Shaquanda Cotton Case Draws NAACP Attention

Plight of Imprisoned Teenager Shaquanda Cotton in Paris, Texas Gains National Attention

After a Chicago Tribune article by Howard Witt titled "To some in Paris, [Texas] sinister past is back," about the plight of Shaquanda Cotton was printed, outrage followed.

As a 14-year-old, Shaquanda Cotton was sent to youth prison with violent offenders for allegedly causing bodily injury to a PISD teaching assistant. After a trial in March 2006 that lasted three days, County Judge Chuck Superville sentenced Shaquanda Cotton to an undefined sentence at Texas Youth Commission.

"In Texas, a white teenager burns down her family's home and receives probation," wrote Witt. "A black one shoves a hall monitor and gets 7 years in prison. The state NAACP calls it `a signal to black folks.' "

This article indeed acted as a call to arms, and in response, bloggers across the country took up the plight of Shaquanda Cotton, urging supporters to swamp Texas Governor Rick Perry with emails and phone calls until justice is served.

The Honorable M.C. (Chuck) Superville, Jr., of Lamar County -- the judge who sentenced Shaquanda Cotton -- who had no prior record - to up to seven years in prison, also came under fire for what some say was a harsh and unfair sentence.

Other anonymous residents of Paris, Texas, decry the unfair racist portrayal their town has received in light of this incident, noting that the teaching assistant required medical attention after the run-in with Shaquanda Cotton.

This did not stop "about 100 New Black Panther Party and Millions More Movement members and some Paris residents" from protesting on March 19, at the Lamar County Courthouse and Paris Independent School District Administration Building over Shaquanda Cotton's imprisonment.

In addition, according to the Paris News, the Paris Branch of the NAACP is seeking a "timely release" of Shaquanda Cotton after an executive meeting held Saturday that lasted four hours.

The Paris Branch of the NAACP has requested that an emergency item be included on the Paris City Council's agenda Monday night to name a diversity task force, as well as calling for an "expedited appeal" of Shaquanda Cotton's case by the Texarkana Court of Appeals.