In April 1995, a 19 year old black boy, Freddie McNeill, was lead into a courtroom where his shackles were taken off before an all-white jury entered the room.

 

Freddie was to be tried for murder. He had always proclaimed to be innocent. Sitting there in the courtroom were 2 prosecutors, 3 former prosecutors and a middle aged jury, all of whom were pro death penalty with personal connections to the judge, probation officers and police officers.

 

Freddie knew he stood no chance. He had known this for weeks now. Ever since his sentencing hearing was scheduled before his trial had begun and he had scribbled a note to his lawyers that read “You’re all trying to railroad me!” His trial hadn’t yet begun and already the judge had ruled against his request for new counsel (his own lawyers opposed), had ruled against his request for his mother to be present at trial and ruled against his request for greater representation of African-Americans in the jury pool.