BUT FOR: A Legal Term

I was having dinner with a lawyer friend of mine today as the prosecutor was giving her press conference concerning the charges (finally) being brought against the Trayvon Martin assassin. I found it interesting how much we don’t know about things and often rely or accept what we hear from others.

Let me say that the press conference announcing the charges and arrest was long overdue. I thought it was a good PR in the sense that it was, in my opinion, a way to let us and the world know that no one wants a long “Hot Summer” if they did nothing.

My friend, the attorney, said something that I found very interesting. She said, “there is a test in tort law linking the tort and the damages (aka causation), which is stated as: "but for" the defendant's negligence, the plaintiff would not have been injured.”

I was too mesmerized at the time with her that it did not strike me at the time the power of that statement. Later as I thought about what she said I realized that “if the murderer had not stalked this young child – no crime would have been committed.”

I have written on the assassination of Trayvon and like most of the world had an opinion. But yesterday, where I live, a police officer shot a twenty-one year old man and he was immediately place on administrative duty for his actions, which as is almost always the case – justifiable – a good kill as cop’s say.

Now, let’s compare that to the Martin case and what we know. If these Bull Connor type down in Florida has followed something close to reason in light of the murderer’s obvious connections – wouldn’t the guise of injustice have remained hidden from view.

I am not a lawyer but my friend is a good one. Listening to her representation of this case, as she sees it, reminding me that justice is blind, we’ve been “had” and we are being hoodwinked. Trust and Believe when it comes to justice for African Americans what we get is “Just Us”.

And that is my Thought Provoking Perspective…

My Heart – Prayers – and Support are with the Martin family, and may their son Rest in Peace.

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