Wednesday, November 6, 2024

The Prison Chronicles: The Verdict of the Damned

by G. Jack Urso

 
The recent election reminds me of the time when I ran a prison college program during the O. J. Simpson trial and the jury announced they had reached a decision. The prison staff rolled a TV into one of the classrooms and about two dozen inmates crowded in. While waiting for the verdict to be announced I asked everyone if they thought O. J. Simpson was guilty. 

Every hand went up.

One inmate summed it up, We know he's guilty. We just want to see him get off. Everyone laughed.

Because they were all guilty of their crimes, there was some kind of vicarious thrill in seeing someone rich and important mock the system that held them accountable for their actions.

When the verdict was announced, they all cheered.

Thirty years later, thats where we are now. 
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