their review picks out these arbitrary ***** and fires every one of them. - CoolWind, on 10/12/2007, -3/+7This kind of injustice, cruelty, and lack of compassion makes me feel ashamed to be human.
- candre23, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Nothing good can come from registering on a site like that. According to their privacy policy: https://www.chicagotribune.com/services/site/chi-privacy,0,4121982.story they reserve the right to send you promotional offers pretty much forever. The also admit to using your registration info for demographic research and to selling your info to spammers unless you specifically opt out.
I have no problem "stealing" from asshats like that. - nomadxx7, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1410 to 1 she is back in prison for something else within 1 year.
Yeah it's called being institutionalized. - noamsml, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Yay for the power of journalism!
- leobaby, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Here's an NPR article from this week. They point out how here sentence was lengthened because of her possession of contraband, an extra pair of socks.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9248771 - mhearne, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Which is exactly why we don't like to "register" with sites like the Tribune and other papers. All they are trying to do is spam us.
- PanteroBlanco, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Of course people want information hassle-free; that's what the Internet is for. Someone's ability to make money will always come second to that as far as I'm concerned.
- Digit01, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Man this is just crap! Again the system got caught! I bet the judge wont be fired. Instead he will be promoted to a better position. Judges rarely get fired-they just move around; kind of like the priests who molest little boys.
- jtizzle, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3@adragons
(and any other possibly interested parties.)
Bugmenot.
http://www.bugmenot.com/
Bugmenot Firefox Extension:
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@griiih
well done, sir. - jobenly, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3She didn't have prior convictions. She apparently did have an attitude problem, however. She was sentenced (in something like a jury trial) to 7 years or until she completed "rehabilitation." I guess part of her rehabilitation was admitting what she did, which she refused to do. If she were less stubborn, she would be out by now. I guess her mother likes to complain about racism every time her daughter is punished. I'm sure her objections would have been taken more seriously if she didn't cry wolf all the time.
Also, Ms. Cotton assaulted a school official, which is a serious felony in Texas, probably about as serious as committing arson.
All that being said, 7 years is ridiculous. Pedophiles don't get that much in certain cases.
I don't know the judge and administrators involved. Maybe they're racist. Or maybe this is a stupid zero tolerance policy thing, like the little kids punished for sexual harassment for kissing girls on the playground. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -3/+6and you dont look like no cow to me ;)
oo a special olympics participant i see.. u just made texans look even better. lol -
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