The time is now to confront racism in our criminal justice system. Act now to urge your state senator to vote yes on the California Racial Justice Act (AB 2542, Kalra). The Racial Justice Act will prohibit racial discrimination in convictions and sentences and create a process to challenge racial discrimination at trial or following a conviction.
Blatantly racist statements by attorneys, judges, jurors and expert witnesses; For far too long, pervasive, structural racism has led to unfair convictions and disproportionately long sentences for Black and Brown people in our communities. California convictions and sentences are routinely upheld despite:
- The exclusion of all, or nearly all, Black and Brown people from serving on a jury; and
- Stark statistical evidence showing systemic bias in charging and sentencing.
Courts only reverse convictions in the most extreme cases. In most cases, the courts don’t act, or worse yet, condemn discrimination but call it “harmless error.”Racial discrimination in our criminal legal system is not inevitable, it is not unfixable, and it is not harmless. The Racial Justice Act is up for votes and we need your help – act now and tell your senator to vote YES on the Racial Justice Act.
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Sincerely,
Carol Moon Goldberg P.S. Check out this fact sheet to learn more about the California Racial Justice Act. |
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