SPEAK OUT - ON NO JUSTICE IN TALLAPOOSA

I live just outside of Tupelo, Miss., and have friends and relatives
all over Alabama. Knowing both of these states quite well, I am fully
aware of the history of the Southern court system. I am not so sure I
agree that we have what is referred to as "The New South."

A couple of weeks ago I had the nasty displeasure of just one
afternoon in an Alexander City courtroom. If it weren't for the fact
that a person's life and future were in the hands of a disgrace of a
judge, I would have been laughing hysterically and removed from the
courtroom.

I witnessed testimonies from some of the most inept officers of the
law that I've ever seen in my life (and that's saying a lot). To be
such self-proclaimed "experts" in their fields, they certainly were
mighty confused concerning what they saw and confiscated at a raid of
Tallapoosa County resident, Loretta Nall.

Each witness not only contradicted the witness preceding the other,
but they also repeatedly contradicted themselves. To me they were
indeed a defense attorney's dream come true. All of this controversy
was over what may or may not have been a few seeds, a stem and some
leafy substances thought to be marijuana, all the while, weighing less
than a gram.

Tallapoosa County District Judge Kim Taylor was blatantly biased and
displayed such acts of despicable abuse of power that it made me want
to bolt from the courtroom.

I returned to Mississippi feeling sick to my stomach after enduring
just one afternoon that I will never forget. All of this is paid for
with your hard earned tax money. I encourage anyone who is able to
visit their county courtrooms every chance they get just to get an
idea of who they are voting for in the next election.

Each one of us deserves and should demand the justice we are promised
in our Bill of Rights. It belongs to all of us.

Rev. Anita T. Mayfield

Nettleton, Miss.