As many of you may know I'm originally from New York. New York has shown to be a culturally diverse area. However, I still find that many people are against this "diversity." On August 9th 2006, in Miller Place Long Island, my neighbor Aaron White ( a black male) attended a party, which he was not invited to. He got kicked out of the party and went home. Later that night a group of the white males came to Aaron White's house and threatened him. They first started harassing by text message, instant message, and by calling him on his cell phone.
However, the night didn't end there. The group of angry teenagers then decided to go to Aaron's house. The ring leader, Daniel Cicciaro Jr. ( a white male), and his friends went in Aaron's driveway yelling loud racial remarks.Frightened, Aaron called his father John White and explained to him what was going on. John and Aaron White went outside with two hunting guns to scare the angry mob away. While outside John White held his gun in the direction of the young men. Daniel Cicciaro then grabbed hold of the gun and it fired. Daniel Cicciaro got shot in the face and died soon after.
Many have their views on the situation. However, the jury had their own opinion, the hearing was just a few days before Christmas. They found Mr. White guilty on a manslaughter charge and a weapons charge which can run from 5 to 15 years. But, on the 24th of December 2 jurors came out and said that they were pressured into saying that Mr. White was guilty. They both said that they felt pressure from the judge and the other jurors. Rev. Al Sharpton is planning a march in New York in January, in honor of Mr. White's injustice.
It is hard to put my personal feelings aside, but I truly feel John White should be a free man. If Mr. White was Caucasian and Cicciaro was black, would this be the same outcome?
Alicia Gaynor
Secretary
UCABJ
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4 comments:
As a future journalist, how would you find the balance needed to report a story like this? He's your next door neighbor, yes, but what if you were assigned to cover this story? How would you proceed?
Despite our duty to be objective, journalists are often affected by the way in which stories get covered. This is a clear travesty of justice to you, but the family of the kid who died probably see it differently. As a person who's close to this story, what do you hope the media does with it?
I will be the first to say that this would not be same outcome. Let me tell you what would happen in contrast to what still is capable of taken place. I am a loyal viewer of headline news, and on occassion I watch the fox network. Lets take one pig I have learn to become very biased against as a tool for my example. Bill O'reily, in the current situation, would not put the white man on the show (nor would any of the host of these two networks) to confront and speculate their thoughts of being wrong or justified, but they will go after the "controversy starter" in therir eyes who in this case would be Mr. Sharpton. They will put him in the hot seat and ask why is he doing this? Is it necessary? They will exaggerate to pull the situation into the extreme while trying to make a point that what the "black" man did is irrational. Then, there finishing move, they would ask Mr. Sharpton if it were a vice versa situation, would he be heard as he is currently. Seen it a million times. The power of racism in the disguise of common media. BS! In the situation of vice versa, Hosts of these networks would make it their goal to leave out the manslaughter while highlighting the racial slurs (so that they can cite reverse racism and try to make it seem as if african americans are more racist than whites) and the fact that these men are on their property which gives anyone the right to defend themselves and their property. They would be advocates in pressuring the people as well as the jury (knowing they pay attention to the media and have a bit of influence upon them) to take into consideration the violation of property or trespassing. Outside of these two scenarios, it is evident that there is something completely wrong. There should be an appeal, the lawyer should bring up the fact that he was defending himself and his property which is his right, and that should be, under the letter and spirit of the law, enough to win the case for Mr. White. True justice never fails behind the "Veil of Ignorance".
This is quite a story. Thanks for sharing it Alicia.
adl makes a good point about objectivity. OK, don't kill me for saying this, but looking at it as objectively as I can, this seems a little complicated. On the one hand, I've seen judges and juries be very forgiving of vigilante behavior in other situations. There even seems to be applause from the public (especially in Cincinnati)for people that use violence when threatened. And history has shown again and again that when black people are threatened, a lot of people see "self defense" very differently.
But did the Cicciaro really have to die? Based on what I read here, I have to wonder why the gun was loaded at all if White had no reason to think the aggressors were armed.
If I were reporting on this I would want to dig into other similar cases of "self defense" killings and see if I see any pattern of racial bias.
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