Seeking Justice

MARIO’S STORY

Periodically, Ken & Alice Starr open up their home to law students for “Sunday Night at the Starrs.” We’ve had to miss the first couple of these opportunities, but last night we were able to attend. I was especially excited given the subject matter: “Seeking Justice.”

Because the program promised an above-average attendance, the event was held in the Mendenhall Appellate Courtroom at the law school instead of the Starrs’ home, and a good-sized crowd did in fact turn out to see and hear an amazing story. Mario’s story.

We had the privilege of seeing the documentary that will air on Showtime later this year, along with meeting the nun who stood by Mario’s side for so many years, the attorney who saw the case through to victory, and the producer of the film. It was quite a night.

Here is the LINK to Mario’s story, and I encourage you to spend significant time there (there’s a movie trailer to watch along with lots of other cool stuff). But also Google the name of Mario Rocha and read all the articles you can find about his awful story with a happy ending.

During the brief Q & A session at the end, I was particularly impressed by an answer given by Mario’s attorney. You need to know first that this attorney grew up in a prestigious prep school in D.C. (the one the Obama girls now attend) and that he is an attorney at a huge firm that makes its fortune representing the largest companies in the world. In other words, not a prime candidate for a liberal do-gooder. And yet, when sharing what Mario’s case taught him he said that he learned that an innocent inner city defendant with brown skin won’t get a fair trial in Los Angeles.

Please remember: we now live in a country where a rich Ivy League Christian attorney who happens to be black can now be president. But we don’t live in a country where a poor, non-white, inner city kid can get a fair trial. There is much work left to do for those interested in Seeking Justice.