(John Katz,Editor,The American Dossier)
Editor's Note: There has been a call for "Progressive Transformation" of the criminal justice system at local ,state and federal levels of government. It is an issue that has been touched upon practically by every 2020 contender. And yes there is need for change,however at what cost to victims and their families? Our friends at Broad And Liberty tackled this issue and it effects on Philadelphia, and it is an issue we will later look at further at on a national level.
By Linda A. Kerns,Broad And Liberty
On July 12, 2018, Michael White plunged a knife into Sean Schellenger’s back. Sean died almost instantly. His mother, father, brother, family and friends will never see him again.
Two weeks ago, on Oct. 17, Michael White was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter in Sean’s death.
Like many Philadelphians, I watched Sean’s mother, Linda Schellenger, give an impromptu press conference outside the Criminal Justice Center after the acquittal. She unabashedly excoriated District Attorney Larry Krasner, who had dropped first- and then third-degree murder charges against White, virtually guaranteeing an acquittal. As I watched Linda Schellenger that day I thought, “Wow, there is a woman who is saying what everyone is thinking.”
When Larry Krasner ran for district attorney in 2017, anyone reading his campaign materials would have thought he was running for chief public defender or chief social worker of Philadelphia. He repeated ad nauseum that he sought to end cash bail, address police misconduct and end mass incarceration. He refused to talk about the victims of crime, or upholding the law, or keeping the city safe. Despite his manifest aversion to anything historically related to a prosecutor’s office, Philadelphians elected him.. Read Full Story Here