Opinions from around the country

In yet another ugly demonstration of our biased justice system, a U.S. federal appeals court Thursday overturned the conviction of three New York police officers in the case of the violent assault and torture of Haitian native Abner Louima.

Citing insufficient evidence that the officers obstructed justice, the court continues a trend of acquitting violent police officers on suspect grounds. One might recall that the two so-called onlookers in the Rodney King case were also initially acquitted of any wrongdoing.

As a result, officers Thomas Bruder and Thomas Wiese, who had earlier been convicted of attempting to conceal evidence, will most likely walk. The case of the third officer, Charles Schwartz, who was serving a 15-year sentence for aiding another officer in sodomizing Louima in a police station bathroom with a broken broom, was also overturned on similar grounds but may return to a lower court.

What message is the legal system in this country sending when it says it’s acceptable for police officers to watch while a fellow officer violently sodomizes a subdued, handcuffed man in a house of the law? So what if there is “insufficient evidence” that the officers actually concealed evidence against the principal offender?

By acquitting Schwartz, the courts assert that Officer Justin Volpe single-handedly subdued, handcuffed and sodomized Louima — a task that is undoubtedly physically impossible. There is a dead rat somewhere, and it behooves the New York police department to find it before New York City explodes with Rodney King-like riots.

Rulings such as this, coupled with the recent controversial shootings in Philadelphia and New York of unarmed African Americans, threaten to undermine recent efforts at racial conciliation between the police and an understandably concerned community.

Is there a rule in our legal system that says police officers can get away with violating civil rights?

Hopefully, New York prosecutors can effectively retry Schwartz in a lower court. With the new evidence, airtight civil cases should be brought against Bruder, Wiese and anyone else involved in this disgusting assault. Maybe then Louima can get a taste of the same justice afforded to those who would abuse their badges to violate his civil rights.

This editorial comes from the Daily Texan at the University of Texas-Austin.
This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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