notes on viewers' response to the terence garner story

This case is as appalling as any you have aired. The black boys were heroes compared to the people who were supposed to be the justice system. With few exceptions those in the justice system were the criminals in this case.

I loved those black boys. I wish they could all get a college education and be successful in life. They were so fine. I wish someone could help them realize how wonderful they are.

I echo the first letter to you. Who do we write to for help for this boy who is innocent of any crime and sentenced to possibly a lifetime in prison?

I would like to write to his mother and sister also.

Genevieve Howard
san marcos, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

After seeing your program and once again watching injustice performed by the powers that be in so many of our court systems, I only have this question: What else can be done to free the innocent other than letter writing and your program airing? What can citizens like me or anyone do to help a Terrence Garner? I am tired of feeling powerless in these situations over and over again. I would love an answer. Thank you for showing us this miserable example of American behavior on your wonderful program. If anyone has an answer, I would appreciate reading it here.

Tanis Fletcher
santa monica, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

It is so sad and frightening to see how corrupt our justice system is here in America. It is not to put down our nation, for as bad as it might be, I would not want to live anywhere else. My heart goes out to the young man in this shocking story, and it is my prayer that God will step into the situation... All things work together for the good of the whom love the Lord. I pray that Terence knows the Lord, and that he will stay strong. KEEP HOPE ALIVE!

John-Paul Moore
oceanisde, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am appaled at our justice system. This case proves that justice is definatly blind. I cannot believe that this man is serving a sentence for a crime that he obviously did not commit. I have lost complete trust and confidence in our justice system.

I find it sickning to know that a proven sex offender is given a second chance in our society, whereas a man who has not been proven guilty is going to serve a life sentence.

victorville, california

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for such excellent investigative journalism. I am truly appalled at the blatant injustice that has been perpetrated upon Terence Garner. Something must be done to rectify this horrible injustice. I am certain that your piece will help this cause.

The ironies that you captured were astonishing. For example: a criminal willing to lose years of his life to save an innocent man where a judge and DA would sacrifice this innocent man rather than face possible embarrassment or to possibly lose political position.

I hope this piece causes both DA Lock and Judge Jenkins to do some serious soul searching for the result of their actions is criminal.

The situation is frustrating and very sad. My heart and hopes go out to Terence Garner and his family.

Bart Van der Gaag
perrineville, new jersey

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am stunned. The plight of this young man, Terence Garner, has shaken me down to my soul. The bottom line is that our justice system needs to be overhauled. Until that happens, cases like this will continue to be commonplace. I have never really been interested in our court systems. It seemed too unwieldy, with too many flaws. A case like this, though, makes me want to get involved. To be able to right the wrongs that have happened the innocents. After seeing the documentary I paced back and forth, distressed. Then I just sat down for a long time, pondering. What if that happens to me? What if it happens to one of my children? There is no reason why it couldn't. So, how does one get involved that has no real knowledge of the Justice system, and no money to set up funds for victims of these injustices. What role can the common man play in helping Terence and others in the same situation. Let me know, I can't sleep anymore...

Scott Wallace
dallas, texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

The case of Terrence Garner is so obviously wrong. Anyone in the criminal Justice system, who was interested in justice, would give this man a new trial. The District attorney and the judge in this case are criminals. They take the oath of office to be truthful, yet they knowingly let a boy pay for a crime he didn't commit. There are too many questions in this case. This is the United States, we need to rise up with one voice and vote these people out of office. The Supreme Court needs to try this case and make the judge and D.A. come up with the gun and other evidence. The woman who was shot, was shot in the head and she remembers clearly? I don't think so. What happened to her was horrific, but I don't believe she identified Garner. I believe she identified who the judge told her to identify. Riddick and Hendrick would identify the person who was with them if they could. Why would they name names if they wouldn't identify the right person? This case doesn't make sense and I pray that the Garners have enough courage and stamina to keep praying and trying every avenue and when Garner gets free, he needs to sue the pants off the judge and D.A. and the Johnston County police department.

phoenix, arizona

Dear FRONTLINE,

Thank you for presenting this case to the viewers of PBS. I cannot understand how the officials and law enforcement who help protect innocent people, are commiting such injustice towards one of them. Terence Garter should be set free. The wrongs that people do, will ALWAYS come back to them, at the end. Terence, I wish you the best of luck, and I know you are innocent.

G. Portades
san diego, ca

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am as disgusted with this situation as are the other viewers of "An Ordinary Crime". But I feel that the Crime is that people like Judge Jenkins and Tom Lock are not made to pay for their Crimes against the innocent people whose lives they have ruined. This is not "An Ordinary Crime", it seems to have become an all to common crime perpetrated by people in power who have no conscience and are more concerned about holding their positions of power than revealing the truth.

If further investigations show that the Judge, Prosecuting Attorney and Law Inforcement Officers covered up their mishandling of this case, they should be made to suffer the same shame and confinment they force on this innocent youth.

But we all know this will never happen to the rich and powerful.

Robert Fraser
mcallen, texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

The true villans in this story are elected officials who stand true to the good ole Boy agenda. The State government should be quite embarrassed to have jailed an innocent while allowing this D.A. and Judge to roam freely much less hold office. The true criminals are already in a N.C. courthouse, only in the wrong seats!

CLIFF MORGAN
wichita falls, texas

Dear FRONTLINE,

I think they should give Terence Garner a new trial. I don't see how they can question his innoncence if they were to listen to all the facts and witnesses (other than the freaked out lady who was shot). I think she just doesn't want to be wrong about who she is blaming. Our family is going through a similar situation with my brother-in-law. He is serving time for something he didn't do. We are in the process of requesting an appeal. I think people should be really scared of the justice system. You are suppose to be innocent until proven guilty in the good old USA but in reality you are guilty until you prove your innocent and if you fail to do that adequately you are screwed! So this story really hit home for me and my husband as we watched Frontline. Thank you for covering these types of stories. People need to be aware of how messed up our justice system is. Just like Garner said "Any of us could be in that situation".

kannapolis, north carolina

Dear FRONTLINE,

After viewing the absoloutely stunning piece, An Ordinary Crime, I, as a black man feel deeply offended. The blatant injustice in the garner case leaves me no doubt that we surely have not overcome.

I don't know how the prosecuters in this case go about their lives as they know a innocent man sits in prison as a direct result of their actions. Or perhaps the lack of their actions.

So very sad a story in this time of terrorism against the United States. I dare say that the judge and prosecuters in the Garner case have U.S. flags flying from their vehicles and think themselves proud americans...America truly needs God's blessing from the likes of these men.

Donald Fowler
dallas, tx

Dear FRONTLINE,

I saw the special and came to two conclusions, This innocent man is in prison because he looks like the man that did the crime. I feel that the only person who can change that is the woman that put him there. She should watch the program made by frontline. She should compare pictures of both men and she would have to see that the resemblance is there. And that maybe her one eye has made a mistake for what her two eyes had seen. Maybe both men should be forced to say Should I just kill her. Maybe the voice would tell her something new. To a viewer of the show it is obvious that the wrong man is in jail. The four defendant crime idea is a sad stretch for real justice. Thank-You Frontline for this quality program, maybe it will open closed eyes......

Robert Ware
milw, wi

Dear FRONTLINE,

I am so shaken by this case. I am a law student who is truly concerned by the power that this system gives Judges. This case is a misjustice and the parties involved know this. Locke could not answer the questions that were posed to him. The judge had his mind made up before the trial even started, therefore he allowed the jury to hear exactly what he wanted them to hear. I understand that justice is supposed to blind but I don't remember anything about it being ignorant, evil, or vandictive. This young man doesn't deserve this sentence or any of this. As stated in you program..if his name would have been John he would still be playing basketball on that court in the neighborhood. Noone wants to play the race card but as Riddick so nicely put it, "she saw a black man shoot her and a black man is doing the time". Ray Charles could see the holes in this case but once again as long as you (judges, police, D.A, the system)look like you are working then all is good with the world. I am here to tell you that Terrence Garner's case IS an ordinary one, and that is a sad sentiment. It is ordinary because it is so common. Not to bring religion into a picture of practicality but those who stood as judge and jury and knew that they were wrong will also be judged. So wait on your time and know that your sentence will not be jail but...

D. Bridgeforth
macon , georgia

Dear FRONTLINE,

There is no choice or room for discussion. A man is imprisoned in America, under a constitution that guarantees him a fair and unbiased trial. Bigotry and self-serving politics were never part of our constitutional formula. Your in-depth analysis of this case shows nothing more than the remnants of our "whites first" heritage and nothing less than the innocence of one black man sentenced to thirty years.

Don Haldeman
reading, pa

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