On June 4, 2020, I witness the live televised memorial service of a George Floyd. As I was sitting there in front of the television looking at his casket and his family grieving, I couldn’t help but think “ANOTHER ONE”.
Another one of our lives taking to soon…… Blacks, we are being kill on the streets or buried in the system ( and since you’re reading this blog, you’ve done figure out my destination:-) I am a 45 year old black woman, currently serving 15 years mandatory ( day for day ) for violating 10 years drug offender probation, by misreporting my address. Yes!!!! , I mistakenly inform my probation officer that the address of where I was going to be living ( my children’s grandmother house), I stated “Street” instead of ” Terrence”….
The number of the building, the name and telephone number of whom I was going to be staying with, even the zip code was correct.
Who would thought this technicality would cost me to miss out on 15 years of life most precious moments like: My children’s graduation, sending them off to college, the birth of my grandchildren, my son being recruited into the United States Air Forces, or even giving my father a proper burial.
As I sit here doing this time, I can’t help but wonder Would my sentence be any different if I was white?????? Yes, I could have a additional charge and wouldn’t have seen 15 years, if I was white……
Look at the sentence that being handed out to Blacks vs.Whites for that particular crime and tell me what’s wrong, then sit back and ask yourself: DO BLACK LIVES MATTER!!!!!!!!!!
The Rev. Al Sharpton extended the invitation to the viewers all over the world to take a moment of silents for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time that George Floyd was held down……………..
And in that long length of time. I was able to engage in deep thought and I couldn’t’ help but to reflect on what happened to me and my family.
I was taking back June 22, 2015, my violation of probation hearing, were my attorney and the prosecutor duke it out duke it for 3 hours and my attorney call the probation officer out numerous of time on his conflicting stories……
People of color don’t get the benefit of the the doubt when there are conflicting stories inside courtroom (or a boardroom) for that matter.. We’re not offered the chance to explain our side of “the story”…. we are seen as a threat until proven other wise (and that’s rearly the case).
Being judge at first sight or having fear that your mere existence will bring you harm is to much to bear at times.
Legislators must be willing to do the hard work at addressing and resolving the biases that causes the system to devalue black lives….
We are set back 400 plus years with a long way to go…….

Carrie Jones
DOC #464462