Friday, May 18, 2007

Different Strokes for Different Folks

I was struck by this article in the Daily News, Coverup in trunk-baby death?:

UPPER DARBY'S police chief yesterday accused the Delaware County District Attorney of a coverup on the autopsy of an abandoned infant because the mother is the granddaughter of a prominent businessman.

The infant was found Jan. 22 in the trunk of a car parked in front of the Drexel Hill home of Albert E. Piscopo, chief executive of the Glenmede Trust Co., an elite Philadelphia-based investment firm.

The family's attorney, Arthur Donato Jr., directed police to the trunk of a Volkswagen Beetle. Inside, detectives found a dead infant boy, swaddled in bloody clothes and his unbilical cord, in a pink tote bag. Investigators determined the child's mother was Piscopo's granddaughter, 18-year-old Drexel University student Mia Sardella.

Nearly four months after the discovery of the dead baby, no autopsy report has been released.

Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood contended that the medical examiner had determined the cause of death but that the information is being withheld from the public and police by the examiner and the D.A.'s office.

"If this would have been somebody from a lower socioeconomic background, would we be here today?" Chitwood asked. "My experience is we wouldn't be."

It reminded me of another recent case, involving Eagle's coach, Andy Reid, and the manner in which the legal difficulties of his two sons were handled. Last month his sons entered not guilty pleas arising out of incidents that occurred in late January, Sons Of Andy Reid Plead Not Guilty:

Britt Reid, 21, is accused of brandishing a handgun at another motorist during a traffic dispute in suburban Montgomery County. He faces a felony charge of carrying a firearm without a license, as well as misdemeanor charges of assault, drug possession and making terroristic threats.

Garrett Reid, 24, faces assault, drug possession and other misdemeanor charges after he allegedly admitted, following a car accident, to having used heroin the same day. Police said he was speeding and ran a red light, causing an accident that injured a woman.
Despite the fact that one son later admitted using heroin before being involved in the car accident and the other, who pulled a gun during a road rage incident, had been involved in another traffic accident previously, no charges were even filed against the Reid boys for some time. See, Victim: Police Showing Favoritism to Andy Reid's Son.

And in contrast to those cases, there was the case of the 10 year old who was prosecuted for first degree felony burglary charges for going into a neighbor's home in Bucks County, with an 8 year old friend. In that case, the home was that of an Assistant DA, who made sure they threw the book at the kid. See This is Not Justice.

I find it amazing that the same "Law & Order" proponents who are always clamoring for swift, punitive action for crimes haven't been protesting the laxness exhibited by the police and DA's office in the Piscopo and Reid cases. Somehow, they don't seem to see any injustice in the application of a different form of justice for those who have and those who have less.

Different strokes for different folks. Looks like the same holds true for Justice.

UPDATE (5/21): The latest news reports on the infant death is that it was suffocated, see Coroner: Baby found dead in trunk was asphyxiated. According to the AP article:
Delaware County Coroner Frederic N. Hellman conducted the autopsy and ruled that the baby died of asphyxiation. Prosecutors have been waiting for the coroner to rule so they could determine whether charges would be filed.
To me, this is further evidence of special treatment. In fact, Mia Sardella, who is the granddaughter of the president and chief executive officer of The Glenmede Trust, still has not been charged. The body was found in January -- it's now May. I realize that he wheels of justice move slowly, but that usually happens after the individual is charged, not before.

Makes you wonder if it took the Upper Darby Police Superintendent's going public with this to force the issue, eh?

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am EXTREMELY bothered by this situation. I agree 150% with Officer Chitwood. I am a young, black female with nobody in my family with any type of status like this girl's , and if this would have happened to me, the media would have crucified me and my ass would have been locked up so fast my head would spin. This girl is getting special treatment for sure. This is not the justice system, it's the injustice system. We are sending the wrong message to people if we continue to give special treatment to people with lots of money and high social status. I have never been so pissed off over preferential treatment before. This is the worst case, but sadly, a baby's life is taken in the process. What the hell are people waiting for to determine how the baby died? Find out if the DNA of the baby matches that spoiled brat and lock her the (fill in the blank with your favorite 4 letter word) up!