Judge says black suspect needs a ‘tree and a rope’, gets ordered to racial sensitivity training - Sensationalist Headlines

[QUOTE]A Texas judge is under fire and has been formally reprimanded for posting on Facebook that a “tree and a rope” were needed to take care of a man who has been accused of shooting a San Antonio police detective to death. James Oakley got the reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Oakley, who is Burnet County’s top administrator, has to now complete a 30-hour training program for new judges as well as four hours of racial sensitivity training.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://thegrio.com/2017/05/07/judge-says-black-suspect-needs-a-tree-and-a-rope-gets-ordered-to-racial-sensitivity-training/"]Source 1.[/URL] [URL="https://chicagodefender.com/2017/05/08/texas-judged-forced-to-undergo-sensitivity-training-after-saying-black-defendant-needs-a-tree-and-a-rope/"]2.[/URL]

I swear, some people seem like they stumbled into a time machine and ended up here.

There shouldn't be "racial sensitivity training" for a judge, you should just get sacked. How could you possibly hope for him to be impartial and fair when dealing with black defendants after he says something like that? It's not as though anyone seriously changes their world view after 4 hours of mandatory "sit in a room and listen to PowerPoints about why you're an awful person".

[QUOTE=srobins;52209532]There shouldn't be "racial sensitivity training" for a judge, you should just get sacked. How could you possibly hope for him to be impartial and fair when dealing with black defendants after he says something like that? [b]It's not as though anyone seriously changes their world view after 4 hours of mandatory "sit in a room and listen to PowerPoints about why you're an awful person".[/b][/QUOTE] If anything that's just gonna make him more racist.

snip

[QUOTE=AbbaDee;52209597]I don't see what this case has to do with race. He said a suspected cop-killer who was black should kill himself, not that he should kill himself because he was black or even a general "black people should kill themselves". Guy's a dick but this is being taken horribly out of context.[/QUOTE] the tree and rope comment is a reference to lynching

[QUOTE=AbbaDee;52209597]I don't see what this case has to do with race. He said a suspected cop-killer who was black should kill himself, not that he should kill himself because he was black or even a general "black people should kill themselves". Guy's a dick but this is being taken horribly out of context.[/QUOTE] In Australia, maybe. However, America has a bit of... Shall we say history; with ropes and trees.

Ah, sorry. Not very familiar with the US history of racial discrimination.

he was just tired like jontron and that pro overwatch player that was sarcasm

Regardless of race, what does it say about a judge who believes that a [b]suspect[/b] ought to be hanged for a crime he's yet to be convicted of? If I were accused of murder, I'd be terrified of getting him as a judge. The American justice system is a massive joke

[QUOTE=proboardslol;52209708]Regardless of race, what does it say about a judge who believes that a [b]suspect[/b] ought to be hanged for a crime he's yet to be convicted of? If I were accused of murder, I'd be terrified of getting him as a judge. The American justice system is a massive joke[/QUOTE] I'm more concerned about this than any racial undertones. Racism is indefensible, but a judge who thinks your guilty even before the trial sends chills down my spine regardless of the situation.

[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;52209766]I'm more concerned about this than any racial undertones. Racism is indefensible, but a judge who thinks your guilty even before the trial sends chills down my spine regardless of the situation.[/QUOTE] Why? The role of a judge is to be impartial, not to be devoid of an opinion.

[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;52209766]I'm more concerned about this than any racial undertones. Racism is indefensible, but a judge who thinks your guilty even before the trial sends chills down my spine regardless of the situation.[/QUOTE] While that is scary, what you said is basically the exact same thing from the perspective of a black person. Any black person assigned to this judge knows the judge is a racist asshole who's [I]automatically[/I] biased against them. And racists typically ignore any evidence to the contrary, even concrete proof, believing that being a minority is evidence enough. I don't trust this judge's impartiality frankly and he shouldn't be allowed to serve as a judge period. 'Racial sensitivity training' isn't a magic cure for racism. At most I think he'll learn to keep his racist opinions in his own head and any black people - or other minorities for that matter - are still gonna be screwed if he's their judge.

[QUOTE=DaMastez;52209781]Why? The role of a judge is to be impartial, not to be devoid of an opinion.[/QUOTE] He went beyond having an opinion by stating he was guilty [I]in public[/I] online. That's just wrong.

[QUOTE=DaMastez;52209781]Why? The role of a judge is to be impartial, not to be devoid of an opinion.[/QUOTE] As a public figure, you're also expected to watch your opinions, especially when they happen to be crude and racist like this. Doubly so for an individual who's expected to issue justice impartially.

[QUOTE=DaMastez;52209781]Why? The role of a judge is to be impartial, not to be devoid of an opinion.[/QUOTE] If your opinion is that black people are inherently more criminal, violent, impulsive, dangerous, or otherwise inferior, then your ability to be impartial and objective is severely inhibited. If racism is grounds for being kicked out of a jury panel, then why should the [I]judge[/I] be exempt?

[QUOTE=DaMastez;52209781]Why? The role of a judge is to be impartial, not to be devoid of an opinion.[/QUOTE] he obviously isn't impartial if he formed his opinion before the trial happened.

Can judges even be removed from office?

[QUOTE=BlackMageMari;52209815]He went beyond having an opinion by stating he was guilty [I]in public[/I] online. That's just wrong.[/QUOTE] I would agree if this comment was from the judge assigned to the trial, but to my understanding that isn't the situation. Further, I don't see what posting it in public has to do with it; he would have thought what he though regardless of if he posted the comment on not. [QUOTE=Big Dumb American;52210169]If your opinion is that black people are inherently more criminal, violent, impulsive, dangerous, or otherwise inferior, then your ability to be impartial and objective is severely inhibited. If racism is grounds for being kicked out of a jury panel, then why should the [I]judge[/I] be exempt?[/QUOTE] Even if the comment is taken to be racist, it's a comment directed at one case, at one accused individual. Nothing indicates the comment was directed at black people in general. There's only conjecture that the statement is even racist, it isn't like hanging people was exclusive to blacks; innocent until proven guilty, no? [QUOTE=bdd458;52210208]he obviously isn't impartial if he formed his opinion before the trial happened.[/QUOTE] He basically confessed (back in November): [quote]McKane already has offered an apology to the dead officer's family. As he was being escorted out of the police department after his arrest, reporters asked him why he had been upset. "Society not allowing me to see my son," McKane replied. "I lashed out at somebody who didn't deserve it." "I've been through several custody battles and I was upset at the situation I was in." When asked if he had anything to say to Marconi's family, he replied: "I'm sorry," as he was escorted away.[/quote] Source: [url]http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/22/us/san-antonio-police-shooting/index.html[/url] Not to mention, this judge might have more information on the case than the public has. More generally, say someone was accused of murder; the entire murder was caught on video, and the accused can be clearly identified on said video. Would it really be a surprise if the judge presiding over the case had formed his opinion before the trial officially began. The question isn't if the judge has an opinion; everyone has an opinion regardless of if they make it known outwardly or not. The question is if that opinion interferes with their duties.

This is like telling someone of jewish descent that they need a final solution

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK4XhR0lYlE[/media]

How can anyone think that was a fair trial if he ends it like that before sentencing?

Making jokes about lynching is poor taste

What's racial sensitivity training?

[QUOTE=Sims_doc;52214252]What's racial sensitivity training?[/QUOTE] From what I know, basically it probably means he's gonna have to watch someone's powerpoint presentation on why being racist is mean, and bad for publicity, and maybe take part in some stupid ass activities. It's a soft non-punishment for racism that makes it look like you've accomplished something.

The articles play it out to be racist. Regardless of being black or not, the guy shot and killed a police detective. Do you think he'd say the same thing if it was a white guy that killed the detective? The facebook comment wasnt "toss this black man a rope and point him to the nearest tree", race wasnt brought up. The articles made them a race issue because shit like that sells. Perhaps the judge was good friends with the detective, and is just frustrated and mad, not exactly the best conduct from a judge to post something like that but nonetheless it isnt a race issue

[QUOTE=Valon Kyre;52217672]The articles play it out to be racist.[/QUOTE] It was racially insensitive, which is an inappropriate thing for a judge to say, as they are supposed to be impartial.

[QUOTE=Valon Kyre;52217672]The articles play it out to be racist. Regardless of being black or not, the guy shot and killed a police detective. Do you think he'd say the same thing if it was a white guy that killed the detective? The facebook comment wasnt "toss this black man a rope and point him to the nearest tree", race wasnt brought up. The articles made them a race issue because shit like that sells. Perhaps the judge was good friends with the detective, and is just frustrated and mad, not exactly the best conduct from a judge to post something like that but nonetheless it isnt a race issue[/QUOTE] Racial insensitivity is just as bad, and doesn't bode well for impartiality either When you're in a high visibility public career like this you damn well better learn to put a lid on your mouth when needed

[QUOTE=Valon Kyre;52217672]The articles play it out to be racist. Regardless of being black or not, the guy shot and killed a police detective. Do you think he'd say the same thing if it was a white guy that killed the detective? The facebook comment wasnt "toss this black man a rope and point him to the nearest tree", race wasnt brought up. The articles made them a race issue because shit like that sells. Perhaps the judge was good friends with the detective, and is just frustrated and mad, not exactly the best conduct from a judge to post something like that but nonetheless it isnt a race issue[/QUOTE] sure I mean if you want to just stick fingers in your ears and pretend that an obvious reference to lynching isn't exactly what it is, that's your right personally, knowing the history of racial strife in the united states, i don't buy that!