Victoria S. Nealy: Racial and gender disparities in Mississippi's sentencing

My niece Victoria Shante Nealy was wrongfully sentenced up to 10 years in prison for a crime she was forced to plead guilty without an attorney present. The Mississippi judge sentenced her to 10 years and suspended 7, thus with 3 years to serve. This sentencing is racially motivated at best. Victoria is an African-American female, single, with two beautiful little girls who is a wonderful mother and hardworker. She was working several jobs to support her children and ill mother. She is a christian woman who will do anything to help others with an infectious personality. She has never been arrested before, no previous criminal record. She paid the money back but still was given a harsh and cruel sentence. The same crime was committed by several white females in Meridian, Mississippi but were given only probation with no jail or prison time serve. Indeed, my niece's wrongful sentencing has devastated my family to say the least. We are outraged by this verdict. We are calling on the judge, Lester Williamson to overturn the sentencing of my niece and set her free immediately. We are demanding that the racially motivated unequal sentencing of African Americans, especially African-American females to end in Mississippi's criminal justice system so that innocent people of color will not become part of a growing and evil prison industrial complex. Shalom.