Unequal Justice

The New York City subway system is a subterranean world in itself, consisting of 36 lines and 248 miles in track length. Lying beneath the street and at some locations the distance down can increase according to where in the city the train is traveling; anywhere from 50 to 100 feet. It would be fitting if the people that ride the system each day could do so with the assurance that their trip will be comfortable, clean, fast, and above all safe, as passengers should expect nothing less. 

Sadly the system is broken, not so much mechanically, but it is personal and an everyday ever-present danger for anyone who uses it. Incidents of violence are occurring in record number, and the usual method of attack is with a knife, the train itself, or anything capable of inflicting harm, even death. When one enters the subway system, you do so with the belief that you could be the next victim. Where are the transit police, you wonder? They’re usually in locations where the attacks are not, similar to what occurs above ground in the streets.

In a one-week period, these are some of the incidents of crime in the NYC subway system: 

• “Homeless man charged in the fatal stabbing of a passenger aboard a Manhattan bound train.”
• Teenage girl slash victim: “He stared and stalked me.”
• Brooklyn subway shove horror: “Man was pushed onto the tracks, but survives.” 
• Hero is scared for life: “Man attempted to interdict and ease a tense situation, but was slashed, leaving an eight-inch gash from his forehead down to his jaw.” The attacker is an ex-convict career criminal.

These are but a few; there were other incidents, but I think by now you get the picture. My intent here, however, is not to provide a rundown of crime stories on the New York City subway system, but to give credence and prove a point. And that is the assertion by conservatives and Republicans of a biased justice system, even when the politics is local. Allow me to explain.

The scale of justice is a representation of the equal administration in deciding cases before a court of law. As such, there are two sides to every story, the scales are balanced. What would the reaction be if the scales held by Lady Justice, were tilted, one side lower than the other?

In writing several weeks ago, I told the story of a 25-year-old ex-Marine who subdued a deranged man on the subway. Daniel Penny confronted Jordon Neely, 32, who was threatening passengers, acting unhinged and out of control. Penny put Neely in a chokehold, and sadly Neely lost his life. At the outset, the ex-Marine was charged with criminally negligent homicide and was released on his own recognizance. On June 28, prosecutors added second-degree manslaughter to the original charge. Penny appeared in court with his lawyers and pleaded not guilty. 

In early June, 20-year-old Jordon Williams was on a train with his girlfriend. They were approached by Devictor Quedraogo, 36, who had up till then been harassing passengers, even yelling out he was going to “erase someone.” Quedraogo came up to Williams’ girlfriend and asked her if she wanted to have sex; I will refrain here from using the vulgar language he used.

At that point, after the verbal assault on his girlfriend, Jordon Williams pushed Quedraogo and told him to back off. When he refused and began attacking the couple, Williams pulled out a knife fatally stabbing Quedraogo. Following the deadly altercation, Williams was arrested but released without bail. It was recently held that he will not be charged with the killing.

Let us now compare the two incidents, Daniel Penny and Jordon Williams. Why is Penny being subjected to multiple charges, but Williams is not? Both applied force that was fatal in each case, so why the disparity? The major difference in these cases is not the manner that delivered the deadly results, but that Penny is a white man who killed a black man, whereas, Williams is a black man who killed another black man.

Now you might think that I’m applying a racial litmus test here, and you’d be correct. This is New York City, a bastion of radial progressive insanity. Those in charge, from the mayor to District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is the same AG prosecuting former President Trump, are biased politically and racially. This is no secret; they are both black and have shown with their actions while in office, including disparaging remarks, they are in fact, bigots. And they place little, if any, value on black lives.