, 1958-07-23

taking interest IN geLJng my Witnesses TO court AlSO l
had a trial in a language that / could not understand with
out the benefit of an interpreter because the judge refus-
ed to appoint said interpreter, saying that ! lived on this
island and should know the language. | was convicted and
sentenced from two to three years after being tried for
three days because the attorney would not give his time
as he should have done. The juryWaS incorrect because
the foreman was sleeping most Of the time and the others
were ~prejudiced to the extent that they were paying no
attention to what was being said bv the witnesses. They
we're adjourned daily and sent home to sleep.
Nj attorney appealed the case and was placed on a
100000 bond. In April 9, 1854 / got a medical discharge
from the u. S. Army in Ft. Brooke, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
notified my attorney that | was going to live IN St. Tho
mas, v. /. and that | have a 1920 disability discharge by
the Veterans Administration in Puerto r o as
arranged by Mr.. Billing of the V. A. Office at ST. Iho-
mas. I was sent to school in New York City where | was
from September Is, 1855 till July II, 1857. | was arrested
at my cousins house in New York. ! volunteered to re-
turn to P. R. for a new trial that had been granted. On
August 4, 1857 I came to the Superior Court at Arecibo,
P. r. and was sentenced by another Judge from two to ten
years for the same case that / had been previously sen
fenced to 2 to 3 years. | protested to the court and to my
attorney but without result saying that | mad mace a mis-
take.
The prosecuting attorney managed to interiect into
my case false atmosphere, and the law is supposed to be
impartial and give a man an equal chance. Justice is pic
tured with a balanced scale, it is a pretty picture, but a
misleading one. The scales are not balanced. What chance
has a poverty stricken defendant against the power OF the
State? It is absurd to claim that the pauper, shivering with
out a coat is as warm as the rich man in his furS, as that,he
has equal advantages be5ore the law. Even SO, Gentlenlen,
substantial Justice might be done if the law were fairly adj
miniStered and the poison gas OF prejudice were not allow
ed to have filtered into my case. Gentlemen, my case has
not been a trialby law, but a trial by prejudice. It has not
been the sort Of trial guaranteed to every American cHi-
zen under the bill of rights. The personal safety OF every
one depends upon the preservation of inviolab1lty OF the
legal process uninfluencedby any sort of pressure, official
or not. Judges and district attorneys are sworn to uphold
the Constitution of the United States which under the
Bill Of Rights guarantees an impartial trial to every and
any defendant on any case or crime. This is the charter OF
American Liberty. Our priceless heritage. But do not for
get the guarantee Of liberty. Laws are drawn SO that they
be fairly administered not to strangle freedom in the
hands of those who scott at civil rights. 1t is not SO much
the law as the man behind it.
am claiming justice because | have been denied the
right to a fair and impartial trial. We live under a govern
ment of law not of men. If they could not find who to place
the blame or guilt on, why pick on me because I had been
wounded myself? Why did the attorney act without due
care for the case? know the answers. Because | had no