Dunbar Village trial: jury selection begins

Dear All,

It is my privilege, on behalf of whataboutourdaughters.com, to try to make sense of the incomprehensible.

The briefest account of what is alleged to have happen two years ago provokes immediate recall even for people who don’t specifically recall where: the Dunbar Village Housing development in West Palm Beach, FL.

I am a stone’s throw away, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. Jury selection is scheduled this morning in the first trial of defendants accused of the heinous gang rape and assault on a mother and son.

Two juries are to be selected; one for each of the defendants in this trial. That may not be completed today. In that case I am told the selection will continue through Thursday, with a break on Friday. We’ll await clarification from the judge.

My obligation am aim is to provide the facts you require to inform your view of all this. As a former news ombudsman (see www.CBHanif.com) I am particularly qualified to do this. As much as possible I’ll also be incorporating social and multimedia.

So look for my updates on Twitter.

Also, share your questions and comments that may inform my reporting.

And please, send your donations to support whataboutourdaughters.com in this and similar efforts to provide us our own eyes and ears.

cbh

Dear All,

It is my privilege, on behalf of whataboutourdaughters.com, to try to make sense of the incomprehensible.

Even the briefest account of what is alleged to have happen two years ago provokes immediate recall even for people who don’t specifically recall where: the Dunbar Village Housing development in West Palm Beach, FL.

I am a stone’s throw away, at the Palm Beach County Courthouse. Jury selection is scheduled this morning in the first trial of defendants accused of the heinous gang rape and assault on a mother and son.

Two juries are to be selected; one for each of the defendants in this trial. That may not be completed today. In that case I am told the selection will continue through Thursday, with a break on Friday. We’ll await clarification from the judge.

My aim is to provide the facts you require to inform your view of all this. As a former news ombudsman (see www.CBHanif.com) I am particularly qualified to do this. As much as possible I’ll also be incorporating social and multimedia.

So look for my updates at Twitter.com.

Also, share your questions and comments that may inform my reporting.

And please, send your donations to support whataboutourdaughters.com in this and similar efforts to provide us our own eyes and ears.

C.B. Hanif

Comments

[2Unruly]

C.B Hanif, thank you for your service. Will you be allowed to take photographs or plan on it? If not in the courtroom, perhaps, outside of the courtroom? Also, do you plan on interviewing family, friends, and other associates close to those involved with this trial? Thanks, again.

[cbhanif]

Thank you. I just posted several of the photos I took on the way here to the courtroom. Captured the last one before my flash became problematic (still working out some of the kinks here). I will be taking plenty more, and hope to have access to others. And yes, I plan to interview everyone I possibly can. I have some interesting ones lined up. Keep the suggestions and specific questions coming. cb

[RevMamaAfrika]

Hanif, what are the do's and don't's of who you can interview up to and immediately after the trial(s) and verdict(s)? Being guilty of a crime and then being FOUND guilty of a crime in a court of law can be two different things, unfortunately.

Also, please consider finding and interviewing the rape crisis advocates, domestic violence advocates, etc., in this city. Not to ask them about this particular case/victims/survivors, but please consider asking them general questions so we can get a sense of the status of such work in that city. Also please be sure to ask all the women's groups, i.e., women's ministries in local churches (especially the "mega" churches in that city), violence against women groups, self-defense groups, women's talk shows on local radio, tv, public access tv, Black owned newspapers, magazines, etc. about this case. Did they reach out to this family? What work do they do on violence against women and children issues? And if you can, consider speaking with the local NAACP. (I know Sis. Gina, I know.) Do they have a women's department in the local branch/chapter? If not, why not? If so, what do they know? Do they educate their members and the local community about VAWA (Violence Againt Women Act) and the technical assistance and money available to communities to deal with such issues?

Can you ask the DA if hate crime angle will be pursued? Sad but sometimes true fact, some of our people can be hateful and xenophobic towards other African people. The victim and her son are Haitian immigrants so I am wondering about that as well. All the best with this work and THANK YOU for doing it.

[cbhanif]

Good ones. I'll try to be as thorough as your queries.

[2Unruly]

Thank you CbHanif. This is just awesome.

[Miki]

Thank you for this good work.

[tryin2understanurside]

After reading some of the suggestions for Mr. Hanif, it just occurred to me that we ALL have a lot of phone calling to do. I certainly can't allow him to take on all of this work for us when I am capable of making a call or two or at least finding some of the contact information to these organizations mentioned above.

Okay, I put it out there in public so now I better stick to my word!