‘Lady Justice’ is blinded by irrational wokeness

J. Benari, March 10, 2022
JNews Editorial

“A Florida Dunkin’ employee accused of fatally punching a customer who used a racist slur against him pleaded guilty to felony battery and was sentenced to two years of house arrest. A Tampa judge on Monday also ordered Corey Pujols, 27, to complete 200 hours of community service and attend an anger management course.”

“Vonelle Cook was irate when he entered the Dunkin’ store last May and began yelling about customer service, police and prosecutors said. When Pujols, who is Black, asked him to leave, Cook called him a racial slur, and Pujols punched him.”

“Cook, 77, fell to the floor and knocked his head. He died three days later. The incident took place at roughly 1:30 p.m. on May 4, 2021, authorities said.”

The Details:

Cook tried to order a coffee, but employees had difficulty hearing him, according to the records. That’s when Cook became angry and was told to leave, after which he entered the Dunkin’ and accosted the employees.

Pujols requested a coworker call authorities, which led to a dispute between himself and Cook, the prosecution stated. When Pujols asked Cook to leave, the latter responded with a racial slur.

The employee approached the angered customer and asked him to refrain from using such language, but Cook repeated the slur, according to court records. The employee responded with a punch that landed on Cook’s jaw and knocked him down.

Cook died three days later and was determined to have suffered brain contusions and a skull fracture.

Pujols was charged with aggravated manslaughter, but he reportedly pleaded guilty to felony battery, a lesser charge, as part of a plea deal.

“Two of the primary factors were the aggressive approach the victim took toward the defendant and everyone working with the defendant, and that the victim repeatedly used possibly the most aggressive and offensive term in the English language,” said a spokesman for Hillsborough State Attorney Andrew Warren.”

“According to court records, Cook was a regular customer who tried to order coffee at the drive-thru on May 4. But the employees had trouble hearing him, and he began berating them for their poor customer service. He was asked to leave, but he parked his car and went inside the store.”

“When Cook appeared inside the store, Pujols asked a coworker to call police. Prosecutors said Cook began arguing with Pujols. Once Cook said the racial slur, Pujols walked around the counter and told him not to say that again. When he repeated it, Pujols hit him in the jaw and Cook fell to the floor.”

“An autopsy said he suffered a skull fracture and brain contusions.”

“Court records show Cook was a registered sex offender. No one from Cook’s family spoke at Monday’s hearing.”

Now we all agree that egregious racial slurs is and should be treated as a felonious crime. Its punishment should be debated but should undoubtedly be a measure of punishment that would deter future acts.

But I do not think that any rational person would agree that it deserves the punishment of death. The defendant, Corey Pujols, does not get to mete out justice of any kind because his feelings were damaged. Raising the point by the judge that the worst kind of racial slur in the english language was used, should never be a factor that would excuse a reaction that culminated in death.

This court ruling may have opened a pandoras box of social justice ‘death penalties’ that could destroy the already delicate balance of civil society.

Parts Contributed by CBS News