Steven Utash Beating

[Jack89]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/4-detroit-mob-attack-suspects-to-face-summer-trial/

DETROIT - A judge on Monday ordered two separate jury trials for four men charged in the brutal beating of a suburban motorist who accidentally struck a 10-year-old Detroit boy with his pickup truck.

Wayne County Circuit Court Judge James Callahan set an Aug. 18 trial for Wonzey Saffold, 30, and 19-year-old Latrez Cummings. James Davis, 24, and 17-year-old Bruce Wimbush Jr. face Aug. 25 trials.

Each man is charged with assault with intent to murder in the April 2 attack on Steve Utash. Along with a 16-year-old boy charged as a juvenile with assault and ethnic intimidation, they are accused of punching and kicking the 54-year-old Utash after he stopped to help the 10-year-old who stepped from a curb in front of the pickup.

Utash is white. Each of his attackers is black. Only the 16-year-old is facing a charge related to race, but authorities have not said what intimidation he used in the attack. His trial is scheduled to start in June.

Seems to have been marginalized by news media.  Not really surprised, they're afraid to really address the issue.  From what I've read, Utash's head is seriously messed up.  His family doesn't think he'll ever be right again.  It's good to hear the kid will be ok, though. 

[stromboli]

I wasn't there to witness it, so I'll withhold judgment. Sad business, no matter the outcome.

[Jack89]

That seems to be the typical response from mainstream media as well.  I think there is a reluctance to comment on black on white violence for fear of being labeled a racist.  What do you think public response would be if a black man was nearly beaten to death by all white men, in a poor white neighborhood, for the same reason?

[josephpalazzo]

That seems to be the typical response from mainstream media as well.  I think there is a reluctance to comment on black on white violence for fear of being labeled a racist.  What do you think public response would be if a black man was nearly beaten to death by all white men, in a poor white neighborhood, for the same reason?

Here's my experience, as I have traveled quite extensively: go to any city, turn on the the 5pm or 6pm news, and if there was a crime committed by a black on a white, it will be the top of the news. Granted, most of these cases don't get national attention, they remain just local except for a few that gets on CNN or Fox News, but for most black crimes, they are singled out in on the news in just about any city  as a "normal" event in America. Why the top of the news, search me...

[Jack89]

I agree, the news coverage is local for a few days then it fades away, written off as a normal occurrence.  I understand why the big network avoid the coverage, it's not good for ratings.  I think it's a huge mistake though.  In fact, I think that it actually makes things worse.  There's typically a huge national outrage when there's even a suggestion of white on black racism, and I think that's a good thing for the most part.  It a social control mechanism that has made a huge impact on racism against black Americans.  Kudos to the civil rights movement. 
However, when there is a lack of outrage against crimes committed by black Americans, especially as vile as this one, the social control mechanism is missing which gives silent permission for that criminal behavior to persist and even intensify.  If you want bad behavior to get worse, just ignore it and you won't be disappointed. 

[Jmpty]

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/4-detroit-mob-attack-suspects-to-face-summer-trial/Seems to have been marginalized by news media.  Not really surprised, they're afraid to really address the issue.  From what I've read, Utash's head is seriously messed up.  His family doesn't think he'll ever be right again.  It's good to hear the kid will be ok, though. 

Marginalized how?

[Jack89]

Marginalized how?

Are you serious?  That's what we've been talking about.  There are strong implications and charges of a racially motivated hate crime and the media are barely touching on it.  A local defense attorney mentions it as well, but only receives a few seconds on airtime, and after he does, there are no comments on his statement.

Local defense attorney Cliff Woodards II says the lack of outrage in the African-American community reveals hypocrisy among its leaders. "Imagine, though, if this happened to a black tree trimmer who was passing through Roseville?" wrote Woodards, who is African-American, in a Facebook post he titled "Shame On Us." Roseville is the suburb Utash hails from.
"Al Sharpton would have been on a plane before the man got out of surgery. Local community leaders and pastors would have taken to the airwaves and the pulpits in search of justice for this fallen hero."

Hypocrisy is right.

[Jmpty]

What the fuck would you like the media to do? Whip people into a frenzy? Get some pitchforks and torches? There are 7 pages of google news on this story. I watched Reginald Denny get his skull caved in on television on repeat for weeks. Remember the Central Park jogger case? You are a serious fucking idiot, and a closet bigot.

[Jason78]

What the fuck would you like the media to do?

Report the facts accurately.  That's all.

[Solitary]

Prejudice and racism is wrong whether its by any race, but the way it is presented it's OK as hell for whites, but also OK for other races against whites by omission. This is the point being made, rightfully in my opinion. Right off the bat I hear closet bigot just because the bias is noticed from the media. That is a racist remark in my opinion, showing how lopsided it has become. I don't like racism being OK against me, and think it is wrong period, no matter who does it. Name calling doesn't help. Is it now because criticism of black racism is a holy cow now and not to be addressed. Who started the knock out game? It isn't one sided anymore, if it ever was. Hell I got accused in the Land of Dixie for being a n----- lover Yankee because I liked Stephen Foster songs. Solitary

[Jmpty]

Please show me an example of this media bias in this case. Browse youtube for a while. "Black robber shot by clerk" Black thugs assault tourist" Why is it so important to call out their race?

[Solitary]

Good point! Solitary

[Jack89]

What the fuck would you like the media to do? Whip people into a frenzy? Get some pitchforks and torches? There are 7 pages of google news on this story. I watched Reginald Denny get his skull caved in on television on repeat for weeks. Remember the Central Park jogger case? You are a serious fucking idiot, and a closet bigot.

Why, because I dared to bring it up?  It's people like you who prevent any serious discussion on racism and disproportionate violence in poor black communities, and that's the point of my argument.  I think it's fucking horrendous and vile what they did to that man and it should have been plastered across the news and dissected just as it should have been if the tables were turned.  But it wasn't because people like you think that race shouldn't be brought up, unless of course it's a white on black crime.

[Jack89]

Please show me an example of this media bias in this case. Browse youtube for a while. "Black robber shot by clerk" Black thugs assault tourist" Why is it so important to call out their race?

There are a couple of reasons why it's important to bring up race.  If there's suspicion that that a crime was racially motivated it should be recognized as such and condemned, like this one.  Second, and most importantly, I think we need to recognize that race is not really the issue, but minority subcultures found within segregated populations.  If we avoid talking about the problem we won't be able to recognize the real issue, and superficial perceptions will persist.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

There are several ways to look at this,  none particularly right or wrong, but reporting crime is no exact science. The media, whoever the fuck "the media" is is first and foremost a business.Remember that. Their job is perceived to be to inform and tell us the truth, but the reality it's to make money for the people who pay their paychecks. The truth is whatever their employer says it is.
The truth is the media DID cover the story or unless you were there when it happened or in the courtroom this conversation wouldn't be taking place. The link you included Jack is from CBSNEWS and unless I'm mistaken CBS is a national news organization. Now answer why you're so butt hurt that Michael Sam and Donald Sterling, two "so what" stories are getting all the face time on teevee instead of stiring up more extreme animosity around the country when we could be learning that we can't trust Indonesia to keep track of an airplane?