Injustice Texas style wherein the media helps a victim

Some good has come out of the coverage of the Texas juvenile detetion facilities scandal. Although the media has virtually ignored Gonzales' cover-up of the related sex scandal, at least it appears that 15-year-old black teenager Shaquanda Cotton will be freed from an inappropriate incarceration after spending over a year there for allegedly shoving a teacher's aide.

The case raised serious questions of racial bias, and rightly so, as even a casual observer would have to see the entire Texas justice system is fraught with it. The good news is, that due to the media attention Ms. Cotton was ordered released Friday.

Michael Tubthumper and Belledame222 at Fetch My Axe have comprehensive background on the story so I won't repeat that here but I do want to share this quote that comes via Avedon. A commenter at No More Mister Nice Blog added this bit of interesting trivia to the back story.

"You're probably aware of this, Steve, but ironically one of the best guys we Texans have for this kind of reform was shot in the face by the vice president about a year and a half ago," and Steve's response: "I'm sorry to say I didn't know that, but I was just catching up via the column Molly Ivins wrote just after the shooting. I wonder how Whittington's doing these days."

I occassionally wonder about the unfortunate Mr. Whittington myself. The anniversary of the shooting passed us by recently with almost no notice.