Re: Typic #1: Friday 5/30/03 Dateline story on the young black man accused of murder (Sterling was his first name). That young man got shafted by everyone. In the very beginning the defense attorney that did not enter the evidence to prove him innocent and the present prosecuter (whose father was the sheriff at the time of the murder) made a deal to release him if he would plead guilty to the crime. It seems that the police in that county/state did not follow simple police procedures in the case. Even when the private investigator and the two other attorneys found evidence that would prove he didn't commit the murders; the judge did not allow it to be presented even after the North Carolina Supreme court ruled otherwise. That man has suffered long enough for something he apparently did not do. Where was the NAACP and Jesse Jackson to help Sterling when he needed the help? It took 3 white people to do the research and to track down the red haired, white childhood friend of the young man to prove him innocent of the crime. My husband and I are white but it seems that if you are black and/or poor and the prosecuter needs a conviction you are just out of luck. We live in Springfield, Illinois (the home of the NAACP), Land of Lincoln - someone should have helped this young man. Most of the people on death row are probably guilty of the crime they are convicted of but there are also probably quite of few people there simply because the prosecution needed a body to put in jail and "solve" the crime. Our court system scares us. I worked for the Illinois State Legislature for over 20 years and my confidence in our government has declined over the years. Typic #2: if our government keeps allowing our jobs to be sent out of country - there will not be jobs for people to buy the products that are imported into America. When will our leaders wake up to that fact? Typic #3: so much money is spent on war and sending money to other countries (that do NOT have our best interests) that our senior citizens, our children don't get a good education (seems like school districts lay off teachers as a solution to not enough money)and the poor fall through the "cracks". I know this is longer than it should be but these are just some of the problems our county is facing that really scare us. This situation with Sterling would not have become known if your program had not been aired. Your programs are informative and educational. Keep up the good work.
Mary Jo and George Paoni, Springfield, Illinois
