Both sides respond to Tribune story
By Josh Edwards
The Paris News
Published March 14, 2007
Paris made headlines around the nation Monday with a story in the Chicago Tribune by Howard Witt that highlighted the case of 14-year-old Shaquanda Cotton who was convicted of assault of a public servant for shoving a hall monitor at Paris High School.
Some people are calling the story a smear campaign that inaccurately represents Paris, while others are praising the midwestern newspaper for finally presenting an accurate look at the story.
It is The Paris News policy not to identify the names of juveniles convicted of crimes, but special permission was gained by the girl's mother.
?If the nation is shocked and outraged, why are the people of Paris not?? civil rights activist Brenda Cherry asked.
Cotton's mother, Creola Cotton, said the Tribune contacted her in reference to the story, most likely because of NAACP action in Austin, but she was glad the paper did what she felt is fair and balanced story.
?No one ever asked Shaquanda's side. No on ever talked to me or talked to Shaquanda. Everything that was reported in The Paris News came from the other side,? she claims.
The 14-year-old was sentenced by County Judge Chuck Superville to an indeterminate sentence of up to seven years in a Texas Youth Commission facility, a sentence Creola Cotton and fellow civil rights activist Brenda Cherry say they feel is unfair.
?If she had to get some kind of punishment for what they say she did, then I think alternative school would have been going far enough,? Creola Cotton said.
Superville said he had not read the story and could not offer a look into the legal aspects of the case.
?From what I'm hearing it's highly unflattering and highly inaccurate,? Superville said.
Creola Cotton says the most unflattering and inaccurate part of the ordeal is how she and her daughter were treated by Paris Independent School District and the Lamar County judicial system. Both she and Cherry say their children were unfairly discriminated against by the district because they protested and filed complaints against the school and police department.
?That is supposed to be the American system. You don't go fight. You talk about it. if you're not satisfied, you file a complaint. That's supposed to be the American way,? Cherry said.
?If you're white,? Cotton added.
During the punishment phase of the trial, prosecutors argued against probation, saying that the girl?s mother is perhaps her biggest problem and that the girl has no hope of getting better as long as she?s in the same home as her mother.
?Shaquanda came from a very structured home. She didn't run around; she didn't get out in the street; she didn't do drugs; she didn't drink alcohol; she didn't do any of those things because I didn't let her,? Creola Cotton said. ?The only reason that they could give that Shaquanda should be removed from my home is that I filed complaints against the school and the police department. So how does that make me an unfit parent??
The defense position has always been that a school employee shoved the girl first. Cherry and Creola Cotton say the teacher's aide faked injures so charges could be trumped up against the 14-year-old.
Officials at PISD say the Tribune story does not cover all the facts.
?It's unfortunate that Mr. Witt would come to such a broad conclusion based upon limited information,? administrator Robert High said. ?The district cannot comment on matters when litigation is pending. FERPA regulations also prevent us from discussing details involving a minor.?
The Office for Civil Rights Dallas Division is currently investigating the district.
?They have come to the district and reviewed all records for a two year period and conducted some interviews and are scheduled to return,? High said.
The Chicago Tribune story compared the case to that of a 14-year-old arsonist who Superville elected to keep on probation.
Cherry and Creola Cotton say this is outrageous.
?It's unfair that Shaquanda gets an unfair sentence up to age 21 for actually just touching a teacher to keep her from continually pushing her. She did that kind of crime and you have a little white girl the same age as Shaquanda was who goes down and burns down a house (and is) just repeatedly in the court system and he chooses to give her more probation. She was already on probation,? Creola Cotton said.
Officials at Lamar County Attorney's office say they pushed for the same sentence for the 14-year-old arsonist, who is white, as they did for Shaquanda Cotton.
?There are people who commit crimes and there are people who do not agree with the way those crimes are handled and the process. this is not a racial issue with this office,? Lamar County Attorney's Office spokesman Allan Hubbard said. ?There will always be people who object to the level that we pursue something for prosecution.?
Prosecutor Merilee Brown pointed out that an appeals court denied the 14-year-old Cotton a personal recognizance bond.
?She's been in there 10 months, and she could have been out by now,? Brown said.
The story also referenced the Cody Posey case which was in the 6th District Court of Jim Lovett. A jury recommended five years in prison for the criminally negligent homicide conviction, but Lovett probated the sentence for 10 years.
?He's an adult and that was an accident. You can't even compare those,? Brown said. ?... That's severe for a car accident.?
Members of Concerned Citizens for Racial Equality and the Paris/Lamar County Millions More Movement say they believe the cases are very relevant and show blatant racism in Paris. The groups plan to protest Monday at either Lamar County Courthouse or Paris Independent School District administration building.
?It's concerning Shaquanda Cotton and the fact that black people and Hispanics are not treated the same in Lamar County. We just don't feel that we get the same treatment. We do not want special treatment; we want equal treatment, that's all,? Cherry said.
Lamar County Chamber of Commerce President Pete Kampfer said Tuesday afternoon he felt the story was slanted, but shouldn't hurt industry looking to move to Paris.
?It would have no impact right now, but we don't want any of these negative things reflecting on our community. It's a rather negative article about us,? he said.