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And justice for all?
Justice is met when a fair and just result oc- curs. However, justice is a matter of perspec- tive. Recently, Aldo Brown was sentenced to two years in a federal penitentiary for use of force in executing a lawful arrest. Justice was not served in this case.
In September 2012, Brown and his part- ner were assigned to a tactical team on the southeast side of Chicago. They received
information from an elderly woman in the neigh- borhood who complained about drugs being sold
out of the Omar and Salma convenience store in
the 7600 block of South Coles Street. The woman further stated many of the offenders were armed
with guns. They followed up on the tip and entered
the store and learned that the woman’s tip was valid, finding drugs, baggies and a scale. One of the drug deal- ers was also carrying a loaded semi-automatic handgun which he purchased on the street days earlier. Upon see- ing the un-handcuffed man with a gun in the rear pocket of his jeans, Aldo was justifiably scared for himself and his partner as they were significantly outnumbered in the store. He used a minimal amount of force to control the dangerous situation and arrest the armed offender. His
actions, made pursuant to a split-second decision and consistent with his training, resulted in the criminal be- ing charged with three felonies in federal court.
At trial, Aldo was found not guilty of two of the charges; however he was convicted and sentenced to two years in jail on the other count. The penalty could have been much worse. The court sentenced Brown to the mini- mum per the sentencing guidelines. Despite the court’s
leniency, I still question whether justice was served in this case. To whom was justice served? Certainly not the law-abiding residents of the neighborhood known as “Terror Town.” Shortly after the arrest, the store, which had essentially held the commu- nity hostage with its criminality and violence, was shut down by the city for numerous violations. In fact, dozens of community members expressed how grateful they were to Aldo who made their neighborhood safer, not only by his actions at the store but for dozens of acts of service throughout the years he served the neigh-
borhood.
Moreover, how will the conviction of Brown affect Ter-
ror Town going forward? I find it extremely unlikely that an officer will ever take the same proactive approach that
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DANIEL HERBERT
LODGE 7
Legal C ner
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ APRIL 2016 17