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Media 180 Second Assignment

Ryan Raghoenathsingh

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The “Official Story”

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• In Alabama, a high-class white businessman named Tom Smith shot and killed a black teenager, Dwayne Williams. Smith claims that Williams attempted to rob him and thus he pulled out his handgun (which he has a license for) and shot Williams. There we no cameras around the area that captured the incident. When the cops showed up, he was taken to the precinct, but was released shortly after because they cited there was no criminal act that occurred. Williams’ family proceeded to press charges against Smith.

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• When the case was reported on the news, many news companies supported Smith and his right to bear arms. They pursued Smith’s argument that this was done in self-defense and stated that he had done the “right” thing. While some news companies discussed the case and its relevance to gun control, other companies decided to talk solely about the gun control aspect of it. As a result the case itself was put on the back-burner and the news companies personal agenda for/against gun control was put on the fore-front.

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• During the reports of the case on the news, it was found that Williams was once fined with the illegal possession of Marijuana. As a result, this new information was used to even further put Williams in a bad light. Many news organizations started to draw conclusions about Williams and his lifestyle. Smith’s case was looking stronger than ever.

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• While debates were happening on the television, a vigil was held for Williams and other kids who have died by similar causes. Over 500 people showed up to the vigil in support of Williams’ family. On most TV news shows, this event only received 20 seconds of air time. While this was happening, Smith was comfortable in his large house, under house arrest.

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• A couple of weeks later the trial began. However, there was only one side to this story, Tom Smith’s. Prosecutors tried their best to get a confession of what they thought happened or for Smith to show some flaw in his story, but that didn’t happen. He stood with his story that Williams attacked him and he shot him out of self-defense.

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• After the trial ended, it only took two hours for the jury to come to a decision. They found Smith to be not guilty in first degree murder. The stated that there wasn’t any concrete evidence to prove that Smith didn’t shoot Williams out of self-defense. Most news companies agreed with their decision. Smith walked out of court as a free man.

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• The not guilty verdict created a spilt in society. Some believed that it was a good decision, while others thought otherwise. Numerous protests were held in outrage of the decision, many famous colored celebrities/politicians showed up to the events. Unfortunately for Williams’ family and others who felt the same way, there was no way for them to get Smith to be charged for the crime. The news companies just viewed these events as just another protest and awaited for the next controversial case to pursue.

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The “Unofficial” Story

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• It turns out the Smith was actually a very racist man. He believed that Williams was following him, when actually he just happened to be walking behind Smith to the park. Since he was racist and had some psychological issues, Smith believed that Williams was following him and planned to rob him. However, that wasn’t the case. As a precautionary measure, Smith pulled out his weapon and shot Williams, killing him. However, he never said this in court, because well, who would? As a result, he walked out of court a free man, able to do whatever he pleases while Williams is down six feet in the ground.

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• The news companies didn’t do their jobs very well. Although Williams’ did get fined for marijuana possession, he wasn’t using it for recreational purposes. He was born with muscle spasms, and he used the marijuana as a medical treatment because it eased the amount and intensity of the spasms. Unfortunately for Williams, marijuana was not a legal treatment and therefore was fined. Not only did they not do a good job investigating, but they didn’t do a good job when it comes to being unbiased. Since Smith was a high-class rich white male, they took his word and believed that he shot Williams out of self-defense. Clearly they never heard the saying “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Additionally, they didn’t cover the case itself well, instead they pursued their companies’ own political agenda on the issue, something that happens all too often in today’s America.

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• The protests and vigils held for Williams and other slain urban youths was not only just for their deaths. It was for the current state of America and how disgusting it could truly be. It was for the injustices seen all across the nation. It shows that there is still a social hierarchy in America in which the upper class almost always get their way and the lower class is doomed. If it was an urban youth in the shoes of Smith, there is no doubt that the case would have been viewed differently by the media and possibly would have had a different verdict. Society views people with predispositions based on their features (race, class, wealth, etc.). Unfortunately this side of the argument wasn’t pursued by the media.

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• Unfortunately these kinds of events are happening all to often in America. Whether it’s because of lack of control or the lack of sense in the American people I do not know. However, there are definitely social features that affect who the victims are and why some people get the not guilty verdict. Yet with all of these happening, politicians have done little to nothing try and fix this epidemic. However, even if laws are passed, things will not change until the social undertones and prejudice is reduced. Only time will tell whether there will be more victims like Dwayne Williams.

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Photo Credits• Fox News Pic:

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2013/01/foghorn/fox-news-poll-support-for-mental-health-checks-nics-check-on-all-gun-and-ammo-sales/

• Vigil Pic: http://www.perigonmedia.com/white-guy-michael-dunn-shoots-black-teen-stand-your-ground-law/

• Poster Pic: http://www.highlandernews.org/2615/stand-your-ground-laws-encourage-vigilantism/stand-your-ground/

• Handgun Pic: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/27/1785961/new-hampshire-house-approves-stand-your-ground-repeal/?mobile=nc

• Jury Pic: http://www.oregonscriminaldefenselawyers.com/oregon-crimes/criminal-justice-process/oregon-criminal-trials/

• Fake Tom Smith Pic: http://www.vnews.com/news/police/fire/courts/5096379-95/police-dartmouth-minor-assault

• Medical Marijuana Pic: http://www.unitedpatientsgroup.com/blog/2012/02/06/tips-for-finding-a-reputable-medical-marijuana-clinic-greenway-medical-marijuana-physicians-in-san-francisco-offers-just-that/