by Jeffrey A. Mittman, executive director of the ACLU of Missouri
We know that if you are poor or black, the justice system treats you differently. That difference often has long-term consequences and in many cases, destroys lives.
St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch and County Counselor Peter Krane have the chance to be an example of justice. They can make clear that they will not prosecute those swept up in mass arrests while protesting after Michael Brown was killed.
Last week the ACLU of Missouri settled two lawsuits on behalf of journalists arrested for recording the police during Ferguson protests. We are pleased that our clients will not face charges, but what about the thousands of protesters without legal representation? They were exercising their First Amendment rights, too, when they were ensnared by the police.
Instead of placing them into a broken municipal courts system, St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch and County Counselor Peter Krane can do the right thing. All that is required is an agreement to not file charges on the mass arrests of protesters. That move would be heralded as a show of good faith toward rebuilding community trust.
It's time we tried something different.
