Comments on: After Drunk Driver Kills Child, Mother Faces Three Years in Prison

By: Beff

Beff — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:14:52 +0000

It didnt post my whole message so I apologize if it doesn’t make sense

By: Beff

Beff — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:11:45 +0000

C that a driver will stop but if the driver sober and paying attention then they would’ve stopped or slowed at the appropriate place. Therefore I can’t say I agree with going along with the new “American Way” and sewing the city. Now the reason I decided to comment in the first place is I resent the media and anyone else for that matter for implying or flat out saying that she got the sentence that she did because it was handed down by an all-white jury. This has unfortunately also been a reoccuring theme in America…everyone looks sonjatd at everything to find where they can turn into an issue of race. Until ALL of us stop doing this there will always be race issues in America…not just in the South i might add.

By: Patience

Patience — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:51:34 +0000

Kroozer- race has little to do with her decision making -granted it was a poor decision but for damn sure, but she should not have been charged with homicide. I doubt however that if this woman had been a white woman that the jury would have made the same ruling -it’s just a reality.
And the Duke lacrosse thing? Really?What in the world does that have to do with a woman who made poor decision to cross a 4 lane hwy to get her children home before dark and gets hit by a dui driver who is partially blind and who basically gets away scott free? You are quick to bring up race yourself -what about the woman who claimed a black man kidnapped her children only to learn that she rolled her car with children inside in the river to drown? Or the woman who threw acid on herself and blamed a black woman. We could go on and on…but the bigger picture is this and you should realize, this isnt a story but a reality and is someone’s life.

She lost her child and she and her other child were injured -focus on the bigger picture and the offending party got off with very little while she was charged agreviously

By: Patience

Patience — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:45:22 +0000

OPhyllia -do the rest of us a favor and lie in your bed and rot. You are in insensitive piece of crap. Why would you even take the time to comment and say some stupid crap like that.!!!

By: Patience

Patience — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:41:37 +0000

Perhaps you should have taken the time to read the article in its entirety before making comments that she was “lazy” to go her car.
She had just gotten off the bus and her decision to try to cut across the highway was getting dark and wanted to try to get her children home. Granted, it was not perhaps the best decision but for you to make a trite comment like that without even reading the article just goes to show just how insensitive you are and how society is desensitized to tragedy when it doesn’t directly affect them. She lost her son and she and her other child were seriously injured. To add insult to the outcome, she is charged in her son’s death and the drunk driver gets off with next to nothing. The loss of a child is a scar that runs severely deep and it’s unfortunate that she didn’t even have the time to truly grieve as an all-white jury decides to charge her with a crime that will only scar her and her family even deeper.
Take the time to think and realize that it’s not just a “story” but this is someone’ s life.
If you can’t read and gain the context from an article, then do the rest of us a favor and dont waste your time commenting.

By: Kroozer

Kroozer — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:47:18 +0000

When I heard “jaywalking” I was thinking she was just crossing a street and not using the convenient crosswalk. The article shows a 5 lane highway. She was in the wrong for having her kids cross the highway in the first place and the fact that the driver was drunk doesn’t absolve her negligence. She hasn’t been sentenced, just convicted and will probably get a much lesser sentence.

I’m not getting on the Al Sharpton race wagon on this one. She put her children in danger and if she chose not to cross a highway repeat a HIGHWAY, not a street, alley or walkway, the kids would be alive. Black, white, yellow or brown, trifling parenting is trifling parenting.

And yes, the driver should have gotten a stiffer sentence but I’m not going to deflect from the mothers negligence either.

People have to slow down that backing up people without knowing the facts just because they’re black.

When we make big deals about non-issues it takes away from those of us who speak up when we have valid points to make. Just look at all the energy and credibility of the black community wasted on the Duke Lacross stripper.

-2

By: Nadell

Nadell — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:01:07 +0000

Don’t Punish Pedestrians for Driver’s Mistakes! Folks, sign the petition at the link:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/669/545/347/

The way our judicial system operates frightens me. At times I am ashamed to call myself an American citizen!

By: George Lewis

George Lewis — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:02:53 +0000

Justice miscarried. Their is no way this was right. If this were hitting home, some of the callous judgements would certainly be different.

By: Unbelievable

Unbelievable — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:01:59 +0000

Utterly ridiculous and head-in-the-sand commentary. The fact that there was and is absolutely no compassion shown for this mother is as racist as it comes. A mother who made a human error, one made by humans of all races, jaywalking. Everybody does it. The decision to prosecute this case, and the jail terms she faces as a result, is as racist as it comes. Prosecutors have discretion and iI\f the mother had been white, the prosecutor and society would have simply shaken their collective heads at her “misstep” and then deemed that she had suffered enough through the loss of her child and the injury to herself and her other child, while throwing the book at the drunk, half blind driver. You don’t get to be a drunken driver, period, especially when you KILL someone, and a small child to boot. This case reminds me of the one in I think it’s Ohio where another African American mom faces jail time simply because she did the unthinkable—used someone else’s address to send her kids to a better school. Oh, what a monster! The hatred is all just sickening.

By: Orphan_Shadow

Orphan_Shadow — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 04:48:50 +0000

People are saying she should have used a crosswalk. Well personally, I’ve almost been hit at crosswalks more times than anywhere else. I don’t blame this woman for her child’s death. Drivers know they should be looking out for pedestrians and they know they shouldn’t be driving while under the influence.

Now, what are we going to do to make pedestrian over/underpasses a reality?

By: charles c. sumblin

charles c. sumblin — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:28:49 +0000

My name is Charles C.Sumblin, and I am a former member of the Dekalb county police dept., here in the state of Georgia. I am saddened by the news of the mother in Georgia who is facing more time in prison than the drunk that hit and killed her daughter, in the same accident that she is being charged with Vehicle Homicide in the second degree.
this represent the greatest miscarriage of justice ever committed in this nation. I am therefore, calling on all true red blooded Americans to join in this protest effort. Reach me at charlescsumblin@gmail.com

By: charles c. sumblin

charles c. sumblin — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:09:56 +0000

Hi, my name is Charles C.Sumblin, and I a former member of the Dekalb County Police Dept. I joined the Dekalb County Police Dept., when the department was at the height of its most popular years; under the leadership of Dick Hands. I learned to appreciate the full value of being a police officer, and realizing the importance of being a public servant.
In our walk with God, we are required to be servants; no greater honor has man to offer.
In regard to the case of the Mother in Georgia who is facing more prison time than the man that took the life of her son, while he was driving under the influence of alcohol, and also previously charged wtih multible serious traffic related charges.

By: chris

chris — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:04:59 +0000

oh and just one more thing – he was halfway blind ! i would counter-sue the state – THIS GUY SHOULDN’T HAVE EVEN BEEN DRIVING…. ! his license should at least have regulations – an hour not drive after, prescription windshield!, extra strength headlights!, something ! oh and of course not to be drinking… thought that was a law already though

By: chris

chris — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:57:49 +0000

i would just like to add that – those lines nor the signs posted on a street actually stops a vehicle. Even when i drive (because i know myself so often to not be paying attention) shake my head at people who faithfully walk out into the street at a stop sign before i stop; that sign does not guarantee a stop – my blanker being on doesn’t guarantee a turn; for all you know i could be daydreaming somewhere in left field while OPERATING A VEHICLE. The cities need to do a better job at accommodating pedestrians; I live in Texas and there are a lot of places without sidewalks but i moved down here from New York, where walking is like,…life. soooo.. just saying.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:20:28 +0000

She’s lazy, but your in your car riding somewhere too far for your a$$ to walk. Wow! The nerve…

By: O'Phylia

O'Phylia — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 17:00:27 +0000

I’m going back to bed.

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:52:33 +0000

I believe “Guy” should’ve been charged with vehicular manslaughter and gotten more of a sentence. However, I agree the mother should be charged as well, since she should never have crossed — with children — in anything other than a cross walk. So what if she had to walk a little ways to the light? If she chooses to put herself in danger, fine. But when she has children with her, get to the cross walk. Period. I see people down here in Florida cross in the middle of the road all the time, stopping traffic, and I find them to be lazy. Don’t stop traffic because your lazy butt can’t walk to an appropriate place to cross. I think the jury did a fine job with the mother, but the district attorney did a bad job with the drunk guy.

By: Mina

Mina — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:06:45 +0000

Lol! No, I got it too, there are a few of us…

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:55:25 +0000

Mike, when operating a vehicle the driver is fully responsible and must maintain control of the vehicle at all times. You have a responsibility to stop, even when someone is doing something they shouldn’t in the road. If his reflexes were that of a sober person, he most likely would have been able to react accordingly. Perhaps when he kills someone else, no one will try to use the defense of the dead person having the gall to be in the way to get hit.
Yes, what she did was wrong, but a sober driver, as all the drivers before him, would have allowed the little family to cross the road.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:41:42 +0000

It sounds like she is really on trial for being POOR. She definitely should not have crossed in the manner she did but I’m sure this is a common practice to reach the bus stop.
So now she is grieving, the siblings are grieving AND this situation is upon her? This is beyond sad. I believe a crosswalk should be in place so the people the bus stop was placed there for can access it. The stop is probably in this particular spot SO the people from this woman’s neighborhood can utilize this means of transportation. I don’t know about GA, but in MA, it is against the law not to stop for a pedestrian.
I would say the city or state did not do all they could do for it’s citizens.
And where did they find an all white jury? It can be difficult for them to comprehend that we love our children as they do. It is also hard with classism. We spend so much time trying to stay disconnected with being poor that it can be easy for some to mistake a person who is “just trying to get by” with someone “not following the letter of the law”. Insane.

By: Tonia

Tonia — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:38:56 +0000

You are sooo right. They are gunning for us hard!!

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 00:07:33 +0000

@Mike. No evidence that his being drunk caused thsi child’s death? Really? While I do agree that she should not have been crossing at that point, there’s nothing anyone can say to make me belive that this partially blind, medicated, drunk man is not responsible for this accident. If it wasnt this little boy and it was someone on the sidewalk or in another vehicle. Would he still not be responsible?

By: Kenny

Kenny — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:41:54 +0000

I agree 100% with Mike yeah he shouldn’t have license in the first place but also maybe she should obey the law and use the F…… cross walk and pay better attention to her kids what idiot crosses and intersection that freely? specially with a 4 year old kid she deserves what she has coming but I also think he should get way worse than what he was sentenced with.

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:54:41 +0000

People need to stop playing the race card on this one. 1. It was two different juries that came up with two different verdicts. 2. There is absolutely no evidence that this guy being drunk led to the child’s death. However, I can categorically say that had this woman not jaywalked, her child would still be alive. She should do more time than him.

By: Jess

Jess — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:53:52 +0000

I absolutely agree with the outrage 100%.

@Bridget, when I read “Ronnie Millsap” I could not stop laughing. I thought that I was the only black person who knew who he was!

By: Bridget

Bridget — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 22:35:24 +0000

Not surprised –at all. Georgia is one backwards $%# state; I should know,I live here. How in the world can you be charged with vehicular homicide and you weren’t driving a vehicle? And in the meantime Ronnie Millsap is free to go kill somebody else! smh

By: Bee

Bee — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:18:33 +0000

Here’s a link to a petition that’s been started: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/669/545/347/

This honestly is ridiculous.

By: La Diva Negra, J

La Diva Negra, J — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 21:08:08 +0000

I am ashamed to call myself a citizen of a nation that would allow such nonsense. I am thoroughly disgusted, although not shocked at the lack of common sense and compassion held by the jurors.

I just cannot fathom what the mother is going through, and I truly am praying for her and her family because nobody deserves this. Especially if these dumb ***** out here in Indianapolis (aka Jay walk city) have never been hauled away to prison for intentionally being ignorant and crossing the street, not with children or handicaps, but instead with public intoxication and often profanity.

America is a backwards nation. Swear we get a black president and all the insane people step forward.

By: Kate

Kate — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:49:01 +0000

is there anything we can do to protest? a petition? I am so disgusted. I want to find a way to show my support for this woman and her family.

By: Demi

Demi — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:37:01 +0000

How can any true human being see this situation & allow this type of injustice? This just goes to show, you can never (publicly) utter the word “nigger” but you can still be a raging racist. That jury, lawyer & judge-subhuman. Animals. Karma is the great equalizer, but I want real justice to be served now! Sadly, this type of grave, blatant injustice is not uncommon.

Proud American…

By: LainaLain

LainaLain — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:22:03 +0000

Tell me that’s not a race thing. Anybody, just try me.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:00:33 +0000

That is simply outrageous. I cannot believe that she would serve more time than the man who actually killed her child, who was previously accused of serious traffic violations!!!

By: Mo

Mo — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:04:40 +0000

I absolutely feel for her and Ithink the fact that she lost her child is punishment enough. No jail time needed for her. However, YES, she SHOULD have lugged her little tired ones the 3/10 of a mile to the light. I am familiar with this street and it angers me to no end to see mothers trying to cross an entire family of little ones across it in the middle when there are lights and crosswalks a half a block away. I realize it may be more convenient to cross where your apartment is, but it is very, very dangerous and irresponsible to put your children at risk like that.

That being said, as impaired as this man was there is no guarantee he would not have run them down if they were crossing correctly. the burden is very much on him and he should serve the max amount of time he can for being so careless as to be on the road at all.

By: D-Chubb

D-Chubb — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:35:29 +0000

Welcome back, Jim Crow.

By: Tiffany W.

Tiffany W. — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:19:24 +0000

I thought you had to be in control of the vehicle in order to be convicted of vehicular homicide….did they make a mistake an pin the correct charge onto the wrong person? Guy should have CERTAINLY been convicted of that. Though drunk, blind, and heavily medicated, I sincerely doubt he intended to mow down the family, but then again….it is Georgia. She needs a new legal team if they’re going to let that charge stick. Sad situation all around.

By: edub

edub — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:03:48 +0000

WOW! Vehicular Homicide? Really? I can see jay walking and reckless endangerment, but homicide?
I’m speechless.

By: katieM

katieM — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:32:47 +0000

How did her lawyer let the jury be all white? Couldn’t he reject some jurors? Couldn’t he complain that the jury was all white and thus not a jury of her peers? Don’t black people vote in Georgia? Of course they do! The whole thing is a tragedy and travesty.

By: Mimi

Mimi — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:31:18 +0000

Not only was this dude drinking, but he admitted to taking painkillers too???? DAMN!! Can somebody tell me how a partially blind person is able to have a drivers license in the first place? Blind, drunk and high???? There is no way this guy should have been behind the wheel.

I hope the people in Georgia rally around this mother and do whatever they have to to get the judge in this case off the bench.

By: oknow

oknow — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:06:37 +0000

what the H.. i do believe she is at fault a little because how do you cross a 5 lane highway w/no lights or traffic signs, or traffic cop?! that’s dangerous in itself.. i know she didn’t want to walk but damn.. i’m a driver.. i know how hard it is to stop on a highway doing the speed limit.. should she be charged, NO! She has enough guilt to deal with.. but why were the charges dropped down to a hit and run when a child died, when this man was half-blind (he shouldn’t be driving), and while he was intoxicated?! this is crazy…. the white folks on the jury are crazy.. they need to pray nothing like this ever happens to their child..

By: Wendy

Wendy — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:02:25 +0000

Reading this really pisses me off. I completely agree with Nneoma. This country is ridiculously bias. The judicial system is a fucking joke!! There needs to be some sort of regulatory system when picking jurors to participate in trials. How in the hell does jay walking possibly surpass the consequences of drinking and driving. Unfuckingbelievable!! I’m pissed!!

By: Leanee Beanie

Leanee Beanie — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:45:21 +0000

This makes me so angry. I feel so bad for her, and it frustrates me that there is so much injustice. So…now is it ok for us to pull out our “race card”???

By: CountryGirlSmile

CountryGirlSmile — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:41:20 +0000

THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!

By: Nneoma

Nneoma — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:35:59 +0000

My heart hurts from reading this grave injustice.
I’d hate to play the race card…but Casey Anthony was just released after failing to report that her daughter was missing for 31 days and this grieving mother gets the book thrown at her for jay-walking.

By: I got sense!

I got sense! — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:33:29 +0000

WOW!!