I can appreciate what you are saying about the trial, but I am insulted you feel as though I blindly support Ruben Carter based on opinions centered around a movie and song.  I haven't even made up my mind for myself how I feel the incidents on the night of the Lafyette murders went down.  I did gain interest in the story through the song, but I must admit I haven't seen the movie, I heard it was shit.  I haven't ever been one to devour what the mainstream feeds me.  I have researched this case on my own through the net and the library at my school, I wouldn't develop an opinion any other way.  And for the record, I did go a bit far saying the entire case was swamped in racism.  I have restated myself differently because I was making a general statement about the prevalance of racism at the time, and not its presence within that trial, which I have not yet read full transcripts of.  There was an undeniable systematic disempowerment of African Americans, and blacks in general, during and up to the time of Carter's trial.  Was he innocent because he was black?  No, man.  Did he deserve to be retried and released?  Well, he hasn't killed anyone lately so I feel no less safe with him out on the street.  As far as Carter's alleged lies, I have seen a lot of reference to statements he has made in contrast with factual evidence.  I have to say that lyin' and a murderin' are two seperate things.  (Yeah, yeah I know what you are going to say about how it reflects character, but I never saw a politician out a murderin' and they lie all the time.)  That is probably as far invested as I will get, because I have rapidly lost interest in this case. 
 Howard Zinn forever. 
  Average Joe