State Senator Dennis Bradley, a lawyer, wants to institutionalize racially diverse juries. He is sponsoring a bill in the Judiciary Committee–“AN ACT ENSURING DIVERSITY IN THE SELECTION OF A JURY PANEL”–to require the jury administrator to ensure the final list of prospective jurors is racially and ethnically diverse.
He says formal language will be developed for the bill.
“Racially and ethnically diverse juries work,” he’s quoted in a news release about the bill. “They bring diverse perspectives and viewpoints which are necessary to ensure justice is served fairly.”
Bradley cites a study conducted by Samuel Sommers, a PhD at Tufts University, concluding “Research on race and legal decision making has provided compelling evidence that race can exert a causal effect on trial outcomes in some cases.”
Bradley, citing the study, asserts when white jurors interact with a diverse group, they apply a more careful and systematic approach to evaluating evidence.
“The justice system should work equally for all of us,” says Bradley. “When we can identify an area where it may not be, we must act. This legislation will not only produce juries which make more thoughtful decisions, but will ensure equity in how the courtroom looks and fairness in how justice is disseminated.”
This is anathema to our(USA) judicial system. This statement shows that Bradley does not understand and is actually a danger to the judicial system in the United States. Bradley keeps on digging a deeper for himself.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Justice
digging a deeper hole for himself**************
I have friend’s both white and Black that are attorney’s and everyone, without exception talk about the unjust criminal justice system in Connecticut for people of color and juries. I’ve been a registered voter and a licensed driver in Connecticut since 1969 and I’ve only been called three times in my entire life.
According to noted Atty. Norm Pattis on this subject he said and I quote, “If white defendants routinely walked into courtrooms to face all-black juries, I’ve a hunch that serious questions would be raised about how jurors are selected. But we seem to accept the racial disparity when it cuts against a person of color. That’s Jim Crow’s legacy.”
If Dennis Bradley does nothing else but change this glaring injustice to Black Connecticut, I’ll tell him good job.
Donald Day,
Most respectfully, this is the newly baptized State Senator Bradley who is playing racial politics. I disagree with your assesstment. My internet is crazy so I have to sign off.
Frank, don’t get caught up with the messenger instead respect the subject, you are making this personal for yourself.
This is what Dennis does. He makes over-the-top speeches with lofty ideas, however when it is time to do the work, he is no where to be found.
Trust me, I know first hand.
Don i want to say thank you i realize that Sen. Bradley has many haters on this blog. At lease you can give credit even if you don’t always agree with our Senator. We all know that our justice system to Blacks and Browns means JUST US! I speak from experience how our justice system has always shown Bias towards Blacks and Browns in america. Sen Bradley keep speaking truth to power.
Ernie, maybe you can tell me some of the positive accomplishments that Dennis Bradley has a member of the Bridgeport Board Of Education?
Ron i’m not going to go there. Lets be honest Our school board has been dysfunctional for the last 20 years. Yes many of them have used it as a stepping stone for higher office. Nothing is ever going to change on our Bd of Ed until we put people on it that can learn to work together. I remember when Fleeta Hudson was on the Bd of Ed democrats controlled the BD. The Board picked a Republican as its President who can remember his name Mike B. It was truly about the children.
Ernie, you said, ‘Our school board has been dysfunctional for the last 20 years,” what does that have to do with Dennis Bradley’s positive accomplishments while he was a member of the Bridgeport Board Of Education? Bradley kept the BBOE dysfunctional with his boycott of NOT doing the business for the 20,000 Bridgeport school children of which are mostly students of color.
Ernie, you are one of Dennis Bradley mentors and supporters so surely you can inform us all of a few accomplishments of Dennis Bradley while on the BBOE.
Ernie,
I agree with you about our justice system. But what I find hypocritical about us, meaning black people, is that we look down on other people who are simply accused of a crime in our own neighborhood. Yet, we talk about the injustices around us. We must do some soul searching. Please tell me what did Dennis do on the school board besides advance his own political career?
I will wait…..
I will answer it like this What has any of them done besides fight one another on who’s right as i said before Our school BD over the last 20 years has been Dysfunctional for a Long time. If it was truly about our children our School Bd would act like Adults and not Children!
Ernie,
First of all, you were in prison/half way house for 4/5 years over the last twenty years, therefore you would know of nothing that occurred on the school board during that time frame.
Second, your buddy Dennis Bradley led a three month boycott in 2016. What did that have to do with “our children?”
Third, when was the last time a school board member was charged or convicted of selling their public office to personally benefit themselves?
Finally, you know absolutely nothing about the BPS, national, state and local education policies.
Guys and gals,
I for one would like to know what rules the jury administrators operate under currently. How do some people get called seemingly more frequently? Is racial or ethnic info maintained around individuals suitable for jury pools? Should we, in addition to everything else we do to assure a jury of peers, one that can answer the question a trial raises and therefore fairly and justly come to a decision, push ourselves to listen more widely and learn more about those whom up until now we know least about? It may cause more understanding about other humans and what they do when faced with dire straits and cause us to seek justice rather than retribution or revenge? And this should carry over to the diverse courts of our land including civil, criminal, family, bankruptcy, etc. Time will tell.
Statistical measures and methods for assessing the representativeness of juries:
https://watermark.silverchair.com/mgq013.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAjswggI3BgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggIoMIICJAIBADCCAh0GCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMNtcMbeil1UHGZi50AgEQgIIB7ll3K2Qs6q-w_7U3b_9V2ZpQDPGuObuHC_Yccv8dVc6QQ17-q3JBKfCKXduNfCgZz0gVNc7WXxvGN_NSlsS0es3NEA-4krTmlGcSJND1DmUXF0kG_pGZXgNIWMYPwFcGVPzTqX3duM0Mzd4o2r3KkG4Od9F0XJUCFReSUsmW9AbBj3WqVRTw28L0W1hWKIQb6BG2poWpRjmAk5RG5DXSuN5Yc9yTQWHkDTmAfrF5_EaEGubHVUN6US80FPEszpCLyKmJgaJOAxz8Vb7e90uI98Q56qVhzzrIiguGjwJaM8VVP4kWYtVfCH209cftdB6slxYBBSjOVjwaETd4Y3iY4e-tKSQJ9KjGLHuYhYH7SuGoQzoy8rO0yGIhVmFaFEsewgIF5YC1fAeV6-oCm8an28Tp56onXK_hgq2vBxANziRuxu43_LV9JJBrvexhuRHRJRxVFYEGjFeW0xTZfkxZojhST56l9SjQaFlUnh2iLedN0o_HQgn2UWnHpElRPPIG7ftbIyXSz89nfJxXZcPu3CjMlaDobabfn6uRaC3cdAbqej7_ckiK9DAr_tF1noof2vrx2yTzD2-sIgw3_j6QaX4pNLY8xDf_-y64MYuLV96eMC5KrDdKV6617bq1vvGSenhDYs5s2_coG4QOOgZq
Ron,
Great answer. You knew where to look. Provided a response, But the answer posted has not been passed through your own minds and way of explaining things to the rest of us. The question seems to remain: Is the system in need of change? Improvement? Thank you as always for your effort. Time will tell.
JML, I think Donald Day spoke on that when he wrote, “According to noted Atty. Norm Pattis on this subject he said and I quote, “If white defendants routinely walked into courtrooms to face all-black juries, I’ve a hunch that serious questions would be raised about how jurors are selected.” Once society gets a taste of appearing in front of all-black juries you will see change but then again I could be wrong because I never thought society would do NOTHING when 20 innocent white babies were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, CT.
Ron,
Most respectfully. I don’t there was a racial element to the lack of reaction to the Sandy Hook Massacre except for the standard Republican Response of asking for prayers. It was The NRA. 100% of the NRA. When the Sandy Hook massacre happened,i thought,”Surely,there will be some changes in gun laws.” The fact that Nothing happened really left me embittered. And the continuous massacres continue. It’s like the NRA acolytes are taking some Jim Jones-type of crazy juice.
Frank, that’s my point, the American society allowed the NRA to do NOTHING about the murder of those babies and the Republican Party were enablers by saying and doing NOTHING, they wouldn’t even talk about the killings and you have Alex Jones with his radio show on Geneesis Communication Network talking those killing didn’t happen and that it’s a conspiracy. A mass killing of young white children in America and not one gun law is changed is unbelievable. Can you image all black jurors ruling on whites in America? No way but it’s ok for all white jurors ruling on blacks.
Good question JML. A few years ago, my daughter was was called for jury duty. I faxed the reply form stating she was at sleep away camp, she was 12, so please excuse her. CT excused her. A jury of your peers – getting that accomplished would be a good start for this American justice ideal. To Don’s point, when I was called for jury duty, twice in 25 years in CT, the 75 plus faces sitting with me in Bridgeport were almost all white. Not a reflection of the demographics of my neighbors (peers) for sure.
Thank you, Jeff!
On point!
https://m.ctpost.com/opinion/article/Letter-to-the-editor-Flashback-to-problems-on-13627651.php?fbclid=IwAR0VZ69tjNIwC1QBP6wHEw3u8EzRtG-KLeV_mAm_SJjkczNXYBxikcI2YMY&utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Mobile)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral
Mandatory jury placement, compelled speech laws, no 2nd base without a permission slip…. I’m a liberal dude but Damn it’s getting Fascist-y around these parts.
Ernie, please don’t eviscerate my comments on this issue. The fact is Dennis Bradley has done absolutely nothing to endure my support or admiration in him or anything that he had done including his tenure on the BBOE. I think that he is a dilettante and I will continue to excoriate him for everything that he hasn’t done with respect to the education of Bridgeport’s youth. I further think that his actions are imperceptible and other than this issue which he merely says he will support, I think that his actions in the past prove that he isn’t worthy of any admiration or praise.
Don,
I agree with you here. You really are speaking the truth. Bridgeport deserves better. Ernie knows you are talking right. What has Dennis done on the board?
Don, did somebody say something to you? Maybe it was that race troll again. Silence is bliss.
Don and Stephanie
I’m not going to try to speak on how you all feel about Senator Bradley. On this issue of our criminal ( Just US) System he is right on. We all know that Justice is blind to BLACKS AND BROWNS!
Our justice system saids one should be judged by ones peers. If we are honest with ourselves we know that’s not the case in America. Just think if we had more Blacks and Brown on juries. Maybe our prison population would look different! Sen Bradley is at lease looking at ways that could make a difference in our criminal justice ( JUST US ) System!
Who are “our peers?” do we start and stop at the color of skin? How about economic strata? etc
This isn’t mere political grandstanding. Okay, maybe it is. We’re talking about Dennis Bradley. Juror discrimination is a problem in this country:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/18/us/politics/black-jurors-constitution-curtis-flowers.html
Upon contemplation,I think this issue is a valid issue but it is also an intractably confusing and perplexing issue. It is part and parcel of the racism issue that has haunted the United States since well before the founding itself of the USA and continues to this day.
Maria
Remember anything you write about my past. My Community already knows about it. I’m honored because many of the people I represent are either felons or someone in their families are. I am happy to represent in perfect people. Just remember Maria you have a police record as a person who loves to play with fire. and stalking your Ex .
Maria first of all you don’t know what I did in prison. I received the Connecticut Post every week. I stay up on what was going on in the City. I wanted to make sure because I didn’t have a life-sentence I would be getting out. Maria I realize you have a serious problem with people who stand up to you. Like I said before you are a bully but one day someone is going to slap the shit out of you. Keep running your mouth. Please take your med,s outside of 138th district you have nothing or you would be State Rep just saying
Ernie,
I don’t have an issue with convicted felons. I have convicts in my own family that served time in prison, however when they got out they turned their lives around and became productive citizens.
Here you go with baseless accusations. Ernie, I plead guilty to three misdemeanors and my then boyfriend plead guilty to four misdemeanors. We were both granted protective orders against each other. Neither of us was convicted of “stalking” or anything to do with “fire.”
You are repeatedly preaching against senseless violence in our community but have now referenced someone physically assaulting me. Do you know the definition of hypocrisy?
Ernie, you ran for both your former state rep. and state senate seat and lost both with all candidates spending an equal amount. I ran against an incumbent who had both the Charter $school industry and East End PAC spend significant sums of money on Stallworth’s campaign. I spent $33,000 and Stallworth spent over $68,000 and I lost by 84 votes. And I came that close while spending a significant amount of time helping Ed Gomes successfully defeat Dennis Bradley. I also helped Marilyn Moore up in Park City Magnet. If I had focused all my efforts on my campaign I would have won. However I have never been selfish. I have always done my very best to bring everyone I support over the finish line. It has never been just about me. You cannot possibly understand that philosophy.
Maria I’ll just say this if you could learn that just because people may disagree with one another. It doesn’t make them your enemy. If people disagree with you or your point of view they become your enemy. I wish people would learn in politics it’s no permanent friends and no permanent enemies just common interests.
Ernie,
Let us know when your appeals are exhausted. We’ll pass the hat to raise money for your commissary account.
Kid
I don’t worry about what you think or say. You and Maria have your opinions about a lot of people that you may disagree with. You may not like that the Voters of the City of Bridgeport Voted for Joe and me and put us back into public office. Kid my case was overturn at the supreme court level. If the state wants to waste tax payers money so be it. You and Maria might want to play God but God will Never play neither one of you. Kid just remember anything you and Maria write about my past. The Voters of my district already Know.
I have a problem with people violating the public’s trust, Ernie. You’re a crook. So is Joe Ganim. Both of you engaged in electioneering tactics that can only be described as cynical.
It’s all about power and ego for the both of you. Not an altuistic cell in your being.
Ernie,
I have had many disagreements with Sauda, Howard, Ben and more. That has never made them my enemy. We had a difference of opinion on what was best for our over 20,000 students, however I have never felt they didn’t care about or did something to hurt our students. In fact I believe they deeply care about our community and the success of our children.
However, Mayor Ganim and the vast majority of the City Council have repeatedly demonstrated that the well being and success of our over 20,000 students is irrelevant. Mayor Ganim, you and many of your colleagues have taken action that hurts innocent children.
That is simply a fact
Maria
I was elected in 2017 up until that point you have stated that the mayor and city councils hadn’t given the board of Ed any money. I Voted to increase the BD of Ed funding. We also voted so the Bd of Ed could save money by participating in the states health care plan. Maria remember half of the city budget goes to Education. The other half goes to the services Police Fire Public works etc. I Voted to give the Board of Ed increase.
Ernie,
The Board requested $13,000,000 due to rising costs. This did not add a single staff member or program. Mayor Ganim proposed a budget with ZERO additional $$$ for our over 20,000 students. You and the majority of your colleagues voted to appropriate an additional $1.2 million. Only Pete Spain, Eneida Martinez and Kyle Langan voted no on the budget protesting the appropriation for the BOE.
Is this factually correct?
They had no choice but to approve $1.2 million instead of requested $13,000,000 due to rising costs because Joe Ganim and Mario Testa told them how to vote and those 17 council members were scare so the hell with those 20,000 school children because they don’t want a primary..
Criminality has become part and parcel of Bridgeport’s political culture. When convicted felons are elected to public office you know something is wrong with the public’s perceptions of the electoral system. I am all for giving the other leg up to ex-convicts. They served their penance to society. They have been “corrected.” Help them find an honest living, show them the way.
A line has to be drawn somewhere in the sand. According to Wikipedia:
On March 19, 2003, Joseph P. Ganim was convicted of 16 federal counts: one count each of racketeering, extortion, racketeering conspiracy, and bribery; two counts of bribery conspiracy; eight counts of mail fraud, and two counts of filing a false tax return. Ganim was acquitted on six other counts.[28] Ganim surrendered his law license upon conviction. The charges arose from Ganim’s “role in a six-year scheme to shake down city contractors for more than $500,000 in cash, meals, clothing, wine and home renovations.” In April 2003, two weeks after being convicted, Ganim resigned from office.[29] He was replaced by councilman John M. Fabrizi.
Ganim faced a possible sentence of up to 126 years, $500,000 in restitution, and $4 million in fines. Federal prosecutors asked for a sentence of ten years and one month, while the defense asked for a sentence of no more than three years and ten months.[30] Testimonials seeking leniency were filed with the court on Ganim’s behalf, including one from Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York. On July 1, 2003, U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton sentenced Ganim to nine years in prison and about $300,000 in fines and restitution, in addition to $175,000 that he had previously stipulated that he owed. Judge Arterton said that Ganim’s crimes were “stuff that cynicism is made of” and determined by clear and convincing evidence that Ganim had “lied to the jury when he denied any knowledge of fee-splitting deals and other incriminating evidence.” Ganim appealed, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld Ganim’s convictions in December 2007…
In July 2010, Ganim was released after serving seven years in prison. After his release, Ganim worked as a legal assistant at his family’s law firm in Bridgeport. Ganim and his brother George Ganim Jr. also opened a consulting service, Federal Prison Consultant LLC, which offered other white-collar convicts advice on surviving federal prison terms.
Ganim also sought restoration of his license to practice law. In 2012, a five-member panel of the State of Connecticut Grievance Committee recommended that Ganim’s license be restored. In September 2012, a three-judge panel of Connecticut Superior Court judges rejected the recommendation, writing that: “Allowing an applicant to be readmitted to the practice of law following a conviction on 16 counts of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, mail fraud, bribery and filing false income tax returns without any apology, expression of remorse, or explanation, and with only a vague acceptance of an unspecified event, simply would set the bar for readmission too low in the state, and we are unwilling to do that.” Ganim appealed to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2014, which unanimously ruled against his effort to have his law license restored. In 2017, Ganim applied to the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut for permission to practice in that federal court without being readmitted to the Connecticut bar; these efforts were rebuffed by the court.
So there you have it. Bridgeport is led by a man the courts have found to be lacking in the moral character to practice law. But wait, there’s more. According to Wikipedia:
During his seventeen years in the state Legislature, Newton “was known for high-flown rhetoric, at one point describing himself as ‘the Moses of my people’ and ‘God’s faithful servant.'” Newton is also known for his flamboyant clothing, wearing colorful tailored suits with matching shoes.
Newton pleaded guilty in federal court on September 20, 2005 to charges of bribery, mail fraud and evasion of federal income tax. Newton admitted to taking a $5,000 bribe secure $100,000 in State Bond Commission grant funds for Progressive Training Associates Inc., a vocational training program, and to misappropriating $40,682 in campaign funds for his own expenses. The executive director of the Progressive Training Associates, Warren Keith Godbolt, who gave the bribe, was also convicted of bribery in 2005. Godbolt cooperated with investigators in their investigation of Newton and was sentenced to probation.
In February 2006, Newton was sentenced to five years in federal prison. In imposing the sentence, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Alan H. Nevas criticized Newton’s “Moses” remark, saying “I don’t think there’s any reference in the Bible … that as God led his people for 40 years in the desert that he ever took money from them.”
I may have lived on an abandoned yacht but I never betrayed the public trust.
Well thank GOD you don’t speak for public trust! lol
The people of the city of Bridgeport have been cheated out of fair, responsible and transparent government for too long, Moses. If it was up to you coveting thy neighbor’s goods would have been left out of the ten commandments.
Kid
Like I said before he who is with Sin Cast the first Stone. I will continue fighting against injustice. I don’t need anyone’s approval. I march to my own beat. I will continue fighting to make the city a better place than I found it. Eastend’s on the Move.
People that live in glass houses shouldn’t cast stones, Moses. I see Maria Pereira doing a lot to improve the quality of education for the children of Bridgeport. Her tactics and methods may not be to everyone’s liking but she is walking the walk. You talk the talk.