Today the two men convicted of the murder of Stephen Lawrence have been sentenced.
This is something of a victory for both the Lawrence family, who have seen a degree of justice at last for the loss of Stephen 18 years ago and also for the Metropolitan Police who have finally delivered some justice in this case.
So for Jesse Jackson, on a visit to the Occupy group based near St Pauls Cathedral, to say that the length of the prison sentences given out "cheapens black life" is simply not helpful, or (to my mind) relevant. According to reports he added that "justice delayed is justice denied".
The sentences given out were the longest the judge could give. Mrs Doreen Lawrence, acting with her ongoing grace and dignity, recognised that fact and thanked the judge for what he had done. Everyone knows this has taken too long and been down too many blind legal alleys in the last 18 years. This is nothing new - Jesse Jackson comes in with his two penn’oth worth and adds what? Only more angst to an already terribly sad set of circumstances ...
The sentences do not cheapen any life – they are what they are and all that they can be.
Some people never achieve justice for the crimes committed against them or their family members, but we don’t hear about them in the same way we have heard about Stephen. This is not a good thing, but it is the truth.
So Jesse Jackson, go back to the USA and sort out the justice system for people – all people black or white – there. Look at what goes on in New York or Washington DC or any other US city in terms of fair and equal justice for the communities there. Fix that, then come back and tell us how we can make it better, don’t just throw negatives out there for the sake of column inches.
The UK is not perfect but every reasonable person recognises that the travesty of justice that was the Stephen Lawrence case has been learned from. To deny that cheapens what the Lawrence family and all their supporters have achieved.
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