Jamie Scott's Tragic Journey Through Cruelty
by William Newmiller
The words mouthed by famed British philosopher Bertrand Russell in 1927 echo in my mind today: "Fear is the parent of cruelty."
How fearful must the Mississippi criminal justice establishment be to heap upon Jaimie Scott and her family the cruelty she suffers.
Last year Anthony Papa summarized the tragic story of Jamie and her sister Gladys who have endured a decade and a half of incarceration for a crime they didn't commit, a crime from which they did not profit, a crime that did not result in injury to anyone, a crime that netted its real perpetrators less than $20, a crime that brought its actual perpetrators a 10-month jail sentence in exchange for testimony implicating the Scott sisters. Since then, the confessed perpetrators have recanted their testimony against the sisters, but they remain behind bars.
Incarceration under such circumstances seems as cruel as it can get, but even worse is now upon us.
Since March 15, Jamie has been hospitalized with a life-threatening infection, a complication of kidney failure.
How fearful must Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour be to refuse a compassionate pardon for Jamie, who has no other criminal history and is now bound (both figuratively and literally) to a prison bed.
Today, I'm proud to join bloggers from around the country, to raise our voices in support of Jamie and Gladys Scott. Today is the perfect time to learn more about the Scott sisters. Take just a minute to look at this CNN video:
You can find a great deal of information online; here are some links to get you started:
How fearful must the Mississippi criminal justice establishment be to heap upon Jaimie Scott and her family the cruelty she suffers.
Last year Anthony Papa summarized the tragic story of Jamie and her sister Gladys who have endured a decade and a half of incarceration for a crime they didn't commit, a crime from which they did not profit, a crime that did not result in injury to anyone, a crime that netted its real perpetrators less than $20, a crime that brought its actual perpetrators a 10-month jail sentence in exchange for testimony implicating the Scott sisters. Since then, the confessed perpetrators have recanted their testimony against the sisters, but they remain behind bars.
Incarceration under such circumstances seems as cruel as it can get, but even worse is now upon us.
Since March 15, Jamie has been hospitalized with a life-threatening infection, a complication of kidney failure.
How fearful must Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour be to refuse a compassionate pardon for Jamie, who has no other criminal history and is now bound (both figuratively and literally) to a prison bed.
Today, I'm proud to join bloggers from around the country, to raise our voices in support of Jamie and Gladys Scott. Today is the perfect time to learn more about the Scott sisters. Take just a minute to look at this CNN video:
You can find a great deal of information online; here are some links to get you started:
Most importantly, take action by
- Calling Governor Barbour at 1-877-405-0733 or 601-359-3150
- Joining the Scott Sisters' Facebook group
- Share your outrage with others
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