Oh, the Justice System....

Who remembers the case of the man who was arrested and tried for a 1984 rape, after using his AA program to write a letter of confession and apology to his victim? I remember it well. I loved the bravery of the victim, Liz Seccuro, who shamelessly went public with her story. She refused to accept an apology as a form of justice, and had to watch others both excuse the crime that happened “so long ago” and excuse the “apologetic” rapist.

That man, William Beebe, is now being released on parole after serving only six months in jail.

I sent the preceding The Curvature blog article to my boyfriend, and thought I'd share how the conversation developed:

HIM: lets not forget that this is not only a feminism matter. this is a general breakdown of the justice system. just like you see on law and order, evidence that is collected improperly that will 100% convict the person of murder or something can be thrown out and the guy let free, even if he killed like 2 people. you might just be focused on the feminist perspective but thousands of people get away with just a slap on the wrist everyday. no reason to be scared to leave ny/nj.

ME: I agree 100% this reflects a general breakdown of the justice system, but the problem wasn't in getting this guy convicted and sentenced to a (paltry, in my opinion) 10 years in prison. His sentencing wasn't a slap on the wrist 6 months in jail. I'm appalled that parole was seen as appropriate in this scenario! Because he didn't kill anyone, he "just" raped her? I mean, black men in Jersey City serve the full ten years without parole for walking around with a dime bag of weed!

I just feel so angry and scared that the War on Marijuana, a non-violent substance, routinely exacts far harsher penalties than brutalizing women.......

Btw, on a sort of different topic, can you decriminalize drug use, even to stuff like crack or whatever, but still keep it illegal? What I mean is, the drug, it's sale, use, whatever is not a legally protected action, but when you are pulled over or causing a disturbance, you get sentenced to rehab? Or even a cheap, prison-like, holding cell enovironment but WITHOUT getting a criminal record? Cause really, addicts, people with mental problems are already societal outcasts, do we need to push them further to the margins by making them convicts who will then find it practically impossible to get hired for any meaningful work later on? I mean, what a cycle!

I'm not suggesting a concentration camp for people who get pulled over for being high, incarceration without charges being filed or conviction. But is there any legal way of getting addicts out of harm's way (other's or their own) without making them future ex-cons who cannot find suitable work?