BACKWARD...FORWARD — The Weekly Opine

Two recent high-profile trials remind us the justice system in the Union is not perfect. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Rotten cheese

Today, we begin with the verdicts in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial, and of the three men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery.

It came as no surprise that Rittenhouse, benefitting from a judge who should be removed due to blatant malpractice, was set free. Judge Bruce Schroeder, at 75 years old the longest-serving circuit court judge in Wisconsin, made a mockery of the trial.

We witnessed Schroeder unabashedly tip the scales of justice in Rittenhouse’s favor. The judge offered up judicial decisions (e.g., forbidding the prosecution from referring to Rittenhouse’s victims as “victims”) that ensured Rittenhouse escaped punishment for crossing the Illinois-Wisconsin border, wielding an AK-15-style assault rifle, and killing two unarmed victims.

Judge Schroeder also dabbled in racism with an oddball comment about sending out for Asian food for lunch. Schroeder committed jury tampering by insisting that the jury, and everyone else in the courtroom, give an ovation to an about-to-testify witness for the defense who happened to be a military veteran.

The prosecution was relatively weak and did not full-court press Rittenhouse to my satisfaction. They should have hammered the defendant with directives such as, “Name the business owners you know personally in Kenosha.” Or they could have pressed him asking Rittenhouse to “Name the business owners who specifically asked you to defend their stores from rioters.” The obvious question to ask Rittenhouse was/is, “In the future, if another protest is planned in a nearby town, will you strap on your assault rifle and show up to defend businesses?”

Rittenhouse’s lame, insincere “I support Black Lives Matter” trope is evidence he is a pathetic human, attempting to curry favor even as he accepted an invitation to appear with racists like Tucker Carlson and Trump.

Judge Bruce Schroeder proved to be every bit the turkey as this Thanksgiving variety. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Rittenhouse can count on this; he escaped prison but will be a tortured soul the rest of his life. Each time he peers into a mirror Rittenhouse will face the truth because, as everyone knows, the mirror does not lie. Inevitably, he will become expendable, at which time clowns like Trump and Tucker Carlson will discard Rittenhouse like the rotten egg that he is.

Georgia…Georgia

Down South, things were much different. Despite racist pleas from a defense attorney to keep Black pastors out of the courtroom, Judge Timothy Walmsley, overseeing the trial of Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William Bryan, kept his composure.

Ahmaud Arbery’s family was belatedly granted closure. The key was video shot by Bryan that was released, months after the murder, to a local media outlet by Greg McMichael – ostensibly to prove the three men acted in self-defense. McMichael’s decision to release the video backfired incredibly. A murder that flew under the radar was made public, followed by an outcry for justice.

I had the happenstance fortune to sit down for lunch the day the verdicts were read. It was a reminder that cameras should be in all courtrooms. Surreal describes the scene as I watched the reactions of the two McMichael’s (son and father) and Bryan.

The gunman, Travis McMichael, suffered a shutout; guilty on all nine counts. You could see the enormity of his destiny wash over Travis McMichael. The immediacy of his fate crushed him like the fierce winds of a tornado pummel a trailer park. No cooling off period to get his affairs in order and then report to prison in a couple months. His face said it all; I am going to the Big House without delay.

Daddy McMichael was found not guilty on the first count. For a split-second Greg McMichael seemed almost buoyant, his eyes lifting with the faint hope he might be spared. Then the judge read the verdicts on the remaining eight counts. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. Guilty. In other words, “goodbye.”

Lastly, Bryan was found guilty on six of nine counts. Surely, “Roddie” Bryan will spend the rest of his days berating himself, over and over and over. He’ll ask himself, “Why in the hell did I videotape the murder?” He’ll punish himself asking, “And why did I ever give the video to the McMichael’s?” After the verdicts were read Bryan shed tears, knowing he will spend the rest of his life in prison, too.

A final score of 23 Guilty and 4 Not Guilty is a blowout by any measure. (Photo credit AP, Glynn County Superior Court)

This jury, unlike the mostly schemers selected as the jury in the Rittenhouse trial, took their oath to heart (and mind), followed the facts and truth and thus correctly served up justice.

Round 3

Life does not always give us three chances to get things right but here we go. With the detection of a new variant of the coronavirus – this one named omicron – there is yet another opportunity for Americans to show the world our often bragged about stature as the shining light on a hill.

We have arrived at the stage where blame for the persistence of the virus in this country falls squarely on the shoulders (or arm) of anyone who – without valid medical reasons – has not been vaccinated.

And it also falls squarely on the actions of anyone in a position of authority who continues to accommodate the unvaccinated. This includes government leaders, restaurant owners, sports and entertainment venue owners, school districts, homeowners who allow unvaccinated folks into their homes, etc.

We can all agree the Trump administration is solely responsible for the virus quickly spiraling out of control in this country in the winter and spring of 2020. That is indisputable and the Trump administration’s ignorance, ineptness, and lack of timely, tenacious actions caused the mess we are in. No doubt. And Trump is confronted with his legacy anytime he sees someone wearing a mask. He owns all of this.

However, we can also agree the Biden administration has not communicated as clearly as they should have, which added to confusion surrounding who should get vaccinated and when. But give the man credit, he is not brushing the pandemic aside as a hoax or fake news.

The flag on the left represents how poorly America has handled the coronavirus. The flag on the right is what our pandemic response should have looked like. (Photos credit The Weekly Opine)

Right now, the American people are also at fault for not stepping up to end the virus’ status as a pandemic. This includes anyone who still takes their lead from Fox News. Or those who listen to quacks like Aaron Rodgers and Kyrie Irving. And those who shun vaccines and then beg for the shot, when the intubation tube is about to be shoved down their throat.

If you are not vaccinated, get vaccinated. If you are vaccinated, get the booster. And everyone, wear a mask.