This is a grass roots effort to help in the freeing of Shaquanda Cotton.

The point of the letter that we sent to you was an effort to help spread the awareness of this injustice. I hope that you can help us in this endeavor. We need more coverage. This is why we are reaching out to the news papers and reporters all over the nation and the world.

If you can help us in any way please do. Right now we are starting with an email drive, and blog drive, followed by a letter drive, and we are also organizing marches in Paris TX. Please if you can help us by getting the word out. I believe that you can see that this is an injustice that reflects on the nation as a whole not just a small town in Texas, in justice in any form is something that we should all try our best to correct.

Any help that you can provide would be appreciated.

Thank-you.

7 years in jail for pushing a hall monitor--if you're black
(see links section)
What began as a bad day for 14-year-old Paris (Texas) High School freshman Shaquanda Cotton ended up as an apartheid nightmare. It seems that Shaquanda shoved a hall monitor in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun. She was trying to get to the nurse's office to get her daily dose of medicine for her "attention deficit" disorder. Was this African-American youngster suspended? Kept after school? Sent to a counselor for some anger-management intervention? No.
Shaquanda, who had no previous arrest record, was tried in March 2006 in the town's juvenile court, convicted of "assault on a public servant," and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years until she turns 21. Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family's house, to probation.

For more see Chicago Tribune story, "To some in Paris, sinister past is back."

Contact all news, radio, and others you know. This might not be your child, but might be a child you know in the future if this is not dealt with this true injustice.

Below is just one of the letter's I sent on the behalf of Shaquanda Cotton:

Dear Sir;
This letter is in response to a story published in the March 12th 2007 issue of the Chicago Tribune regarding the continued confinement of Shaquanda Cotton of Paris Texas. I am simply infuriated at the severity of the sentence imposed by Judge Chuck Superville. The incident initially considered a misdemeanor, was elevated to a felony, and Judge Superville imposed an indeterminate sentence with one year certain, up to age 21. Yet despite the Lamar County’s District Attorney and his staff protestations to the contrary, one can only conclude that race and the efforts of the Shaquanda’s parent to receive equal treatment for Black children from the school Board and the administration of Paris High School. This action implies an attempt to squash legitimate dissent, a right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Surely this is not something you would approve, nor any other true American.

Additionally, once Shaquanda was remanded to the custody of the Texas Youth Commission, that initial callousness was further compounded by treating Ms Cotton, diagnosed since age 7 with attention hyperactivity deficit disorder (ADHD), with the drug seratraline (Zoloft). This drug, based on a public warning issued by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), indicated an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior with the use of this antidepressant medication, especially if the recipient was under 18 years old. Shaquanda has since been recorded as having three attempted suicides in the course of the 11 months she has been incarcerated. Shaquanda Cotton, I may add has never been arrested or charged with any other crime previously, at most, a few minor infractions of school rules. Does wearing her skirt one inch too short or pouring too much paint in a cup, deserve such an overwhelming draconian response by the justice system in Paris Texas? I think you will agree with me that it does not.
This situation is unconscionable, Mr. Governor, and I am sure that you, as the leader of the great state of Texas, wants to see Shaquanda Cotton returned home, to recover her childhood, to grow up and become a fine upstanding citizen of whom we can all be proud. Send her home, now, and let her begin, realize her human possibilities.
Thank you.

What on earth is going on down there? Where is the law? This is insane and unjust punishment. Someone call the Governer. Someone call local officials.This person should sue the district for damages, and have power hungry judge Superville brought up on charges. This is against the law in New York State! Does this girl have legal representation? I can’t believe this is going on in the USA. Does anyone know how to contact this Family?

Joel B

FACT: This juvenile girl assaulted a teacher, who by Texas law is a public servant, in September 2005. It was witnessed first-hand by two other teachers who testified.

FACT: Before trial, the Lamar County and District Attorney's Office (prosecutors) offered a plea bargain reduction from felony to misdemeanor assault and 2 years juvenile probation, which the mother and defense attorney turned down.

FACT: The juvenile had a trial and was found adjudicated delinquent by a jury (we don't refer to juveniles as "guilty" or "not guilty" in Texas - it's "adjudicated" or "not adjudicated") in March of 2006.

FACT: After the jury adjudicated the juvenile as delinquent, the defense asked Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to set punishment. The defense could have had a jury set punishment, but asked for the judge to decide.

FACT: This juvenile did NOT receive 7 years in prison. She was given an indeterminate sentence to the Texas Youth Commission, which means her conduct and cooperation with their behavior rehabilitation programs determines when she gets out. Minimum time to complete those programs is 9 months. She entered TYC in March 2006 and could have been out in December 2006 if she was being cooperative. But note that she never had to go to TYC in the first place: she could have gotten probation.

FACT: Texas statute under the Family Code (governing juveniles) left 2 options for the judge: 1) release the juvenile on probation back to a family member who verbally assures the judge that cooperative efforts to meet probation conditions will be met, and 2) sentence to the Texas Youth Commission. Often, parents are part of the problem and other family members step forward to offer to take the juvenile in their care and see to it probation conditions are met. NO other family members came forward and this juvenile's mother (Creola Cotton) told the judge she would not comply with conditions of probation. The judge's hands were tied by the law and he had no other choice but TYC.

FACT: School officials testified during the punishment phase that this juvenile had been a continuous discipline problem and that her mother continually defended her actions, telling her she did nothing wrong, and fought against disciplinary actions against her daughter for legitimate infractions.

FACT: The defense filed an appeal, fired the defense attorney trial attorney they hired (Wesley Newell of Dallas) and alleged ineffective assistance of counsel (saying the defense attorney didn't do his job well enough). The Court of Appeals in Texarkana ruled that the juvenile would not be released on bond pending their final appeal decision. That decision has not yet been handed down.

FACT: This juvenile would not be in TYC if her mother had agreed to cooperate with conditions of probation after the jury found her essentially guilty.

You will find these facts with additional comments at http://www.lamarcountyattorney.com/cotton.html

...I would suggest to the advocates that they find better allies than the freak job that posted this. Holland has recently referred to me personally as a white supremacist, has called for the death of Elizabeth Edwards, said that Mrs. Edwards' cancer was a divine punishment on her caused by her husband's running for the Presidency while white, written extensively about his mental illness and joined the 9/11 conspiracy theorists.

If that's the kind of ally you want, go right ahead. If you want credibility, you'll choose more wisely.

End of message.