Jury Decides Against Duval

Transfered from old site <!--break--> Jury Decides Against Duval &nbsp;<BR>By Elaine Russell, Rochester Indymedia &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>(November 12, 2002)Jurors deciding the lawsuit by John Duval against the City of Rochester returned a verdict at 4:30 in favor of the City. The lawsuit was for Malicious Prosecution, Wrongful Arrest and Wrongful Imprisonment resulting from a 1973 conviction that was overturned in 1999. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>The City won by attacking the character and lifestyle of John Duval and his associates involved in the police fabrication of the evidence. In her closing arguments City Attorney Ms. D. told the jurors they were “troopers” for listening to boring and repetitive statements. She called Duval a homosexual, prostitute, cross-dresser and a liar to appeal to the jurors’ capacity for disgust. She continued, “Now he is asking for your money . . .” &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>This atrocity occurred in 1973. That was the year of the Vietnam War Cease-Fire Agreement after years of powerful anti-war demonstrations. There was inflation and high unemployment resulting from excessive military spending. Richard Nixon was just re-elected to a second term and the Watergate (election fraud) scandal was unfolding. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after his involvement in business malfeasance was exposed. Nelson Rockefellar resigned as New York State Governor after leaving behind the legacy of his horrific drug law. The American public was affected with self-hate and sore loser syndrome. They began to take it out on the most vulnerable segments of our population. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>In the courtroom today City Attorneys Ms. D. and Mr. M. put a face on the paradigm that has been the trademark of Rochester, NY, since the 1970’s. Snobbery. Add to that the police culture’s version of snobbery. Profiling, brutality and the good-old-boy network. Many in our community have been suckered into aligning with the biggest bully so that they are infatuated with the police. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>John Duval is now left with formidable medical and legal bills. The money that the City spent to “win” this contest could have bought Duval’s prescriptions. After he had been brutalized by the police, imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, violently raped and assaulted in prison, and afflicted with Post Traumatic Syndrome, now five of the six jurors say he doesn’t deserve to be compensated. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>When John Duval was incarcerated in Attica he served as a counselor and minister for his fellow inmates. He carried their burden as well as his own pain. He was there for the guys whose family missed a visit, for those who lost another appeal and for those who just couldn’t take it any more. He is now appealing to this community for assistance. And so, to those among us who see life as something bigger than the hoarding our tax money, let’s assert our leadership and show the slower members of our community that we will not abandon a good person who has been victimized by this dysfunctional justice system. &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR> &nbsp;<BR>Earlier Insallations of The Duval Lawsuit report: &nbsp;<BR><A HREF="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AB/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AB/</A> &nbsp;<BR><A HREF="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AE/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AE/</A> &nbsp;<BR><A HREF="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/92/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/92/</A> &nbsp;<BR>

<p>Transfered from old site</p> <!--break--><p>Jury Decides Against Duval<br />  <br />By Elaine Russell, Rochester Indymedia<br />  <br /><br />  <br />(November 12, 2002)Jurors deciding the lawsuit by John Duval against the City of Rochester returned a verdict at 4:30 in favor of the City. The lawsuit was for Malicious Prosecution, Wrongful Arrest and Wrongful Imprisonment resulting from a 1973 conviction that was overturned in 1999.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />The City won by attacking the character and lifestyle of John Duval and his associates involved in the police fabrication of the evidence. In her closing arguments City Attorney Ms. D. told the jurors they were “troopers” for listening to boring and repetitive statements. She called Duval a homosexual, prostitute, cross-dresser and a liar to appeal to the jurors’ capacity for disgust. She continued, “Now he is asking for your money . . .”<br />  <br /><br />  <br />This atrocity occurred in 1973. That was the year of the Vietnam War Cease-Fire Agreement after years of powerful anti-war demonstrations. There was inflation and high unemployment resulting from excessive military spending. Richard Nixon was just re-elected to a second term and the Watergate (election fraud) scandal was unfolding. Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned after his involvement in business malfeasance was exposed. Nelson Rockefellar resigned as New York State Governor after leaving behind the legacy of his horrific drug law. The American public was affected with self-hate and sore loser syndrome. They began to take it out on the most vulnerable segments of our population.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />In the courtroom today City Attorneys Ms. D. and Mr. M. put a face on the paradigm that has been the trademark of Rochester, NY, since the 1970’s. Snobbery. Add to that the police culture’s version of snobbery. Profiling, brutality and the good-old-boy network. Many in our community have been suckered into aligning with the biggest bully so that they are infatuated with the police.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />John Duval is now left with formidable medical and legal bills. The money that the City spent to “win” this contest could have bought Duval’s prescriptions. After he had been brutalized by the police, imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, violently raped and assaulted in prison, and afflicted with Post Traumatic Syndrome, now five of the six jurors say he doesn’t deserve to be compensated.<br />  <br /><br />  <br />When John Duval was incarcerated in Attica he served as a counselor and minister for his fellow inmates. He carried their burden as well as his own pain. He was there for the guys whose family missed a visit, for those who lost another appeal and for those who just couldn’t take it any more. He is now appealing to this community for assistance. And so, to those among us who see life as something bigger than the hoarding our tax money, let’s assert our leadership and show the slower members of our community that we will not abandon a good person who has been victimized by this dysfunctional justice system.<br />  <br /><br />  <br /><br />  <br />Earlier Insallations of The Duval Lawsuit report:<br />  <br /><a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AB/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AB/</a><br />  <br /><a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AE/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/AE/</a><br />  <br /><a href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/92/">http://rochester.indymedia.org/media/00/00/00/92/</a><br />  <br /></p>