The Pittsburgh Gazzette is reporting on a case of a An Allegheny County judge who rejected a plea deal from a defendant and the District Attorney, given that he saw it as racially biased.
Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams, who is black, rejected a deal to allow a white defendant — Jeffery McGowan, 24, of Franklin Park — to get three months of probation for an incident in which he is accused of trying to fight with police after a traffic stop.
“(Assistant District Attorney Brian) Catanzarite for some reason comes up with I think ridiculous pleas whenever it’s a young white guy,” Williams said. “I’m just telling you what my observation is. If this had been a black kid who did the same thing, we wouldn’t be talking about three months’ probation.”
“Not because he’s white, but because it’s a ridiculous plea that only goes to white boys that come into this court for the same facts, and I’m not going for it,” the judge responded.
RELATED STORIES
Judge Blocks Controversial Parts Of Arizona Immigration Law
Eric Holder Is Trying To Get Rid of Racial Bias In The Law
